Update: Add one more gripe to the list of complaints that have been issued (see below) about a Spanish campaign that pushes body positivity. The image shared Wednesday by Spain's equality ministry shows women of various ages and body types at the beach, and one of those women says her picture was used without her permission. Nyome Nicholas-Williams, a 30-year-old British model, says the image of her in a gold bikini was based on a photo she posted to her Instagram account. She complained online and got an apology from the illustrator, who "said they used my image because they were running low on time." Nicholas-Williams says the Spanish government hasn't reached out to her. The BBC has a comparison of the photos here. Our original story from Thursday follows:
Spain has assured women that all of them are welcome on its beaches this summer. The nation's equality ministry tweeted an image of five women of various ages and body types, one of whom appeared to have had a mastectomy, with the message: "Summer is ours too. Enjoy it how, where and with whomever you want." The tweet is part of a body positivity campaign produced by the ministry along with a Spanish rights group, NBC News reports. The Instituto de las Mujeres said Thursday it's in response "to the fatphobia, hate and questioning of non-normative bodies, particularly women's bodies that is more pronounced in the summer period."
The campaign raised questions. A former leader of the United Left party called the effort absurd and said it's an attempt to solve a problem that doesn't exist. Others wondered whether women really need the government's permission to go to the beach. Some posts asked why men were excluded, adding photos of various male body types. The ruling Podemos party answered the criticism, per the Guardian, by tweeting, "If bodies bother you, you can stay home tweeting." (More body image stories.)
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