Spain’s equality ministry launches ‘all bodies are beach bodies’ campaign

Spain’s Ministry of Equality has launched a new campaign aimed to encourage women of all shapes and sizes to go to the beach this summer.

The campaign image shows five diverse women, including a plus-size woman, a woman with underarm hair, and a woman who has undergone a mastectomy.

Overlaying text for the image reads: “Summer is ours too. Enjoy it how, where and with whomever you want.”

Ione Belarra, the minister for social rights in Spain’s Podemos party tweeted the image with the caption: “All bodies are beach bodies. Our bodies are to be cared for, respected and enjoyed.”

Antonia Morillas, head of the Spanish Women’s Institute – the organisation that led the new initiative – tweeted the image with the caption: “Diverse bodies, free of gender stereotypes, occupying all spaces. Summer also belongs to us. Free, equal and diverse.”

In a separate statement the Women’s Institute said: “Today we toast a summer for all, without stereotypes and aesthetic violence against our bodies.”

Several Spanish Twitter users replied to Morillas’ tweet, with some condemning the ministry for “spending money” on the campaign and others joking the image looks like it was “made in a kindergarten class”.

“The poster is the winner of a cut and paste contest in a kindergarten class?” one person wrote.

Another person added: “I don’t understand why they spend money on this.”

Others showed support for the campaign, with one person writing how they were glad the ministry was “doing its part” to support women.

They wrote: “I will not be able to empower myself this year either, but I am glad that the institutions do their part so that I can achieve it one day.”

Another person added: “If only all countries could be more open minded.”