Spain launches ‘all bodies are beach bodies’ campaign

Style
Body
Posted 28 July, 2022

Credit: Unsplash

By Jessica Byrne

London, UK

2 energy + Add Energy

0 comments

Launched by the Spanish government’s equality ministry, the campaign slogan reads ‘the summer is ours too’ and features women of varied sizes and skin tones sitting seaside.

The body positivity movement has exploded on social media over the last decade, influencing millions and reshaping decisions made in major fashion shows and in marketing campaigns around the globe.

First picking up traction in 2012, the goal is to promote the acceptance of all types of bodies, regardless of size, shape, skin tone, gender, and physical ability.

This summer, the movement is getting a boost from the Spanish equality ministry through a creative summer campaign. Featuring women of various sizes and one with a mastectomy, the poster encourages women to embrace their bodies and enjoy the beach without reservations about how they are perceived.

The unfortunate reality is that most people find it difficult to adopt ‘the beach is getting whatever body I give it’ motto. Polls by the charity Do Something suggest that 91 percent of women are unhappy with their bodies and adhere to restrictive diets to achieve their ideal body type.

In summer months, many will have planned trips abroad or to nearby coastlines. But along with summer can come the pressure to look nothing less than amazing in a swimsuit, resulting in obsessively cutting calories and exercising a lot more than usual.

Pressures to be perfect are deeply engrained into the fabric of modern society, affecting people of all genders, and have only been intensified by the oversaturation of perfectly posed and toned images constantly bombarding us online and in mainstream media.

It only takes a simple Google search of ‘summer body’ to realise how pervasive these narratives are, with 3.19 billion hits offering up suggestions for how to achieve stereotypical body ideals that are – for most – not naturally attainable.

Despite this, Spanish left-wing leader Cayo Lara called the campaign ‘absurd’ saying it was creating a problem that doesn’t exist. Quite controversial, as body dysmorphia affects about 1 in 50 people, and in March of 2022, England’s healthcare service announced that it had been treating record numbers of patients for eating disorders.

Of course, anyone can go to the beach. But whether they feel comfortable in their own skin or able to enjoy things without being judged by others while there – especially when they do not fit modern body ideals – is a different story.

The campaign hopes to eradicate toxic mindsets about how bodies should be – and surely that impact will help, not hurt, the people of Spain who see it.

Jessica Byrne

Senior Writer & Media Coordinator London, UK

I’m Jessica (She/Her). Originally from Bermuda, I moved to London to get a Master’s degree in Media & Communications and now write for Thred to spread the word about positive social change, specifically ocean health and marine conservation. You can also find me dipping my toes into other subjects like pop culture, health, wellness, style, and beauty. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

More from thred.

Fake Botox is poisoning cosmetic patients across the United States

Credit: Thred

Face

Fake Botox is poisoning cosmetic patients across the United States

Several people have reported negative health reactions after being injected with botulinum toxin in the US. It’s a worrying trend that emphasizes the importance of finding reputable clinicians before getting any type of cosmetic work done. A worrying trend is taking place across the US, raising the eyebrows of health officials and beauty practitioners alike. At least 19 people have reported serious health reactions after being injected with botulinum toxin (the...

By Jessica Byrne London, UK

Is Rihanna’s use of religious fashion as problematic as people think?

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Industry

Is Rihanna’s use of religious fashion as problematic as people think?

Never shy of causing a stir, global superstar Rihanna has drawn criticism after dressing up as a nun in her latest cover shoot for Interview Magazine – but some argue that the offended are missing the point. Celebrities have been using religious symbolism in their work for decades and – despite frequent backlash from the public – it doesn’t seem to be slowing anytime soon. To list just a few examples,...

By Jessica Byrne London, UK

Opinion – Nike’s Olympic kits are an emblem of sports sexism

Credit: Nike/Thred

Body

Opinion – Nike’s Olympic kits are an emblem of sports sexism

The sporting giant has come under fire over its women’s Track and Field kits. The backlash is long overdue. With the Paris Olympics just months away, major sporting brands are revealing their Olympic kits for the first time. But Nike got more than it bargained for this week when it shared images of the Team USA Track and Field uniforms. Far from online hype, the launch triggered a swathe of...

By Flo Bellinger Brighton, UK

Copenhagen introduces ban on exotic skins at Fashion Week

Credit: Unsplash

Industry

Copenhagen introduces ban on exotic skins at Fashion Week

Just two years after it prohibited animal fur, Copenhagen has announced exotic animal skins and feathers will also be banned from its fashion week runways. Shows full of animal feathers and skins at fashion week? Groundbreaking. That’s the stance organisers of Copenhagen Fashion Week have taken as of late, announcing a ban on collections featuring exotic skins and feathers that will begin next year. This move has cemented Copenhagen as a...

By Jessica Byrne London, UK