In the blazing Barcelona sun, 24-year-old Rebecca sunbathes on the beach with two girlfriends, listening to Rosal’s latest hitíhas. Like many, she saw on Instagram the latest campaign of the Ministry of Equality, “El verano también es nuestro” [littéralement : “l’été est aussi à nous”]. Going viral on social networks, she defends the diversity of women at the beach and promotes what is called “body positive”, a movement in favor of the acceptance of all bodies.
And in the heart of summer, this campaign seems to be on target. “It is very good !abounds Rebecca. Women should be able to feel comfortable and uninhibited when they come to the beach. That’s the message this campaign stands for.”
“Before there were a lot more taboos when it came to putting on a bathing suit whether or not you waxed, if you had a scar, if you had cellulite… Today it’s normalized!”
This campaign shows women of all ages in swimsuits with very different bodies. One is not shaved, another, who has had her breast removed, is not wearing a bikini top. Two others are overweight. Ordinary bodies, far from the stereotypes of the female body. The Minister for Equality in Spain, Irene Montero, welcomed the launch of this campaign, which went viral in just a few moments.
Todos los cuerpos son válidos y tenemos derecho a disfrutar de la vida como somos, sin culpa ni vergüenza. ¡El verano es para todas! #ElVeranoEsNuestro pic.twitter.com/oH09KGJkEn
— Irene Montero (@IreneMontero) July 27, 2022
No wonder for Daniela, for whom the pressure on women remains very strong at the beach: “I really like this campaign! It is necessary because women still live with this anxiety of not being good enough, of not doing enough to live up to the standards of today’s society. We feel singled out, we are “too fat”, “too skinny”… There are still a lot of prejudices, but I believe that women are much more emancipated than before.”
A little further on, sitting on a folding chair, Maria, retired, found a shady spot. For a long time she did not go to the beach. She suffers from obesity, in his words, and she had complexes. “Before, I didn’t dareshe says. But now yes. There is more freedom and everyone lives and enjoys the beach in their own way.”
The government’s campaign also reminds us that Spain is today an example to follow in Europe for women’s rights. Clara is a young girl from Lille on vacation. For her, Spain is one step ahead.
“The girls are much more comfortable, they will wear shorter skirts, whereas in France, if you dress like that, you immediately feel that you are watched a lot more, you can be judged .”
Clara, from Lille on vacation in Barcelonaat franceinfo
This summer, Barcelona City Hall even set up anti-macho stands on the beach and near nightclubs to prevent sexist and sexual violence. Spain has definitely decided to pose as European champion in the fight for women’s rights.