Spanish 'beach bodies' campaign slammed for 'editing out' prosthetic leg of British model

31 July 2022, 08:38

A 'beach bodies' campaign by the Spanish government has been criticised for editing out the prosthetic leg of a British model.

Sian Green-Lord, 32, said she was left "shaking with rage" after she saw her photo had been edited to remove her prosthetic leg in the "body positivity" advert launched by Spain's equality ministry.

Speaking in an Instagram story, Ms Green-Lord said her swimsuit had also been altered and her image had been used without her permission.

"I don't know how to even explain the amount of anger that I'm feeling right now," she said in the video. "There's one thing using my image without my permission. But there's another thing editing my body."

"I literally don't even know what to say but it's beyond wrong," Ms Green-Lord added.

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The likeness of Ms Green-Lord features on the far left of the promotional poster, in a white swimsuit with floral patterns.

Compared with an image on her Instagram account, the colour of her swimsuit has been changed, and a left leg added where her prosthetic limb should be.

The influencer's leg was amputated after she was hit by a taxi while on holiday in New York in 2013. She was walking with a friend in Manhattan when the vehicle mounted the kerb.

The mother-of-one is the second woman featured in the campaign to say her photos were used without permission.

Nyome Nicholas-Williams, from London, also claimed that an image from her Instagram page was used in the poster.

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Spain's summer campaign was supposed to encourage women of all shapes and sizes to hit the beach, but has instead come under fire for altering images.

On Thursday, the campaign's creator, Arte Mapache, issued an apology.

"Given the - justified - controversy over the image rights in the illustration, I have decided that the best way to make amends for the damages that may have resulted from my actions is to share out the money I received for the work and give equal parts to the people in the poster," the artist said.

"I hope to be able to solve all this as soon as possible, I accept my mistakes and that is why I am now trying to repair the damage caused," she added.

The Spanish government has yet to comment.