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A mermaid statue created by Italian art students is sparking controversy after its unveiling. The statue was placed in a fishing village in Puglia, Southern Italy. Unlike most depictions of mermaids, however, this one is voluptuous. Curvaceous and quite striking, with significant assets. Enough that some are criticizing it for being too provocative.”

“It looks like a mermaid with two silicone breasts and, above all, a huge arse never seen before on a mermaid. At least not any I know.” says Tiziana Schiavarelli, a Bari-based actor. However, we think that it’s significantly unfair to judge this statue. Adolfo Marciano, the headteacher of the Luigi Rosso art school, where the students attend, disagrees completely.

It’s a “tribute to the great majority of women who are curvy” says Marciano. Personally, we agree. There’s a significant stigma against women whose proportions are on the curvier side. A large chest and behind, which generally can’t be helped if they’re natural, are often viewed as promiscuous just by way of existing. But we think this statue appreciates those attributes, and it’s unfair that the statue has been ridiculed more than accepted.

This is also not the first time a piece of Italian art has made headlines for being controversial. Earlier this month, there was a big deal (again) about Michelangelo’s David. Thanks, Florida.

Generally the modern images of mermaids are depicted as slim, streamlined, not an ounce of fat or curve. Society’s idea of how women should look is unfair to begin with. If body fat exists on a woman’s body, she’s somehow failed. Having a statue that doesn’t fit that mold is refreshing. We, for one, accept it fully as a fantastic piece of art.