An Internet scandal has erupted over suspicions that Huggies altered a photo of a toddler in a diaper ad to include a "thigh gap."
Reddit user spittingpigeon last week uploaded a screenshot of a promotional Huggies email, with the caption, "Is it just me or did this huggies ad photoshop [a] thigh gap on a toddler?"
According to Yahoo Parenting, the Reddit user is a California woman named Melody. Melody, who is the mother of an 11-month-old baby, told the site that the ad for Huggies' Little Movers Slip-On Diapers looked doctored.
"The picture looked manipulated," she said. "Really manipulated -- like what you see in fashion magazines to make models too thin and too perfect."
However, Huggies spokesperson Terry Balluck told The Huffington Post that the image of the baby had not been altered at all.
"I can assure we did not alter the natural state of the baby’s body in the creation of the ad," he said. "We realize all babies are different and celebrate those difference in our photography and communications."
Some Reddit commenters criticized Huggies for early body shaming, while others argued the toddler's legs were not altered.
"Although the photo looks odd. I'm staring at my toddler now as he stands in front of the tv and his thighs do not touch. I believe all toddlers have 'thigh gaps,' Reddit commenter Blueskymoon said. "And sometimes toddlers stand with their knees touching and it makes them look awkward."