Edinburgh’s Royal Mile is filled with monuments and statues dedicated to notable figures, but campaigners argue that it lacks representation of women. In 2017, a crowdfunding campaign was launched to create a statue of Elsie Inglis, a Scottish suffragist and pioneer in maternal health. However, controversy arose when it was announced that the statue would be designed by Alexander Stoddart, a male sculptor, instead of through an open call for artists. The design, which depicts Inglis in military uniform standing alone on a tall pedestal, has been criticized for lacking the warmth and compassion that Inglis represented. Opposition to the design has grown, with calls for a more child-friendly and representative depiction. Critics argue that the selection process was not transparent and that the design project should have been given to a female artist. The controversy highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the representation of women in public art and the need for greater inclusion and diversity.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/global/2025/mar/16/anger-male-sculptor-commissioned-statue-suffragist-edinburgh-elsie-inglis