YWCA Australia
Media Release
Tuesday October 27 2009
Time to Promote a Positive Body Image
“The YWCA Australia welcomes the launch of the Voluntary Industry Code of Conduct on
Body Image by Minister for Youth, Hon Kate Ellis MP, in Canberra today,” said Anne
Bunning, YWCA Australia representative on Minister Ellis’ National Advisory Group on
Body Image.
“YWCA Australia is aware from its discussions with young women how important it is to
build confidence and resilience in young people and our Local Associations across
Australia run a range of programs which promote positive self image and self esteem.
“The launch of the code gives industry a chance to show their concern for the wellbeing of
their customers, especially girls and young women, by signing up to the code and bringing
more reality into their advertising and marketing campaigns.
“We are enormously aware of the damage caused to girls and young women by use of
unrealistic images in marketing campaigns –
unrealistic because of the use of digital
enhancement to create unreal images of real people.
“There is a major body of research showing the effect on girls and young women when
they try to copy these images with their own bodies – and become distressed when they
fail or during the process of starving themselves to achieve an unhealthy body shape. The
long term impact on girls and young women of these unrealistic and unhealthy images is
now undisputed and we have girls as young as six years old being admitted to hospital
with eating disorders.
“As a member of the National Advisory Group on Body Image established by Minister Ellis
in March this year, the YWCA Australia has been pleased to be part of such an initiative
and even more pleased to see the outcome of the high level deliberations by the Advisory
Group, Office for Youth and the Minister.
“It is now the turn of the industry to show their real concern for their customers by
signing up to the code and using real images which reflect the diversity of healthy body
shapes and sizes,” said Ms Bunning in Canberra today.
Phone contact: Anne Bunning, 0407 803 340
(Chief Executive YWCA of Adelaide, and YWCA Australia representative on the National Advisory Group on
Body Image)
NEWS 
