Time To Promote Positive Body Image

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27th October 2009, 02:00pm - Views: 1259





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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)







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