AMA: Stop Photoshopping models' bodies

[sufrommich]

All those women's fashion ads that show models with 12-inch waists you know are clearly Photoshopped? The American Medical Association is asking the ad industry to stop tweaking photographs that way because of the unhealthy message they send.

"Advertisers commonly alter photographs to enhance the appearance of models' bodies, and such alterations can contribute to unrealistic expectations of appropriate body image — especially among impressionable children and adolescents," the AMA said in a statement.

"A large body of literature links exposure to media-propagated images of unrealistic body image to eating disorders and other child and adolescent health problems."

In the policy adopted by the AMA at its annual meeting this week, the group encourages advertising companies to work with both "public and private sector organization concerned with child and adolescent health to develop guidelines for advertisements, especially those appearing in teen-oriented publications, that would discourage the altering of photographs in a manner that could promote unrealistic expectations of appropriate body image."

http://digitallife.today.com/_news/2011/06/23/6926599-ama-stop-photoshopping-models-bodies

[Mz Pip]

1. Sure,

right after we stop selling violent video games to kids.

It won't happen. Not saying it isn't a good idea for advertisers to be more responsible. I'm just saying it isn't going to happen.

[Enrique]

2. omg i never saw this

this is just weird. Imagine if you saw her walking down the street.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. I would think she was ill. That is not even close to normal. nt

[Maru Kitteh]

5. Looks like a Picasso, but not in a good way. n/t

[sufrommich]

6. It's beyond creepy.I can't imagine how anyone could believe

a human could have a body like that.

[CrispyQ]

12. I've heard them called Lollipop Girls, because their heads look over sized.

I loved Matt Dillon in the movie "In & Out" when he told his model girlfriend to go eat something. "You look like a swizzle stick!"

[JackRiddler]

24. Ralph Lauren is among the worst offenders, although my impression...

is that most of these companies have become even more aggressive about depicting even thinner models (the one in the photo is obviously a depiction, not her actual shape, or she'd be dead by now) as the criticism leveled at them becomes louder and the movement for size liberation becomes stronger.

[rocktivity]

3. Wow. Just...wow.

x(
rocktivity

[Ignis]

7. Good on the AMA. No one will listen, but it's a nice policy.

:kick:

[CoffeeCat]

8. My sister looks like that...

She's puked for so many years that her periods stopped when she was in her 20's. She's in
her 30's now and is incapable of having children.

Because she vommited so much, all of her teeth rotted and they had to be pulled. She's
had dentures since she was in her early 30's.

Her esophagus is giving her trouble now.

Images like this are lies, because they don't tell the truth about what really happens to your
body when it looks like this.

[emcguffie]

22. Is she still bulemic?

Does she know she's ill? Does she have a good support system and good medical care?

I certainly send her my best wishes for a better future.

[Number23]

9. Rec'd. It will never happen but it'd be wonderful if it did

[pipi_k]

10. Good lord, why do they even bother leaving the skin on them???

I mean, really...just take 'em right down to the bone, for crissakes!!!

yech

:puke:

[On the Road]

11. That is the New Trend

[Shagbark Hickory]

26. LOL +!

[demmiblue]

13. K&R

[WatsonT]

14. I wonder who those pictures appeal to?

I mean I get the airbrushing out skin blemishes and adding brighter lips and so on.

But the ones where they are altered to be impossibly skinny are just bizarre. I know of no men who find those attractive.

[AngryAmish]

15. It is not aimed at men, it is aimed at women.

It is called aspirational advertising. It is not supposed to be real life.

Ever wonder why models scowl while marching down the catwalk? Well there is a reason. High status people do not have to smile much while dealing with lower status people (you don't smile at waitpersons, bosses don't smile at workers - not as much anyhow). THis scowling, perfect person wears XWY clothes, therefore people want to wear XYZ clothes hoping the status wears off on them.

[WatsonT]

17. But why do real women care?

I would assume most fashion is done to appeal to others. If it's not appealing to men why would heterosexual women put such emphasis on it?

[AngryAmish]

19. Women dress for other women, not men.

Well they dress so they look better then the women nearby. As a guy a good looking woman wearing a plastic bag is more appealing than a less good looking woman wearing prada. But it is about attaining social status like most things we do.

[WatsonT]

20. You would think the woman who is able to attract the highest quality mate

would be the most impressive to other females.

That's pretty much how it works with guys. I could be short, fat, and ugly but as long as I have the prettiest girl in the room on my arm I'm 'winning'.

[AngryAmish]

21. Well, people tend to date people with similar social status

Not so good looking guy but with money (or status other ways, like being a preacher or an admired artist) can get a gal with high social status (women usually measured by beauty but money and other status comes into it). Medium date mediums, loss status with low status. Remember high school? Real life is like that.

[LadyHawkAZ]

16. Weight loss industry: $40 billion/year

It's not intended to be attractive to MEN. It's subliminal programming for WOMEN.

It works, too.

[AngryAmish]

18. I am skeptical that advertising causes mental illness

There, I said it.

[JackRiddler]

25. Not the point, as usual.

No problems saying it.

[Freddie Stubbs]

23. Will the AMA also ask doctors to stop performing cosmetic surgery to make women look like models?