The next time you're in a newsagent, check out the fashion magazines. Skip the articles and take a look at the ads. What do the models look like? Does everyone look similar - lean and toned and supremely skinny? Can you believe these pictures?
"Media always forces images on us on how we are supposed to be like – tall, blonde and you look at yourself and think... gross." - Zena, 15
Maybe you're sick of constantly seeing these pictures. And maybe you're feeling a bit low about yourself. If you're unhappy with how you look, constantly seeing photos idealising "beautiful" people can make you feel a lot worse.
So what can be done about it?
There are a number of things that can be done about this. For one thing, you can choose the media you consume. And the media can make their own positive choices, too.
"I would like to see more magazines with healthy girls. They could be big or small girls as long as they honestly eat healthily and exercise, and also some more info on proper diets... none of these silly fads." - Erin, 19
To guide the media towards positive choices, the Victorian Government developed a Voluntary Media Code of Conduct on Body Image. The code is designed to encourage fashion types, advertisers and media makers to show a diversity of bodies, and to focus on health instead of body shape.
What is a code of conduct?
A code of conduct sets desirable behaviours out in writing. Famous codes of conduct include the Hippocratic Oath that doctors swear by and the Ten Commandments, as endorsed by followers of Christianity. Following a code of conduct is meant to bring about positive change to those who support it and to others.
And what does this code say?
The Voluntary Media Code of Conduct on Body Image lists four areas in which the media is encouraged to change:
- Altered and enhanced images - Try not to use unachievable and unrealistic digitally manipulated images of people, and tag any digitally altered images used with something like, "this image has been digitally altered".
- Diversity in shapes - Use a variety of body shapes in images both editorially (alongside articles) and in advertising.
- Fair Placement - Consider the context in which diet, exercise or cosmetic surgery advertising is used.
- Modelling Health - Make an effort to show pictures of people of healthy weight and sizes.
The code is voluntary - these are guidelines, not a rigid set of rules. Rather than enforcing the changes, the Victorian Goverment is encouraging media makers to support the code of their own free will.
By supporting those who are willing to change their ways, and making choices about the media you consume, you can encourage further positive change. Maybe, just maybe, you might one day see an ad that actually boosts your self esteem.
Further reading
A copy of the Voluntary Media Code of Conduct on Body Image is available for download as a .pdf, (212 kb) or as a word file (272kb).
To read up on the background of how the Code of Conduct was developed, visit the Office of Youth's page on Positive Body Image. The quotes on this page were from submissions to the Victorian Government's 2005 public inquiry into body image.
For information on where to get help for body image issues check out the Where to get help page in our Body image section.
