Magazines Code of Conduct Against Skinny Models

In Australia, the government is reportedly coming up with a code of conduct that requires magazines to inform readers when its photographs of fashion models have been digitally altered.

The magazines code of conduct aims against skinny models. Since magazine editors and advertisers will inform the readers of the digital enhancements made out of the fashion photographs, body image of the usually skinny (and/or anorexic) fashion models will no longer be seen as “real.”

According to Youth Minister Kate Ellis, body image is one of the biggest concerns among young people, and children as young as six are being diagnosed with anorexia. "It talks about disclosing when images are being altered so that kids aren't aspiring to look like models that don't look like that in real life anyway. It's about transparency in the media, but also promoting health, promoting healthy body images and saying healthy is beautiful."

The Executive Director of the Council of Textiles and Fashion Industries of Australia, Jo Kellock, adds that government intervention is needed to combat anorexia in the modeling industry because the industry has not been able to regulate itself. For the start, the revered magazines code of conduct against skinny models will be one government initiative to better promote healthy body image to children.