Australian Government Bans Super Skinny Models

by Megan Baldwin | 9:03 am, June 28th, 2010

We’ve always known those Australians were ahead — about 20 time zones or so. But if the election of the nation’s first female (and red-headed!) Prime Minister wasn’t progressive enough for you, it seems they’ve gone and beat us all to the collective punch again.

In move that’s a first for the world, the Australian Telegraph reports their Federal Government has taken a stand against the fashion industry, seeking to bar ultra-skinny models from its runways and magazine pages.

Under a new voluntary code announced yesterday, designers will be asked not to hire either models with a dangerously low body mass index (BMI) or excessively muscular men, diets for rapid weight loss and cosmetic surgery advertisements will phased out of magazines, and clothing labels will be asked to stock a wide range of sizes. Specifically the government will award a “body image approval rating” to magazines, modeling agencies, and fashion labels that meet the following criteria:

-Disclose when images have been retouched and refrain from enhancing photographs in a way that changes a person’s body shape, for example, lengthening their legs or trimming their waist, or removing freckles, lines and other distinguishing marks.

-Only use models aged 16 or older to model adult clothes- – both on catwalks and in print.

-Refrain from using models who are very thin — or male models who are excessively muscular.

-Stocking clothing in a wide variety of sizes in shops to reflect the demand from customers.

-Not promoting rapid weight loss, cosmetic surgery, excessive exercising or any advertisements or editorial content that may promote a negative body image.

“Body image is an issue that we must take seriously because it is affecting the health and happiness of substantial sections of our community,” said Federal Youth Minister Kate Ellis. ”The symbol will empower consumers to tell the fashion, beauty, media and modelling industries what they want and provide greater choice.”

Can we all just say, amen? More importantly, after all the talk — complaints about the egregious use of photoshop, questions about underage models, and the persistent lack of diversity (the list goes on) — this seems like concrete, realistic action.

Though compliance with the above criteria is utterly voluntary, the implementation of a visible “Approval” rating allows the consumer to actually put their money where their mouth is and support those magazines, designers, and stores which they feel best represent their own interests.

Will it result in wholesale, overnight change? Probably not. But will it encourage the industry to take a closer look at its practices and begin the work of phasing out that which is unrealistic, unhealthy and destructive. We certainly hope so.