Liz Thompson
We know, by now, that Photoshop is prevalent in print and online advertising. Still, young women (and even some not-as-young women) are comparing themselves to these ultra-thin, thigh-gapped, bikini-bridged versions of a woman’s body.
Related: What do models look like without Photoshop?, Mickey Ds Glamorizes Quarter Pounder with Photoshop, Extreme Photoshop Makeover
We can tell girls all day long how everyone is different and it is not worthwhile to compare yourself to others, but the reality is they believe what they see. And what they are seeing is this unrealistic portrayal of the female body.
Well, one company just took a stand against these negative effects image altering has on girls’ and womens’ self esteem. ModCloth, a women’s clothing brand out of San Francisco, signed the Heroes Pledge for Advertisers. This is a petition started by the Brave Girls Alliance to change the way women are portrayed in media and pop culture.
We are businesses, experts, not-for-profit organizations, authors, activists, artists, parents, educators, adults, and girls. We have come together to ask media content creators and every large corporation and retailers to make a commitment to support girls’ empowerment. ~Brave Girls Alliance
According to Today.com, ModCloth is the first company to sign the petition and officially commit to the pledge. Certain image alterations can still be made, like fixing flyaways or correcting shadows, but a woman’s body has to stay as is in their photos.
All women have body issues, from feeling too short or tall, to viewing yourself as too heavy or thin, to wishing your skin was lighter or darker. We are all who we are and how we are for a reason, but it is difficult to convey this to a young lady who can only see that she is different from how she wants to be. Let’s walk the talk and show our daughters we are proud of who we are.
If you are a media creator we urge you to commit to the Heroes Pledge.
