French politician's suggestions helpful
They say your 20s are about finding yourself and your own identity. But then why do so many young adults spend large amounts of that time hating themselves and their bodies?
Maybe it’s because everywhere we turn magazine racks tout celebrities with unbelievable bodies, and when they’re not sticking them on a pedestal, publications like the National Enquirer have headlines like “Worst bikini bodies: you won’t believe who this is” with a black bar across whomever’s eyes. The media has so far gone unchecked with its warped portrayal of the body, but that’s hopefully about to change in France.
Valérie Boyer, a member of the French Parliament and mother of three, proposed a law that would require labeling retouched advertising images, a disclaimer similar to a “don’t try this at home” tag used on shows like “Jackass” or on commercials portraying a clearly exaggerated situation.
At the moment, these unrealistic images are thrust into the mind of every person who enters a grocery store, stops at a gas station or simply drives on a major highway. Necessary protection should be in places that can influence young minds, like the warning on packs of cigarettes — something clearly stating “this body isn’t real, this is a fake perception of perfection, do not starve yourself to try to achieve this.”
It seems like people can either choose to isolate themselves from media criticism, or accept its place in our culture and embrace their bodies anyway. Maybe with more politicians like Boyer, those don’t have to be the only options.
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