(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
Every summer, around the same time as temperatures begin to rise, the bikini advertising also comes to the big fashion companies. Then the advertising surfaces are covered with summer-covered models that will not only sell us bikinis, but also a promise of the ideal body. In a society where the beauty press can feel almost all-inclusive, these advertising posters may not be the most important thing in the world – but they are actually a proven source of poor self-confidence for countless Norwegian youth. The basic problem with the retouched advertising is not that you change the color of an image or turn up the contrasts. The problem arises when changing the proportions of the human body, such as giving them smaller thighs and stomachs, and larger buttocks and tits. The models are retouched for unrecognizable and unattainable ideals.
Youth, and especially young girls, are experiencing a tremendous appearance pressure. One in three young girls state that they get poorer self-esteem from looking at fashion advertising. And the problem is that advertising is everywhere. You cannot opt it out. We are constantly exposed to retouched and manipulated bodies. We see them on TV, in fashion magazines, in online advertisements, in social media and not least on advertising posters that are pasted on different surfaces throughout the cityscape. And youth compare themselves to what they see. 30 percent of Norwegian girls between the ages of 8 and 19 feel too fat, even if they are not. Ultimately, the massive appearance pressure can lead to eating disorders and personal tragedies.
Political responsibility. A few weeks ago, the fashion magazine Det Nye came up with an edition where none of the models were makeup or retouched. The magazine is also the only one in Norway that labels images they believe or know is retouched, with a warning. In this way, they help reduce some of the constant beauty pressure.
Det Nye has taken on more responsibility for the health of young girls than the Ministry of Children, Equality and Inclusion has done.
About a year ago, the State Institute for Consumer Research (SIFO) delivered the report "Retouched advertising and body pressure", commissioned by the Ministry of Children, Gender Equality and Inclusion. The report advocates all measures that can reduce body pressure among young people, including the labeling of retouched advertising – but so far the Ministry has not followed up with any measures. So far, Det New has taken on more responsibility for the health of young girls than the Ministry of Children, Gender Equality and Inclusion and Minister for Gender Equality Solveig Horne have done. It's completely backwards. After all, the fight against the harmful beauty press should have been a political task.
Through the network Youth Against Retouched Advertising, we in Red Youth together with other youth organizations have taken the matter into their own hands. We have done what should have been a public task, namely to mark the retouched advertisement with a warning. The feedback we received after having been around with warning posters has been entirely positive. Young people who write to us even say that they feel better when they realize that the models on the advertising posters are retouched. Then it becomes easier to understand that what advertising is conveying are unnatural and unattainable ideals that cannot be compared.
While it is good that Det Nye has a conscious relationship with what they convey, it is doubtful that all other commercial players will take the lead in reducing beauty pressures. That is why the Ministry of Children, Gender Equality and Inclusion must be on the field. We have several times previously challenged Minister of Gender Equality Solveig Horne, without getting answers. Now we are tired of waiting, and tired of not being listened to. Has Horne ever read the report her own department commissioned? The New has done its thing. What will Solveig Horne do?
Political youth organizations
participating in this column:
Young Left, Green Youth, Progress Party Youth, Socialist Youth, Red Youth, Young Right, Center Youth, AUF, KrFU, Youth against the EU and
European Youth.
Øhn Mehlen is leader in Red Youth.
