Praise Be, France is Forcing Magazines to Declare Retouched Images
Fashion

Praise Be, France is Forcing Magazines to Declare Retouched Images

France is putting forward a pretty solid case for the wokest nation when it comes to body image. French legislation is now coming into effect that requires models to have a doctor's note in order to work and is now requiring fashion media to label images that have been photoshopped.

Recognizing the detrimental effect of dangerously thin and impossibly perfect models on young women, the country has launched an attack on the parts of the fashion industry that still prescribe to outdated and unattainable beauty standards. Not only will agencies that represent unhealthily skinny models potentially be fined up to €75,000 and even be sentenced to prison, but from October 1st France will also be able to fine magazines up to €37,000 if they run photoshopped pictures that haven't been declared retouched.

French Social Affairs and Health Minister Marisol Touraine says the law is to increase awareness among young people that these are not accurate representations of human bodies.

"Exposing young people to normative and unrealistic images of bodies leads to a sense of self-depreciation and poor self-esteem," she said.

Many stars have publicly denounced photoshopped images of themselves and simultaneously the leaking of un-retouched images of celebrities or models have often been met with a negative response – largely because we've grown accustomed to perfection when it we are presented with pictures of public figures.

Whether this move with bring about actual change only time will tell, but it certainly is a big step in the right direction.

[h/t Dazed]
Image via Getty