Fasion Magazine goes Model Free

Birgitte, one of Germany's most popular glossy women's magazines, announced yesterday that it will no longer use models in photo spreads in response to changing ideas about beauty.

Instead, the Hamburg-based title plans to choose from readers who register online and staff members based on their meaningful qualities rather than their dress size.

“Attractiveness has many faces,” editor Brigitte Huber said in a statement. “Whether they are actresses, musicians, first ladies or women on the streets of big cities – they all affect fashion and beauty styles.”

The new concept will start next year and is a response to two different trends, co-editor Andreas Lebert said in the statement. “Behind the career of a model lies the idea of not showing women themselves, but instead a place holder – a model of a certain size. Now many women find this outdated, especially the beauty ideals, also moulded by the fashion industry, that are highly controversial,” he said.

Dr. Lisa Pecho, a Munich-based psychotherapist and spokesperson for the BFE national professional association for eating disorder treatment experts, said “I think it’s fantastic what they’re doing. It will serve as a big example. This magazine has a huge influence in Germany. There are many factors that create eating disorders, but the media is certainly a big one.”

This follows reports a few weeks ago that French politicians wish to stamp a 'health warning' on photographs of models that are altered as part of a campaign against eating disorders. The proposed law is designed to fight what they see as a warped image of women's bodies in the media.

And in March this year in Australia, a code of conduct for the fashion industry was set in motion through a Federal Government initiative which saw the creation of a new body image advisory group. Headed up by fashion, health and media experts, including Sarah Murdoch, Mia Freedman and teen magazine editor Sarah Cornish, the aim is to develop national strategies that promote healthy body image.

It appears the rest of the world is starting to follow suit, which is a much needed step forward in the fight against eating disorders. Promoting a realistic body image to our younger generations will empower confidence and self-esteem, which in turn, will serve to eliminate damaging trends.

To read the article go Here

Fun Fearless Females Making a Difference

In this month's Cosmopolitan magazine, which hit the stands today, there is a 50 page 'Body Love' special packed full of information from what your body wishes you'd eat to cramp advice, body myths, workout tips and high profile women openly discussing their past issues with their bodies and how they overcame them.

Among these women is Erica Bartle, editor of girlwithasatchel.com, who admits to having suffered from an eating disorder. "I lost my physical, emotional and mental equilibrium along with my curves, self respect and friends. I'm lucky not to have lost my life," she says.

What struck me about Erica's story is how she describes the healing process on three levels - "mind, body and spirit" - and that she sought the support of a spiritual healing group to promote faith and peace of mind on her journey back to full health.

In my experience, recovery can become a complicated process if you don't want it for yourself first and foremost. Only you can love yourself and trust yourself enough to let go of the eating disorder and have faith that letting go will ultimately bring you happiness and peace. Once that self-love is firmly established, support from family and friends, as well as those qualified to help, is of the utmost important. Additional ingredients including spiritual healing, kinesiology, acupuncture, meditation and yoga, also promote self-love and are increasingly being included as part of the recovery journey, depending on what works best for the individual.

On another note, I'm honoured to be named as a Finalist in Cosmopolitan magazine's "Fun Fearless Female" awards in the category Inspirational Role Model, alongside Erica Bartle in the Blogger category (with Sam Brett, Mia Freedman and Helen Lee). I am also happy to share the honour with Danni Watts, project officer for the Butterfly Foundation, an organisation I avidly support, who is named in the Outstanding Contribution category.

It is wonderful that women are being recognised for contributing to the community and to making a positive impact as role models and leaders, because spreading love and healing is how we will ultimately make a difference for the greater good.

To vote go here

Crack Team to Lift Teen Esteem

A new national advisory group chaired by former Cosmopolitan editor and Fairfax columnist Mia Freedman has been formed to educate teens about positive body image.

The advisory group also includes the Minister for Youth and Sport, Kate Ellis, and Sarah Murdoch, host of Australia's Next Top Model, who is also a Bonds model. Ms Murdoch is keen to change the 'thin is beautiful' mentality. "This is the perfect time now for us to get involved at a government level, the fashion industry, with researchers … and work out how can we progress this even further and put more positive images out there," Ms Murdoch said in the article that appeared in today's Sydney Morning Herald.

This is a brilliant initiative and one that I, as an author and public speaker on the topic of positive body image and eating disorders, wholeheartedly support

To read the article, go here:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/lifeandstyle/beauty/big-ask-crack-team-to-lift-teen-esteem/2009/03/04/1235842445632.html