Overview

This book examines the effectiveness and limitations of existing body image law, and proposes evidence-based regulatory alternatives informed by public health and psychology research. Poor body image affects millions of people worldwide, and, despite the body positivity movement, the pressure on women in Western countries to have smaller bodies continues to cause significant harm to many. This book contributes to improving this, through drawing on evidence from research which outlines the harm excessive social media use and exposure to models with smaller bodies can cause to an individual’s body image. It explores the regulatory efforts of governments in Israel, France and Norway which passed Body Image Laws, and failed attempts to pass bills in this area in Canada, the United Kingdom, Brazil and the United States. This book analyses the outcome of BMI requirements for catwalk fashion models, warning messages on digitally altered images and prosecuting pro-anorexia content creators. It asks why the current forms of body image law do not align with significant findings from public health and psychology. This book offers a compelling, evidence-based overview of body image as it intersects with law. It argues that body image law in its current form is unlikely to be effective and makes suggestions for evidence-based approaches instead. This book will be of interest to researchers concerned with body image and the law as it relates to public health law, social media law and advertising law and anyone who has poor body image, an eating disorder or knows someone who has.

Full Product Details

9781041129677

Table of Contents

Reviews

Although the causes of eating disorders are complex, there is no doubt that society’s overvaluation of thinness plays a major role. This book provides an important perspective: the burden of challenging unrealistically thin body ideals should not fall solely on the individual and the government has a responsibility to protect the public from harmful images. The author is clearly passionate about the topic and takes the reader through the history, successes, and pitfalls of international law and policy designed to ensure that the mass media do not glorify being underweight. Extremely well researched and eye-opening, this book is a fascinating read. Jennifer Mills, Psychologist and Professor, York University This highly readable book is the first to present a comprehensive analysis of Body Image Law and proposed but unsuccessful law designed to reduce exposure to thin ideal images, including from Israel, France, Norway, US, UK and Brazil. It also provides a unique review of legislation and self-regulation into related areas such as on-line safety and pro-ana websites. A key feature of this work is a balanced critique of research into different approaches and examination of the effectiveness of legislation through the lens of evidence. This paves the way for a fascinating look into future legislative possibilities. Susan Paxton, Emeritus Professor, La Trobe University In this book, Bromberg brings together detailed reviews of current Body Image Law worldwide and the evidence for effectiveness of these laws on improving mental health and outcomes. Despite lack of definitive evidence, the book ends on a hopeful note. Bromberg also points to the alarming increase in the use of artificial intelligence to produce images and highlights the rapidly changing landscape and the likely need for flexible and time-responsive future actions. This book resonates and speaks to all, i.e. scholars, health care providers, policy and law makers and most of all to people experiencing unhelpful body image pressures. Phillipa Hay, Professor and Chair of Mental Health, Western Sydney University

Author Information

Marilyn Bromberg, FHEA ('M'), is a mother and a dual Canadian and Australian citizen. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Western Australia and a practising lawyer. M was a visiting scholar at STRIPED at the T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University/Boston Children's Hospital. M has the following qualifications: PhD, LLB (Dist), BBA (Hon), Grad Cert Pop Health Studies and Grad Cert University Teaching. She also plays piano, takes singing lessons and loves being outside. M has a great passion to try to help people who have poor body image and eating disorders using research and advocacy.

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