France Bans Ultra Skinny Fashion Models

A new legislation has come into effect in France that bans the use of unhealthily thin fashion models.

Models now will have to provide a doctor’s certificate attesting their overall health with special regard to BMI (Body Mass Index) - a ratio of weight in relation to height.

This new regulation is aimed at fight eating disorders and out-of-the-way standards of beauty, especially in the fashion industry.

Images that are digitally altered will also have to be labelled beginning October 2017. They will have to mark the images as photographie retouchee if there is an alteration done to the model’s appearance. According to euro news, the law will apply to ads, whether print, digital, catalogue or billboard.

A previous version of this bill had suggested a minimum BMI, which was faced with major backlash, but the final version of the bill lets the doctor decide whether a model is unhealthily thin taking into account their weight, age and body shape.

Employers found breaking the law will face an imprisonment up to 6 months and a fine up to 75,000 euros.

France’s Minster of Social Affairs and Health, Marisol Touraine was quoted saying to French Media, "Exposing young people to normative and unrealistic images of bodies leads to a sense of self-depreciation and poor self-esteem that can impact health-related behaviour," as per a report in BBC News

In France, Anorexia (fear of gaining weight) affects between 30,000 to 40,000 people, 90 per cent of whom are women.  Many young people imitate these unhealthy eating habits to achieve these unrealistic body image .

This law is not unprecedented, Italy, Spain and Israel already have such legislation for underweight models.

Also Read: Effective Ways To Boost Your Self-Esteem