Here's a happy little update: a few months ago I wrote about teenage activist Julia Bluhm, the plucky 14-year-old behind a petition asking US Seventeen magazine to include at least one UN-photoshopped spread in every issue.
"I know much how much pictures in the media have an effect in the self-esteem of girls and their body image," Julia said. "Seventeen magazine is supposed to be a relatable magazine. How can we related to computer altered photos?"
Finally, 85,000 petition signatures later, Seventeen editor Ann Shoket has buckled. From now on, her retouching team will leave body shapes alone, keeping digital manipulation for stray hairs, clothing wrinkles, and other non limb-related offenses. What's more, when photoshop is used, the magazine's Tumblr will display the before-and-after shots.
The new rules form part of a new pact Seventeen has dubbed its "body peace treaty" - a list of promises like, "We vow to always feature real girls and models who are healthy," and, "We vow to never change girls' body or face shapes."
There's also a "body peace pledge" for readers, who are encouraged to "remind myself that what you see isn't always what you get on TV and in ads - it takes a lot of airbrushing, dieting, money, and work to look like that."
