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Body Image Campaign

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Body Image Pledge

In my role as a GP before becoming an MP, I saw first-hand the negative effects that social media platforms and false advertising can have on a person’s relationship with their body. Which is why I started the #RecogniseBodyImage campaign.

In the UK there are an estimated 1.25 million people suffering with anorexia or bulimia, and over 1 million people using steroids or image enhancing drugs. It is no secret that social media puts pressure on people to have a certain - often unachievable - body shape and size.

Viewing digitally altered bodies can have harmful effects on a person’s – particularly a child’s – self-esteem and body image. As many as 1 in 3 teenagers feel shame about their body, with 94% of girls aged 11-21 believing more needs to be done to protect young people from body image pressures online.

According to recent research carried out by Dove:

  • 80% of girls said they had already applied a filter or used a retouching app to change the way they look in their photos by age 13
  • 80% said they compared the way they looked with others on social media
  • 77% tried to change or hide at least one body part/feature before posting a photo of themselves
  • Girls who distort their photos are more likely to have low body-esteem (48%) compared to those that don’t distort their photos at all (28%)

The Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation, a signatory of my Body Image Pledge (see below), and the British Medical Journal state that BDD is a mental illness characterised by a preoccupation with perceived 'defects' or 'flaws'. It is estimated that over 1 million adults in the UK have BDD. 

For too long advertising and promotional images have contained digitally manipulated body proportions, falsely presenting them as an honest representation of that person. Not only does this harm people who see these images online, in stores or on the pages of magazines, but it causes distress to the person who has had their body digitally ‘fixed’.

 

My work on this important issue is threefold...

Body Image Pledge

The Pledge is a voluntary commitment which brands, charities and organisations can sign to show they will not digitally manipulate a person’s body proportions in any of their direct images.

National organisations such as Dove, Boots, Marks and Spencer and Boohoo Group have signed the Pledge, committing to stop digitally 'fixing' another person's body shape and size. 

Body Image Bill

The Body Image Bill, introduced in Parliament on January 12th, would require advertisers and influencers to place a label on images where body proportions have been digitally manipulated. For example, where a person's waist has been made thinner, legs longer or slimmer, biceps enlarged etc. 

Unfortunately, both times I have brought the Bill forward it has run out of Parliamentary time. However, I have been pleased to see recognition of the need for a label in the Women's Health Strategy and the Health Select Committee report following an inquiry into Body Image.

Asking the Government to #RecogniseBodyImage as a priority harm

In 2021 I created a petition (closed April 29th 2022) which urged the Government to #RecogniseBodyImage as a priority in the Online Harms Legislation, requiring social media companies to recognise body image in their community standards and for this content to be regulated.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to sign and support this.

 

For updates on my #RecogniseBodyImage campaign please see the links below 👇

 

News

Bosworth MP talks about his body image campaign on Good Morning Britain

Thursday, 14 March, 2024
Did you know 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 3 teenagers feel shame about the way they look? This morning I was on Good Morning Britain to discuss my body image campaign and the impact that social media can have on how we perceive ourselves. Thanks to the show for having me on and to James Lock for speakin
Dr LE

Cult Beauty sign the Body Image Pledge

Tuesday, 27 June, 2023
Very pleased to share that Cult Beauty have signed my Body Image Pledge. The Pledge, a voluntary commitment to not digitally alter a person’s body proportions, is about honesty and transparency in imagery. You can read all about their campaign ‘Can’t (Re)Touch This’ here: Meet Dr.
Dr Luke Evans MP at body image event July 2022

An update on my Body Image Campaign

Thursday, 25 May, 2023
Time really does fly!

Local MP continues campaign for a study into anabolic steroid use

Friday, 19 May, 2023
Studies show that there are anywhere between 500,000 and 1,000,000 people, predominantly young men, using anabolic steroids and Image and Performance Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs) in the UK. To know the full scale of the issue facing the nation, as steroids can have a detrimental impact on your health an

Bosworth MP's body image campaign garners cross-party support

Monday, 3 April, 2023
I know from conversations with local people how important fostering healthier representations of body image is for families across our area. I'm delighted my work on this issue has been supported by the likes of Marks and Spencer, Dove and Boohoo Group and cross-party MPs who recognise the need for

Bosworth's MP continues his campaign for accountability with algorithms

Wednesday, 26 October, 2022
Today I spoke in a Westminster Hall debate and reiterated the need for accountability and transparency with algorithms in the online world.
Dr Luke Evans MP and Charlie King

Label images where body proportions have been digitally altered, says Health Committee

Monday, 8 August, 2022
Last week the Health Select Committee, of which Dr Luke Evans MP is a member, published its report following an inquiry into the impact of body image on mental and physical health. This topic was put forward to the committee by Dr Luke, and the resulting report follows a three month inquiry in whic
Luke BI

Local MP celebrates recent successes for his ongoing campaign

Friday, 22 July, 2022
Image: Dr Luke Evans MP at a recent Summer Reception held in Westminster to celebrate work to foster healthier representations of body image, kindly sponsored by Boots UK. An ongoing campaign by Dr Luke Evans, MP for Bosworth, to place a label on images where body proportions have been digital

Dr Luke Evans MP discusses his body image campaign on Channel 4

Friday, 1 July, 2022
In a clip for Channel, Dr Luke Evans MP talks about his body image campaign: why it's important, which companies are taking action and how colleagues in Westminster have supported his work.

Prime Minister supports Dr Luke Evans MP's body image campaign

Wednesday, 18 May, 2022
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has thrown his support behind Dr Luke Evans MP in his call for a label on images where a company has digitally manipulated a person’s body proportions. For the last two years Dr Luke has been working to ensure honesty in advertising by those who have commercial interest
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Dr Luke Evans MP for Hinckley & Bosworth

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