Michelle Scavone

Someone mentioned to me the other day that there may be laws introduced soon to ‘force’ models, actresses and the like to appear in the media free of airbrush, wrinkles’n'all. We could soon see magazines full of photos displaying bags under the eyes, cellulite on the thighs and yellow teeth. ‘Good’, I initially thought. Then I pondered some more, and I wasn’t sure if I agreed.

Airbrushing isn’t just about removing a model’s imperfections. It is about advertising, selling a product; about taking something ordinary and making it extraordinary and exotic. Exotic enough to want to have, to buy, to consume, to mimic. That’s our consumer culture in a nutshell.

It’s an amalgamation of art, photography, design and advertising. Taking something beautiful and making it more beautiful. Airbrushing can be used on faces, cars, landscapes, animals, technology, food. We only care when it’s used on people. We only cry out that what we’re reading and watching is unreal and unattainable when it portrays people. Why?

Well, the obvious answer is that airbrushing causes the unwitting reader to think that a certain state of perfection is attainable, achievable - that if they just ‘buy this product’ or ‘wear this make-up’ they too can look like the model. Surely for mature women, wise to the ways of the media, this shouldn’t be an issue. To them, I say ‘get over yourself’. Get over your personal inhibitions and accept the fact that while you are beautiful, there are always going to be people in the world that you may think are more beautiful thus making you feel self-conscious, intimidated, second-rate etc. But who’s to say that these insecurities that most women feel will be curbed significantly by the riddance of airbrushing? They won’t be, because the only thing more intimidating, for women who actually care about this stuff, than looking at an image of a beautiful women is coming face-to-face with one - in the street, on the beach, in the office - anywhere. And you know what, ladies? Some women are as beautiful in real life as they appear in the magazines. And nothing will ever change that.

However, for young teenagers who are still somewhat naive to the world of advertising and media, I do agree that airbrushing causes them to fantasize about looking a certain way; unbeknownst to them, the beautiful girls they see in magazines and on television are not realistic. I believe education is the answer. So how do we educate?

A suggestion has been to insert disclaimers on every photo that has been digitally altered. Likened to warnings on cigarette packets, or cautions about hot drinks. But come on, are we really a society so precious that we have to be warned that a photo of a beautiful girl isn’t real; else we might have an emotional breakdown? ‘Warning: this photo has been digitally manipulated. You will be relieved to know that, like you, the girl in the image also has fine lines around the eyes. Now you can turn the page and feel better about yourself - at the expense and public humiliation of this girl.’

I’m not saying I never struggle with my own body image or appearance. Of course I do. But it has little if anything to do with images of beautiful models or society’s expectations. It’s my own personal standard that I have set for myself.

I think the more that we dwell on our imperfections the less likely we are to accept who we are and move on, enjoy life, focus on the positives. Positive education in a meaningful way is the key - for parents and teenagers. It is about identifying early triggers of eating disorders in teenagers, and actively dealing with them first hand, rather than just writing a disclaimer that a photo has been airbrushed, dusting one’s hands and assuming that all will be fixed. For young teenage girls with eating disorders, there should be some accountability: parents and maybe even friends.

Finally, my quick browse on some forums discussing the matter came up with some interesting points in this debate:

• France wants to put a ban on really skinny girls. Will we also see a ban on really fat ones?
• How do you legally ban digital manipulation of an image, considering that every single photo has some sort of manipulation, be it lighting, make-up, hair, brightness, contrast, background - it’s not just the model we’re talking about
• Forcing an artist to add something to his creation that he doesn’t want there
• People with body image issues aren’t protected when you try to ban or limit things that play on their insecurities

Hmm, so I’m not the only one who thinks airbrushing should stay legal. I don’t, however, think that this issue is over.