Is there any law that the French won’t pass? This week, fifty French lawmakers proposed a law that would require advertisers to place disclaimers on any retouched (or “photoshopped”) image. The proposal was backed by an expert on adolescent eating disorders. Advertisers who fail to comply would be slapped with a fine of €37,500 (or about $55,000).
While it’s unfortunate that so many women and girls suffer from psychological distress and “body issues,” that’s not a very good reason to get the government involved. Try as they might, the French government will not be able to legislate away sadness, insecurity, or irrational self-loathing.
Yes, images are retouched, but let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that fashion models are “average” women in the first place. Unfair though it may be, the exclusive fashion and beauty industry favors women born with extraordinary genetic endowments.
(And by the way, aren’t the French already notorious for their beautiful, demure, and seductive women?)
To see the possible unintended consequences of this law, let’s assume it will pass. Most people are well-aware that advertisements and magazine covers are a long way from our natural state. Requiring disclaimers won’t change the game; instead it will likely raise the wage of the most beautiful models and put the second-stringers out of a job entirely, as advertisers will be unwilling to settle for less-than-perfect women who would otherwise be retouched later. As a consequence, women might suffer more “psychological distress” knowing that the beautiful models they see aren’t photoshopped, but are the natural, “true” beauty ideals that they’re “supposed” to live up to.
