There isn't a woman on Earth who enjoys being told (whether directly or through subliminal messages) that her body isn't "ideal." But the backlash over a weight loss advertisement that features a model wearing a skimpy bikini is an unfortunate waste of energy that could be better spent working on ourselves.
Commuters in London are fed up with these bright yellow posters placed on subways by a weight-loss company called Protein World, which pose the question, "Are you beach body ready?" Assuming Protein World believes "beach body ready" means looking like a flawless, photoshopped model whose profession requires she spend 10 hours in a gym each day and train before posing for this one ad campaign the way a runner would for a marathon, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that, no, very few of us are "beach body ready," but thanks for your concern, Protein World.
Despite the fact that we're bombarded—left and right—with images of models in bikinis, models in lingerie, models getting naked to sell perfume and hamburgers, the fact that this is the ad campaign getting everyone's goat is a little perplexing.
More than 52,000 people signed a Change.org petition to have the ad removed from subways because they say it promotes an unrealistic and harmful body ideal for women. Others have gone the vigilante route and marked up posters with graffiti. A rally was held in Hyde Park that attracted more than 750 protesters—all of whom feel this ad is dangerous. There's just something about this poster that people really, really hate. Call it the ad that broke the camel's back.
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Aside from giving Protein World more free publicity in a few days than it would have gotten in 100 years, here's what their campaign is doing: nada. Because, the second this ad comes down, another one will go up to remind us to tune in and watch as the Victoria's Secret angels float down a runway wearing wings and a thong. A hundred gazillion more ads will be erected showing women with cute button noses and blue eyes wearing the latest eye-shadow trend.
Are you going to go after all of the lingerie and cosmetics companies in the world? Protest the fact that there are too many blue-eyed models? Where will that get anyone?
Our energy is better spent building ourselves up—building our daughters up—so that we create a natural kind of "armor" to take down all of the messages around us that try and make us feel like we aren't good enough. Our energy is better spent focusing on our health goals, education, and passions and pursuits. These are the things in life that make us feel our own worth and value.
We have to be hip to the game and understand that the purpose of these images is to sell us products. These models are created in labs. There is very little difference between them and the models we see on covers of romance novels. They are painted. Photoshopped to the high heavens. They're 19 and frozen in time. They are art. We need to relax and see them for what they are—they only have the power to destroy our self-confidence if we let them.
Instead of protesting a flat image, protest the company behind the image if you really despise their message. I understand the frustration felt by protesters in London, but they are going to have to prepare for a lengthy, energy-sapping battle if this is the route they choose to take.
What is your opinion on the protests to take down this ad? Is this an effective way to bring about change?
Image via Protein World/Facebook