Australian fashion retailer Sportsgirl has teamed up with the Butterfly Foundation for Love Your Body Week, which is running from September 3 to September 9.
To launch the week, the Butterfly Foundation, which specialises in programs to help people experiencing eating disorders, released the first national ‘Insights into Body Esteem’ Report.
The report surveyed 3000 people about their body perceptions. Key findings from the report showed that more than 40 percent of participants were dissatisfied with their appearance, and 41.5 percent most of the time or always compare themselves to others on social media.
The Butterfly Foundation’s CEO Christine Morgan said at an event for the campaign in Sydney this week that she was most alarmed by the statistic that 73 percent of people felt their appearance stopped them from participating in life.
“How we talk about our own and others’ appearance can seriously impact body confidence,” she said.
“This is not just about being kinder to ourselves and others. There are serious health ramifications if we do not challenge fundamental belief structures that are translating into nationwide body shape and size stigma.”
Colleen Callander, CEO of Sportsgirl, explained that the company shared that concern: “Sportsgirl is thrilled to be in our twelfth year of supporting The Butterfly Foundation and Love Your Body week to change the conversation around body image.”
Both groups acknowledged that one of the key ways that conversations can be changed is through social media; which is why, this year, they have teamed up with Instagram to present new initiatives for social media users to become more empowered in that space.
