When we last left local entrepreneur Seth Matlins, he was just getting Off Our Chests, well, off the ground. Off Our Chests aims to help create a more positive environment for people, especially impressionable women and young girls, by helping to demystify the unnaturally high benchmarks society has on beauty.
After a few months of growing their community, Off Our Chests is kicking things up a notch by starting a petition for Congress to get a bill (“The Self-Esteem Act”)passed that would put a small disclaimer on all ads that use airbrushed or edited photos and/or videos.
From Seth Matlins’ Huffington Post column:
I’ve worked in and across all your businesses. I know you, and I know most of your intentions are good and most of this is a result of benign neglect not malice. But now, no reply is the equivalent to having neither regard nor concern for the fact that 42% of girls in grades 1-3 diet. Or that 91% of college age girls diet.
These women and girls are you, your mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends. Don’t you think it’s time to talk about the state of self-esteem in this country, your role in creating it, and more importantly the part you can play in making it better? You make money moving us. Move us.
And is there really any downside to transparency? Is there really anything you should fear from “Truth in Advertising”?
With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up, I’m sure a lot of us will be pining about our figures this weekend. But let’s try not to give our loved ones too much of a hard time about it, eh? Better to be full and in the happy company of friends and family rather than fretting and feeling dejected.
You can read and/or sign the petition here.
via Seth Matlins: An Open Letter to Hollywood, Madison Avenue, and 7th Avenue.
