Equality Minister Jo Swinson Has Stepped Up Her Campaign for High Street Stores to Have Real Models

2 October 2013 -- The Equality Minister, Jo Swinson, started the ‘Campaign for Body Confidence’ back in 2010 to raise awareness of body image issues, tackle the causes and encourage diversity. In recent weeks, she has stepped up this campaign and has called for high street stores to have more plus size and petite mannequins. The average dress size in Britain is claimed to be size 16 and Debenhams were praised, by Swinson, for their willingness to create mannequins in this size and promote a more realistic size.

The high street wasn’t the only problem area for promoting negative body image, and so, SportsDirect.com take a look at how ‘real models’ are being encouraged.

In 2012, the size 0 debates took to the press and the outcome saw models condemned for being scarily thin. Yet today, television and magazines praise women for being slim and draw media attention to any weight gain. With the average woman said to be size 16, this is unrealistic and it has been associated with creating low self esteem amongst their readers and viewers.

Celebrities like Gemma Collins and Coleen McLoughlin have backed the Swinson’s campaign to love your curves and are fighting back against this poor body image.

Coleen McLoughlin filmed a television show in which she found real women on the street and after some slight preening, she showcased them to different brands as plus size models. Campaigns like this have had an effect and in recent months, H&M used plus size models to showcase their swimwear collection. The majority of people responded positively to this effort and it goes to show more people are keen to have ‘real models.’

More plus size collections are being introduced on the high street, making it easier for people to accept their size and dress in fashion that shows off their body shape. SportsDirect.com have released their own plus size range, using the same on-trend clothes from their existing fashion outlet but making them bigger to suit normal people.

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