The anti-Photoshop debacle has been going on for years. And the more digital airbrushing is used by publications, the more angry critics it seems to gain. There are tons of examples of how entire limbs are even airbrushed off of celebrities, yet nothing seems to stop it. Julia Bluhm, a young teen who is involved with a group of teenage girl activists entitled SPARKteam, took matters into her own hands and spearheaded a campaign against Photoshop in Seventeen magazine.
Bluhm felt that while the magazine often promotes healthy body image, it seems to contradict itself with ads and photo shoots that use Photoshop to enhance girl’s images. Bluhm says:
It’s really ironic to see pages telling you to love your body right next to advertisements that are sending subliminal messages about changing your body.
Bluhm created a petition against the Photoshopping, which in turn gained over 20,000 signatures. Enough signatures that she gained media recognition, and even got to meet Ann Shoket, Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen magazine. While Seventeen was very cordial toward Bluhm and sympathetic toward her demands, no immediate action has been taken. The Huffington Post ran an article on Julia’s cause, and published her final words to Seventeen after her encounter at the office.
Hearing about this cause definitely struck a chord within myself — I feel personally influenced by Bluhm’s cause and feel like it is definitely a worthy one. Of all magazines, Seventeen is geared toward younger women, the same women that are the most influenced by media and body images.
Seventeen would be commended for making a stand on such an issue, and I feel like this would be a small step in the right direction for other magazines to follow suit. Nonetheless, Bluhm is to be commended for her efforts and she is spearheading what hopefully will turn into a successful revolution against Photoshop and airbrushing techniques.
Lovelies, what do YOU think about Photoshop? Do you think Julia Bluhm is fighting for a worthwhile cause?
Photo: Source
orchid / 118 posts
As a photographer, I say, Photoshop away, Seventeen. Photoshop away! If I ever make it on a magazine cover, they had BETTER edit my photo and make me look DAMNED GOOD!!
daisy / 599 posts
I think what we want and what we THINK what we want are two totally different things. You might say you want more natural looking model and celebs in magazines, but I bet most of you, don’t lie, would rip apart photos of women who look less than perfect.
sunflower / 338 posts
I always think the same thing when reading magazine. But what can they do? They can’t run without advertisements and we’re all so used to the falsities that if we saw people in them without Photoshopping our brains would automatically go, “Ew, [insert what should be changed here.]“
I’m all for the cause but it’s a long, hard road. Decades long.
guest
i think it’ll be a refreshing change
its def a start
guest
Great idea, great cause! I hope her influence, along with thousands of others who signed the petition and are speaking out gets all this changed and makes AT LEAST the younger female-based audience magazine’s change this! Photoshopping does NOT portray a healthy image to young readers–and good for her and everyone involved for speaking up AND speaking out! Because that’s excellent.
I hope they get enough support with this that “Seventeen” and magazine’s like it get a HUGE outcry and no longer have a choice but to post more honest photography.
peony / 4 posts
Seventeen used to have readers model in their magazines instead of airbrushed models, and they used to have a quotes section with inspiring messages for people. When the editor changed, all of that disappeared.
cherry blossom / 47 posts
ive said it before, ill say it again - who cares? we all know it’s not real. we know they probably dont really look like that. what if it’s been altered?