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Member News: Meet the inspirational MP Jo Swinson

Elizabeth Johnson, Daisy Green Magazine’s Fashion Editor

Meeting an MP is not normally something that I would look forward to, but then again Jo Swinson is not your average MP.

Jo became Liberal Democratic MP for East Dunbartonshire in 2005 and was re-elected in 2010.

Regardless of your political views, Jo is someone who, as a women, you want to support.

In 2008 she was asked to chair a working group into the issues affecting women. One of its major findings was the portrayal of women in the media and how these unrealistic images negatively impact women’s lives, having a direct effect on self esteem.

As a result, the [Campaign for Body Confidence](http://campaignforbodyconfidence.wordpress.com/about/? target=), was founded and subsequently launched in March 2010. Jo co-founded the campaign with Lynne Featherstone MP and the steering group currently includes [All Walks Beyond the Catwalk](http://allwalks.org/? target=), [Girl Guiding UK](http://www.girlguiding.org.uk/home.aspx“ target=) , [Central YMCA](http://www.ymca.co.uk/? target=) ,[Mumset](http://www.mumsnet.com/? target=), Dr. Susie Orbach and [Beat](http://www.b-eat.co.uk/? target=).

The aim behind the campaign is simple: to empower women to feel good about themselves whatever their size or shape and to encourage more transparency in the advertising industry and their use of airbrushing.

Jo is already reporting successes. Following her complaint to the [Advertising Standards Authority](http://www.asa.org.uk/? target=) two adverts were recently banned for excessive use of airbrushing.

When I met Jo I was really impressed by her understanding of the issues around how we as women can feel about the way we look. We discussed at length the campaign for body confidence and how Jo wants to grow a movement and see a change.

This issue of a perceived ‘beauty perfect’ affects everyone in society and is increasingly affecting children and men. It is something that we ourselves reinforce daily without realising.

Jo cited the common compliment that we often say to our friends, ‘you look great, have you lost weight?’

There is often an accusation that people who challenge the projected beauty ‘norms’ have a problem with beauty. This is most definitely not the case with Jo and the campaign.

As we discussed two of the most successful recent advertising campaigns targetted at women, Dove and No7. Jo commented, ’We need to change the narrow ideal of beauty.’

The Dove campaign proved that beauty really does come in all different shapes and ages and a recent No7 campaign featuring unairbrushed models was received incredibly well.

Beauty is more than just an image and the extremes of airbrushing can be incredibly damaging. It is a complete fantasy and is never going to be attainable.

Jo wants us to take control of how women are portrayed and the easiest way to do this is:

• Write to your MP and let them know your views
• Make a complaint to Advertising Standards Authority if you see something that portrays women in an unfavourable light and
• Sign up to the Campaign for Body Confidence.

We of course can also vote with our purses and make positive buying choices.

Jo acknowledges that change will not happen overnight. We all need to make a choice; do we want to accept the negative portrayal of women in the media? If not we must all act to force change.

We need find role models for ourselves who are valued for more than just the way the look, who are a complete package and who will help us redefine beauty to make us all feel confident.

If we don’t we will have future generation feeling that unless they look a certain way they have no value.

This is not a legacy I want to leave.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Nicola Alexander .