News / Bristol Youth Council
Bristol youth mayor launches body positivity campaign
Alice Towle is hoping to generate an honest conversation about body image with the launch of a new campaign.
The 16-year-old, who is one of Bristol’s two youth mayors, believes open discussion about these issues and the impact they can have on mental health is vital in a world full of filtered images and too many negative portrayals.
The #Mybodymeans initiative, launching on Monday, December 14, will aim to spark a positive conversation around body image issues and Alice is encouraging people from across the city and beyond to get involved and share their stories and views on social media.
is needed now More than ever
Speaking about the campaign, the Horfield-based youth mayor says: “#mybodymeans wants to generate an honest conversation about body image in what is often a society filled with filtered images, especially on social media.
“It is crucially important now more than ever with one survey showing 37 per cent of teenagers felt upset and 31 per cent felt ashamed in relation to their body image, while 20 per cent of adults feel shame about their bodies.”
Bristol youth mayor Alice Towle wants to combat some of the negativity on social media with a body positivity campaign
Bristol City Youth Council is a group of 37 members, 32 of whom are elected and five co-opted. They are elected every two years in the Bristol big vote to represent the views of the city’s young people to the council and other key organisations.
The youth mayors are invited to run a campaign themselves, tying in with the youth council’s main priorities.
Alice adds: “This campaign is immensely important to me as spreading a positive message about body image and body image issues should be a main part of all discussions about mental health.”
People are invited to participate on December 14 by Tweeting or posting on Instagram about their story and views, using the hashtag #mybodymeans.
All photos courtesy of Alice Towle
Read more: Breakfast with Bristol24/7: Siena Jackson-Wolfe and Mohamed Aidid
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