Advocacy & Action

BodyMatters engages in advocacy activities in a bid to prevent the toxic elements of our culture that serve as risk factors for developing disordered eating & body shame, or undermine treatment efforts for those who are in recovery. Some examples of our advocacy work, and the organisations we support include:

• Collective Shout, a grass roots organisation that provides a forum for the masses who are concerned about sexualisation and objectification of women and girls in the media, which was co-founded by BodyMatters co-founders, Sarah & Lydia. Sarah is current Chair
• Endangered Bodies, an international grassroots activist movement dedicated to changing the visual culture and harmful multi-billion dollar diet industry. Sarah & Lydia were founding members for Australia & Sarah currently sits on the Board. Rebecca successfully lead an international campaign to have “feeling fat” removed from their emoticon options
• The Butterfly Foundation, our national eating disorder charity, and that of their state based counterparts, particularly Eating Disorders Victoria  and Queensland’s Eating Disorders Association
• Project Heal, which provides vital fundraising to support financial access to treatment
• The International Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH), whereby Lydia has previously held various important roles

BodyMatters also supports commercial efforts to change culture, including Beetle Bottoms.

These activities are completed voluntarily by our staff because we take the cultural influences that contribute towards body shame seriously. If there is anything that you would like to see us advocate about, are aware of any commercial enterprises that positively shape culture, do please let us know.