Employers of models in France could face a fine without a doctor’s note proving the models are of healthy weight, according to a new law passed Thursday.
Employers could be fined up to $81,000 and jailed for six months if models do not have certification from a health professional, CNN reports.
The law also requires that ads featuring models whose bodies have been altered feature the label “photograph altered”; rule-breakers would face a fine of $40,600 or up to 30% of related advertising expenses.
“Images of the body idolizing excessive thinness or wasting, and stigmatizing curves, undeniably contribute to unhappiness—especially among many young girls,” said the legislation. “The appearance of some models helps to spread potentially dangerous stereotypes for fragile populations.”
An earlier version of the bill would have required all modeling agencies to receive medical documentation from their models certifying that their Body Mass Index was at least 18. This draft was criticized by some who claim that BMI is not the most accurate method of judging health.
