Recommendation 1

People face appearance-based discrimination on a daily basis, at work, in schools and in public spaces. Whilst we were disappointed not to hear from the Government Equalities Office on their assessment of appearance-based discrimination, we are pleased that the Government is undertaking research on the relationship between negative body image and certain protected characteristics. Over the past 10 years, both Government and academics have produced a wealth of research and made numerous policy recommendations on how to tackle negative body image for people across the UK. Despite this, Government action in this area continues to be limited. The EHRC should produce guidance for individuals seeking to use the existing Equality Act legislation to challenge appearance-based discrimination within three months. The Government should widely promote the EHRC’s new guidance and publish the proposals resulting from its own research and update us on these within 6 months. (Paragraph 20) How can we stop negative body image affecting our mental and physical health?