Advocate for improved understanding and care – eating disorders and body image concerns

We need your help to advocate for increased understanding, funding and support from the Australian Government for those experiencing body image and eating concerns. A letter to your MP can make a real difference, help to increase support for eating disorders and help us expand prevention initiatives.

Your Story Matters — And Your MP Needs to Hear It

Are you concerned about eating disorders or body image issues? Whether you want better treatments, more prevention programs in schools, improved family support, or safer and more inclusive body image representation in media — your voice can help to drive change. Systems should be shaped by the people they’re meant to serve.

Whether you’re personally affected, supporting someone, or working in healthcare, your story provides the real-life experience that decision-makers need to hear. Personal stories can influence funding priorities and lead to meaningful change.

Who Can Get Involved?

Anyone who cares about preventing and treating eating disorders and addressing body dissatisfaction can take part. Whether you have lived or living experience, care for someone who does, or simply understand the impacts, your voice matters.

How You Can Help

Write to your local Member of Parliament (MP) about what matters to you — for example:

The need for more resources and funding
Gaps in services you’ve experienced
The importance of early intervention
More prevention programs
Concerns about body image representation in media and advertising.

We invite you to also ask your MP to support Butterfly’s advocacy for increased government funding for treatment, early intervention, and prevention.

Include your contact details so your MP can verify you’re a constituent — they’re more likely to respond. Personalise your message with your experience or concerns. If you don’t hear back within a few weeks, you can follow up with a polite call to their office.

Together, we can help break the cycle of eating disorders and ensure everyone gets the support they need.

About Butterfly‘s advocacy work

Butterfly advocates for increased government funding to improve treatment, early intervention, and prevention for eating disorders and body dissatisfaction. More funding means more direct support, stronger prevention programs, and reduced strain on the healthcare system — making a real difference for the 1.1 million Australians living with an eating disorder, and many more affected by body image concerns.

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Letter to your Member of Parliament

YOU CAN EDIT THE LETTER BY CLICKING INTO THE WINDOW BELOW OR SIMPLY SEND AS IS.(Required)

I’m one of the thousands of Australians in your electorate with lived experience of an eating disorder. Like everyone who has lived with an eating disorder, my experience is unique. But what we share is the need for accessible treatment, early support, safe and inclusive representation, and action to tackle body dissatisfaction and eating disorders.

This is my experience of an eating disorder: [Briefly share your story in any way that feels right for you.]

I am writing because** [If there is a particular issue you want to address, write it here.]**

I would like you to **[If there is a particular action you would like your MP to take, write it here.]**

With more than 1.1 million Australians living with an eating disorder — and many more struggling with body dissatisfaction — the work of Butterfly Foundation is more important than ever. I ask you to increase your support for Butterfly and the broader eating disorder sector, so people living with or at risk of eating disorders and body dissatisfaction receive the life-saving care they need. This support will help address societal risk factors, expand services, and strengthen prevention initiatives, all of which will ease pressure on the healthcare system.

I encourage you to read Butterfly’s reports Paying the Price for Eating Disorders - https://butterfly.org.au/who-we-are/research-policy-publications/payingtheprice2024 and The Real Cost of Appearance Ideals and Discrimination - https://butterfly.org.au/who-we-are/research-policy-publications/cost-of-appearance-ideals-2025/, which highlight the impact and cost of these issues on individuals and our community.

I share my story because I believe in a future where everyone can get help when they need it.

Thank you for considering my request. I look forward to your response.

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