Ladies, I’m sorry this is so sore a point for you.
Perhaps someone should make a magazine for women only and show as many pictures of women as you want. This way, children can see positive role models, as you suggest. But it is still not proper to do so in a general-circulation publication, despite the benefits it may have.
And yes, it is for the woman’s dignity. Do you really think they want to have to crop every picture?
Incidentally, I hope you have some real in-the-flesh examples of women to emulate, and do not need a newspaper to provide the only image of a woman worth emulating. Regardless, perhaps a women’s only magazine would be a solution to that issue.
Regarding the person who misinterpreted the “ata yadati ki Isha yifas mareh at”, he was roundly rejected in that thread for his erroneous conclusion. That’s not a reason to reject the Torah perspective of Kol Kevuda Bas Melech Penimah or this particular application of it.
Anticipating some of this reaction, I specifically wrote that women drive cars, work in real jobs and generally participate in society. But that doesn’t mean we should increase that exposure to include putting their pictures in general-circulation newspapers.