Lets get rid of Skinny Model Sterotypes!

What is a Model?

noun

1. a standard or example for imitation or comparison.

2. a representation, generally in miniature, to show the construction or appearance of something.

3. an image in clay, wax, or the like, to be reproduced in more durable material.

4. a person or thing that serves as a subject for an artist, sculptor, writer, etc.

5. a person whose profession is posing for artists or photographers.

 

          It is quite clear in our society today "thin is in" and being skinny is more acceptable in modeling opposed to the average curvy girl that eats whatever she wants. I decided to look up "Qualifications to become a Model". Most of the answers were the same.

 

• You have to be at least 5'9 in height.
• You have to have a beautiful face with clear and fresh healthy skin.
• You have to be very skinny with small hips. 

Although plus-sized models exist because, lets face it, obesity is a huge epidemic in our country, there is a qualification for plus-sized models as well. It seems as if there isn't a place for the "average" looking girl in size. There is a huge problem with what society views as beautiful. If we got rid of skinny model stereotypes there would be a huge drop in the diseases such as anorexia and bulimia.

 

Anorexia: An eating disorder characterized by markedly reduced appetite or total aversion to food. Anorexia is a serious psychological disorder. It is a condition that goes well beyond out-of-control dieting. The person with anorexia, most often a girl or young woman, initially begins dieting to lose weight. Over time, the weight loss becomes a sign of mastery and control. The drive to become thinner is thought to be secondary to concerns about control and fears relating to one's body. The individual continues the endless cycle of restrictive eating, often to a point close to starvation. This becomes an obsession and is similar to an addiction to a drug. Anorexia can be life-threatening. Also called anorexia nervosa.

Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating and purging, or consuming a large amount of food in a short amount of time followed by an attempt to rid oneself of the food consumed (purging), typically by vomiting, chewing and spitting out food (not swallowing it and absorbing calories), taking a laxative, diuretic, or stimulant, and/or excessive exercise. One of the many reasons people engage in this behavior is pre-occupation with weight and size.

 

Many young girls today are looking up to these models as role models of beauty which can be dangerous especially when models are too thin.



                                                      When is skinny TOO skinny???
 

Since when was being too skinny beautiful? Seeing nothing but skin and bones is not only scary but she is not portraying a healthy figure. From the looks of the image above, I see her selling her skeletal physique. It is quite clear that even the belt she is wearing is way too big for her own waist.



Models in the 1980s and 90s