Spain bans anorexic models

[French Ninja]

Old news, but I need my two cents. I think this is too far away from politics to be in that subforum.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/09/13/spain.models/index.html

MADRID, Spain (Reuters) -- The world's first ban on overly thin models at a top-level fashion show in Madrid has caused outrage among modeling agencies and raised the prospect of restrictions at other venues.

Madrid's fashion week has turned away underweight models after protests that girls and young women were trying to copy their rail-thin looks and developing eating disorders.

Organizers say they want to project an image of beauty and health, rather than a waif-like, or heroin chic look.

But Cathy Gould, of New York's Elite modeling agency, said the fashion industry was being used as a scapegoat for illnesses like anorexia and bulimia.

"I think its outrageous, I understand they want to set this tone of healthy beautiful women, but what about discrimination against the model and what about the freedom of the designer," said Gould, Elite's North America director, adding that the move could harm careers of naturally "gazelle-like" models.

Madrid's regional government, which sponsors the show and imposed restrictions, said it did not blame designers and models for anorexia. It said the fashion industry had a responsibility to portray healthy body images.

"Fashion is a mirror and many teenagers imitate what they see on the catwalk," said regional official Concha Guerra.

The mayor of Milan, Italy, Letizia Moratti, told an Italian newspaper this week she would seek a similar ban for her city's show unless it could find a solution to "sick" looking models.

Quality, not size
The Madrid show is using the body mass index or BMI -- based on weight and height -- to measure models. It has turned away 30 percent of women who took part in the previous event. Medics will be on hand at the September 18-22 show to check models.

"The restrictions could be quite a shock to the fashion world at the beginning, but I'm sure it's important as far as health is concerned," said Leonor Perez Pita, director of Madrid's show, also known as the Pasarela Cibeles.

A spokeswoman for the Association of Fashion Designers of Spain, which represents those at Madrid fashion week, said the group supported restrictions and its concern was the quality of collections, not the size of models.

Eating disorder activists said many Spanish model agencies and designers oppose the ban and they had doubts whether the new rules would be followed.

"If they don't go along with it the next step is to seek legislation, just like with tobacco," said Carmen Gonzalez of Spain's Association in Defense of Attention for Anorexia and Bulimia, which has campaigned for restrictions since the 1990s.

Good news, in my opinion. I hope other countries follow suit.
Now before I get all the "lol frenchninja loves the fatties!1" comments, let me say that I find a skeleton with skin on it a lot less attractive that someone with a gut. Most supermodels today imo look like zombies on crack and would be more inclined to go out with someone of the "girl next store" type.


>_>

 

[kirovman]

lol frenchninja loves the fatties!1

 

[JNightshade]

Most supermodels today imo look like zombies on crack and would be more inclined to go out with someone of the "girl next store" type.

Funny, I've never heard of that type of girl...

 

[xcellerate]

I find a skeleton with skin on it a lot less attractive that someone with a gut. Most supermodels today imo look like zombies on crack and would be more inclined to go out with someone of the "girl next store" type.

What super models have you been looking at?

 

[Raziaar]

I remember reading about this. Good thing, I think.

Skeletors modelling womens clothes... awful image.

And there are a BUNCH of grossly skinny fashion models. Alot of them look like they had just come out of a concentration camp or something, which there is absolutely no need.


Never seen any that look this bad though. I wonder if any of these are real.

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/skinny.html

ETC ETC.

 

[French Ninja]

What super models have you been looking at?

Have you ever watched a clip from a fashion show? Look at their waists. Many will look anorexic and I find it quite disgusting.

 

[Reginald]

 

[Saketi]

I think most models nowadays are on cocaine n e way.

 

[Absinthe]

I don't agree with this.

 

[kirovman]

What confusing messages we are been given!

Stop/start eating food you fatties/thinnies, you're too obese/anorexic.

 

[Raziaar]

I don't agree with this.

You'd rather them allow anorexic models?

 

[Absinthe]

You'd rather them allow anorexic models?

Why not? I don't care for them, but I hardly see them in the majority (not that I watch fashion).

Bah, whatever. I couldn't really care about the whole thing. So long as Adriana Lima continues to exist, they can do whatever they want with everybody else.

 

[Raziaar]

Why not? I don't care for them, but I hardly see them in the majority (not that I watch fashion).

Bah, whatever. I couldn't really care about the whole thing. So long as Adriana Lima continues to exist, they can do whatever they want with everybody else.

Well... if you're just looking at it from the standpoint of a guy, I can see easily how you wouldn't care. However... the painful reality of modeling is, that young girls and all sorts of women look to these models as inspiration, since the media and such are always showing them that skinny is beautiful, skinny is successful, etc. Being at a NORMAL weight is fine, but unfortunately alot of girls look at this, see the fact that they're nowhere close, and start developing detrimental eating disorders to try to mirror what they see. It's just like any other thing that negatively impacts the youth of our society.

 

[Absinthe]

Oddly enough that same rationale could be applied to young children shooting up their school after gettin' some bitchin' ideas from GTA3.

The solution is not to ban the media or content whithin it. It's to educate people to think critically about it. In this case, teaching them that turning into a toothpick will not make you sexy, and that there are plenty of heavy-set - dare I say voluptuous - women that are infinitely more attractive.

 

[kirovman]

lol Absinthe loves the fatties!1


Yeah, I'm really bored today.

 

[Raziaar]

Oddly enough that same rationale could be applied to young children shooting up their school after gettin' some bitchin' ideas from GTA3.

The solution is not to ban the media or content whithin it. It's to educate people to think critically about it. In this case, teaching them that turning into a toothpick will not make you sexy, and that there are plenty of heavy-set - dare I say voluptuous - women that are infinitely more attractive.

You're wrong. Games like GTA3 do not encourage real life violence. On the other hand, the fashion industry DOES encourage people to fit into their super, super tiny clothing. And the way they kids see it, they see these extremely skinny women modeling them. The industry spends lots of money to draw appeal to their fashion lines.

Basically... it's not the fashion industry that is banned, its the SUPER skinny models. Therefore they are doing exactly as you say. They are being critical of the morbidly skinny, and preventing them from glamorizing that body style. They don't think that image is beneficial for them, so they're stopping it. Good on them.

 

[Geogaddi]

This is censorship, and censorship is bad.


EDIT: Geogaddi loves the fatties!1

 

[Raziaar]

I think its safe to say... Raziaar loves the cows.

 

[Absinthe]

You're wrong. Games like GTA3 do not encourage real life violence. On the other hand, the fashion industry DOES encourage people to fit into their super, super tiny clothing. And the way they kids see it, they see these extremely skinny women modeling them. The industry spends lots of money to draw appeal to their fashion lines.

You have not explained how I'm wrong. GTA3 has the ability to influence people into committing crimes. The fashion industry has the ability to influence people into taking on unhealthy lifestyles.

In both cases, the people need be taught critical thinking skills. You talk about "the way kids see it". Sounds like an issue best dealt with by the education system and parents.

Basically... it's not the fashion industry that is banned, its the SUPER skinny models. Therefore they are doing exactly as you say. They are being critical of the morbidly skinny, and preventing them from glamorizing that body style. They don't think that image is beneficial for them, so they're stopping it. Good on them.

You misunderstand me. I wasn't talking about the industry thinking critically. I was talking about the audience.

If they don't want anorexic models because they're repellent, then fine. Fashion industry is all about looking good and such models obviously don't qualify. But don't feed me some line about "Oh, but the young girls get bad ideas HUR HUR HUR" because that shouldn't be their concern. As it stands, this is merely censorship.

 

[Spectre01]

 

[Raziaar]

You have not explained how I'm wrong. GTA3 has the ability to influence people into committing crimes. The fashion industry has the ability to influence people into taking on unhealthy lifestyles.

In both cases, the people need be taught critical thinking skills. You talk about "the way kids see it". Sounds like an issue best dealt with by the education system and parents.



You misunderstand me. I wasn't talking about the industry thinking critically. I was talking about the audience.

If they don't want anorexic models because they're repellent, then fine. Fashion industry is all about looking good and such models obviously don't qualify. But don't feed me some line about "Oh, but the young girls get bad ideas HUR HUR HUR" because that shouldn't be their concern. As it stands, this is merely censorship.

It's censorship. But it is SELF censorship. The organizers do not want it... there's nothing wrong with self censorship.

 

[Absinthe]

Self-censorship is just as bad IMO.

Again, the welfare of ditzy young blondes that watch their crap is not their concern.

 

[Raziaar]

Self-censorship is just as bad IMO.

Why?

 

[Absinthe]

It's the compromising of the self. The removal of "objectionable" content because other people are liable to throw hissy fits over it. In this case, blocking off a segment of the fashion industry because people are too ****ing stupid to instill some sense into their youth.

 

[Raziaar]

It's the compromising of the self. In this case, blocking off a segment of the fashion industry because people are too ****ing stupid to instill some sense into their youth.

They're not blocking off a segment of the fashion industry. Anorexic supermodels aren't a segment of the fashion industry. Fashion models are supposed to be fashion models, and they just want their fashion models to convey a healthier body image. There's PLENTY of healthy fashion models to replace those that they banned. And those that are banned can come back once they put on some healthier weight, so there is little problem.

Again... Anorexcic supermodels aren't a 'segment' of the fashion industry.

"And now next... we go to our most popular segment... the ANNA's! Oh look at Nicole... she's looking FABULOUS. The white of the gown just beautifully accentuates the ebony ridges of her ribcage. Oh... that's all the time we have for the Anna segment. Back to the normies!"

 

[<RJMC>]

so this thread wasnt suposed to be in politics?

 

[TenaciousPLo]

so this thread wasnt suposed to be in politics?

lol oddly enough, no.

I would agree with spain on this one.


P.S.

lol kirov loves the thinnies!11! And I ain't talkin about your average mcdonald thinnies............

 

[DeusExMachina]

I love fatties.

 

[Anthraxxx]

I <3 Gisele....

no fattys plz. Kthxbai.

 

[Que-Ever]

I need something to hold onto, more cusion for my pushin'.

 

[MultiVaC]

It's always a terrible idea to do stuff like this. Underweight models make the money. It shouldn't be allowed to turn them away because of their weight, they should only turn them down if they won't get the job done. The job being looking the way people want to see you. It would be the same if in some bizarro world people liked fat models, so they banned models that were too fat. Hip-Hop music has some terrible messages in it, MTV is a promoter of idiocy, even our favorite games can be scapegoated. I hate fashion culture, I hate Hip-Hop culture, I hate MTV culture. But it's nobody's place to put restrictions on these cultures when they aren't hurting anyone (and they aren't hurting anyone, people hurt themselves and eachother and blame it on this stuff because they are idiots). Speak out against the fashion industry, don't buy the products, or just bash them on the internet, that's what I do, that's our right. But that's it. We need to allow these moronic cultures exist if we want to enjoy the ones we like even though people find them objectionable.