Do you believe models encourage eating disorders?
By AngEngland
@AngEngland (320)
United States
January 3, 2007 12:40pm CST
I've been watching a rerun of America's Next Top Model....I enjoy the show as I LOVE photography. Anyway, I saw where one of the girls who didn't make the final cut was too thin and they couseled her about her eating habits, etc and she wasn't in the final 14.
Do you believe the modeling indusry encourages eating disorders?
2 responses
@hassanchop (820)
• United States
7 Jan 07
Not really. It's more Hollywood in general. The modeling industry follows the trend started by Hollywood and simply reflects what pop-culture looks at as beautiful. I saw the other side of this when I looked at profiles of some Indian members of this board who put celebrities and models from India in their photos. The women tend to be much more curvy, a little extra weight in some cases, rounder faces as opposed to the strong jawlines and prominent cheekbones of western pop-culture's models and celebs. That's my preference, personally - the kind of chicks that western pop culture says are beautiful just don't do anything for me.
@AngEngland (320)
• United States
7 Jan 07
The same is true in some African cultures as well. I have a friend that lived in Africa for several years and was a really slender girl. They constantly teased her about being so "bony". Is wasn't until she was four months pregnant and getting some added padding that the woman told her she finally looked like a woman! *laughing*
@imadriscoll (2228)
• United States
4 Jan 07
I think all media gives the idea that the perfect woman is the skinniest woman! There are even websites that promote eating disorders.
I think that as parents we have to not only limit the media that our children are able to see, but also build in them the sense of self-worth. We need to protect them and take note of when we see changes in behavior.
Models or not, the protection of our children lays on the parents.
@AngEngland (320)
• United States
7 Jan 07
I agree with you that media photos in general portray an unrealistic ideal. Have you seen the video that shows in "fast forward" the enhancing that is done to a professional photo? The woman's eyes were made larger, neck longer, lashes darker, blemishes removed, under eyes lightened, etc. It was literally a fake person by the time they got done with it....it was pretty interesting to see.
I agree parents defiantely need to be involved. Most of the young girls I've seen with weight and eating issues had something personally in their life that triggered it - a coach that called them fat, a father that called them stupid....most girls I think wouldn't take TV so seriously if there wasn't something going on in their home life. Just my thoughts - not a scientific observation. *grin*
