As the years go on, media
plays an even bigger role on how women view themselves and their body. We have
Real Housewives of whatever city with tiny wastes, big boobs, and fake hair. We
have America’s Next Top Model where its huge deal if there is a “plus” sized
model that actually wins the competition (cycle 10 anyone?). We have magazines
like Vogue, Fashion, and Glamour that advertise designer clothing with
unhealthy models (most of the time). And of course, lets not forget, we have
the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show . . . RIP to the entire girls population
self esteem. The media is putting such a big spotlight on the “model” skinny
body type and its causing low self-esteem everywhere; its even causing women to
feel as if something is wrong with them and that they have to do drastic things
to be what the media deems to be the “average” women. Does anyone see a problem
with this? Because I sure as hell do!
The average American woman aged 20 years and over has a
height of 5’3”, weighs 166 pounds, and has a waste size of 37.5 inches. The
average model ranges from 5’9” to 5’11” in height and 108 pounds to 123 pounds
in weight. Can we call models an accurate representation of American women? We
most certainly cannot! Designers design their clothes around a model that is a
size 0-4, and if they go to a large size, they will design their clothes around
a model that is a size 6. First of all, it is absolutely pathetic that
designers consider size 6 a large considering that the average American woman
is a size 14. Secondly, the media that advertises and promotes the “model”
skinny look should be ashamed.
Now for a more serious issue, how the models stay skinny.
Realistically, healthy dieting and exercising will only get you so far. I mean
this in a good way though! My point was that with the proper exercise and diet,
a 5’9” to 5’11” person should not and would not weigh between 108 pounds to 123
pounds. If you want to make this into a realistic situation I am between 5’7”
and 5’8” and I weigh 127 pounds. I am very active; I lift weights Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday and I go to soccer practice Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
and Thursday, and I eat all the time. With that said, there is no way these
models are skinny due to healthy regimes. There is an interview online from the
former Vogue Australia editor, Kirstie Clements, who reveals what goes on
behind the scenes. She said that models will eat tissues to try and curve their
hunger, will often be put on hospital drips, and also faint from being
malnourished and food deprived. What is even worse (if that’s possible) is that
the models don’t really think twice about this; they think it’s normal. Kirstie
Clements was dressing a model and noticed that she had scars and scabs on her
knees so she asked the model about them. The model responded with, “Oh, yes.
Because I am always so hungry, I faint a lot.” Why do they consider this to be
normal? Why was that even put into their heads as normal? I’ll tell you why,
the modeling agency. If the models gain a few pounds and they can no longer fit
into the sample size, the model’s agency will reprimand them. It then becomes a
vicious cycle because the model is praised for looking good and then she
continues to loose weight instead of maintaining the weight because she feels
she will become more desirable. The really sad part about all of this is that
no one stops her…
These models are anorexic, or even bulimic. They stay
skinny by not maintaining a proper diet, binge eating and then throwing up
immediately after eating, or even compulsively exercising without maintaining a
proper diet. Kirstie Clements even started noticing that the models had eating
disorders; “The longer I worked with models, the more the food deprivation
became obvious.” She noticed that the dietary staples were cigarettes and Diet
Coke and she also noticed the models starting to develop light fuzz on their
body because their bodies were struggling to stay warm. Eating disorders are
very unhealthy physically and mentally; the obvious reason is being severely
underweight, but other side effects include fatigue, fainting, damaged hair,
damaged teeth and gums, sores in throat and mouth, and mood swings.
Now, the big culprit of why people think it is acceptable
to harm their body to become “model” skinny: the media. The fashion industry
clearly knows they aren’t being realistic when they make their sample clothing,
yet they still do it because they can’t “afford to make a sample dress in a
size 10”. The modeling agencies clearly know that most of their models have
eating disorders and are often hospitalized, yet they still hire them for the
jobs. Ignorance is not bliss in this case. People, especially women, really do
look up to the media as a guideline of how they think their bodies should look
and how they think society thinks they should look. When modeling agencies and
the fashion industry blatantly ignore the eating disorders happening right in
front of their face, they send a message out to all of society saying that it’s
okay to harm your bodies.
Just remember, everyone comes in all shapes and sizes,
and everyone is beautiful no matter what shape and size they have. Be smart
about what you do with your body and be healthy with any diet or exercise plan
you choose to follow. Your body is a temple, so treat it that way!
The day has finally come ladies! A well-known brand has gone
REAL with their models; unretouched ads. Aerie is known for its bras and
panties and the target age is between 15-21 year olds. This is the age where
girls are influenced by what they see in the media and it really affects how
they view their body. This is just so amazing to me that a company is starting
to take a stand and that they realize how much of an impact they make on girls
and women. I really hope more companies will follow their lead on this. I
looked at the pictures of the unretouched and unairbrushed models and they look
beYOUtiful. I personally have never really shopped too much at Aerie but I will
definitely try to shop there a lot more. Ladies, if you have not had a chance
to check Aerie’s new website out, I really encourage it. “The real you is sexy.
Xoxo, Aerie” Stay beYOUtiful :)
