Size-Zero Debate - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages We’ve been following this story closely as it unfolded over the past six months because the issues are big—certainly for anyone involved in fashion, including photographers, but also perhaps for the wider creative community. It started when a Brazilian model died following a drastic diet; fashion organizations in Spain, England, and Italy began reacting to a public and political outcry against the trend toward super-skinny (or “size-zero”) models.

The guidelines released today by the Academy for Eating Disorders would prevent any girl younger than 16 from modeling. Models from 16 to 18 years old would have to have a body mass index (B.M.I.) of greater than 17.4; those older than 18 would have to have a body mass index of 18.5. For instance, a 5-foot-nine model over 18 could weigh no less than 126 pounds.

Many fashion designers say such a guideline would be too restrictive. The recommendations of the fashion designers are .far vaguer. The group’s call for better education of models and designers had nothing of the specifics of the B.M.I. scale.

There are very good reasons for looking into this issue, and those reasons relate to health—the health of the models working in the fashion industry, and the health of the millions of young girls around the globe who view fashion models as role models. The industry needs to look very carefully at the issue and work with medical groups to come up with actions that don’t simply mask the problem.

This must be done so that other groups don’t dictate the terms of the discussion.

The broader issue here is one of creative freedom. I’m not in favor of medical groups telling fashion designers whom they may hire, or telling photographers how someone should look in a picture. And just wait until some ambitious politician latches onto this issue to score easy points with voters.

Fashion, frivolous by nature, is an easy target. The industry also has a bad reputation when it comes to policing bad behavior. As the New York Times points out today, Kate Moss, caught using drugs, was dropped from several ad campaigns, only to be rehired a few months later.

But there are plenty of inconsistencies on the other side as well. Television shows feature plenty of skinny actresses who are probably also role models to millions of impressionable girls. (Anyone seen Grey’s Anatomy? There’s not much of it to speak of.) Should television producers also be required to adhere to medical guidelines when hiring actresses?

And what about all the overweight men (and chunky kids) featured on sitcoms and television ads? They might also be bad role models for a nation that is suffering from an obesity epidemic. Does some medical group want to step up to the plate and issue guidelines stating that you can’t be too old or fat to appear on television or in pictures?
—David Schonauer

Article 2
"Negative" Sizing: The Size Zero Debate

There is a "growing" trend happening in fashion right now and no it has nothing to do with hem lengths, lip color or fabric style. According to Women's Wear Daily the infamous size zero demographic is no longer limited to the silver screen or the catwalk; in fact these women walk among us every day. And their numbers are swelling (pun intended)!
But how many of us know anyone with a waist smaller than 23 inches or a bust that is no larger than 31 inches? Apparently, anyone who ...Download file to see next pages Read More