France's lower house bans ultra-thin models

[Surya Gayatri]

Source: Deutsche Welle

French lawmakers have approved a new measure that takes aim at anorexic models on the catwalk. Israel and Spain already have bans targeting the fashion industry's penchant for excessively thin women.

On Friday, France's National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, voted in favor of a fine of up to 75,000 euros ($85,000) and up to six months' imprisonment for anyone who employs ultra-thin models.



"Anyone whose body mass index…is below a certain level will not be able to work as a catwalk model," the measure read.

Models must present a medical certificate proving that they have a BMI of at least 18. A woman with a height of 1.75 meters (5.7 feet) who weighed 55 kg (121 lb) would be considered at the extreme lower end of this new scale.

Read more: http://www.dw.de/frances-lower-house-bans-ultra-thin-models/a-18360239

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In the land of 'haute couture', they're finally getting real. Healthy women in the real world don't look like that! And who wants to?

[rocktivity]

1. They did that in Madrid a few years ago

Last edited Sat Apr 4, 2020, 11:34 AM - Edit history (2)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x5620791

Below 18.5 is considered underweight in America, so while I think the BMI is reasonable, imprisonment is ridiculous. Just pump the fines into six-figure territory and ban any repeat offenders from the business.


rocktivity

[Surya Gayatri]

7. I doubt anybody will ultimately be put in jail. I think

the law had to conform to a certain legal form--'pour la forme' as they say. More of a deterrent than anything.

Nobody's going to do hard time for hiring a skinny nymphette.

[valerief]

16. Imprisonment is the only deterrent to anything. Fines are too easy for the

very rich.

[TygrBright]

2. Fashion designers have been trying to make women into pre-adolescent boys for far too long.

I'm not sure exactly what kind of sick fixation it represented initially, but since the early 20th century, the fashion industry has been pretty much dominated by designers who obviously find ordinary adult female morphology repulsive.

This would have gotten them nowhere had there not been a burgeoning advertising industry that realized the profits to be made in convincing women they look unattractive unless they spend buttloads of cash on realizing an unattainable ideal.

disgustedly,
Bright

[F4lconF16]

4. It's sad.

It's always about the money, and no abuse is too great if they can profit off of it.

A bit about why they are so thin here:
http://paleoforwomen.com/two-shocking-dehumanizing-reasons-runway-models-are-so-thin-and-why-we-should-never-aspire-to-look-like-them/

And also, this gives a bit of an overview of the history of thin models, albeit without explaining why so much:
http://onthisdayinfashion.com/?p=10323

A step forwards, here, and I just wish it would be reflected on a wider scale.

[Surya Gayatri]

6. Eating disorders are reaching epidemic proportions and

feminist activists just said 'çà suffit'!

[christx30]

18. My 5 year old daughter

was holding her mom's fashion magazine a new months ago and said that she thought the model was beautiful. So I got on my phone and showed her a youtube video about hours and hours of work it takes to get that woman to look that attractive. Make-up, hair, lighting, Photoshop. I was using the video to show how unrealistic that level of beauty is. I told her she is the prettiest person I've ever met, but that's not as important as the fact that she's also the kindest, smartest person I've ever met. Then we looked at space videos and rocket lauches ("See how cool that is? You could be doing stuff like that!&quot , which she got a kick out of. I think it had an impact on her.

[Surya Gayatri]

19. Well done, counter the media indoctrination whenever you can!

[Surya Gayatri]

8. Forgot to add, the slimming and dieting industry in the land

of the elegant and svelte is BIG BUSINESS.

[FLPanhandle]

14. These designers are not talented enough to design clothes except in straight lines

Tall, skinny models are probably easy to design for.

Throw in some curves and breasts and many designers are out of their league.

[Xithras]

39. That's actually the real answer right there.

We tend to pay attention to the people and think that designers are pushing a model of physical beauty onto us, but that's actually not the case. Designers and photographers generally don't care about the models at all. They are pushing the CLOTHES they are wearing. The models body is supposed to be as thin, and as uninteresting as possible so that it doesn't take away from the appearance of the clothing, or introduce any unexpected curves or wrinkles, or require different sizes to fit different people. They want humans whose bodies are uniform and interchangeable, so that any item of clothing can be fit onto any model with a minimum of alteration or tweaking.

The designers want the models to be walking mannequins, not actual PEOPLE, because from their perspective, the human beings are the least important things on that stage or in front of that camera.

[chknltl]

3. That model looks like horrible!

(Should the Zombieapocolypse occur, that 'model' might find herself on the wrong side of mistaken identity!)
Ad agencies need to understand that their bottom line is not a good one when it promotes disorders and diseases. I also applaud France's decision.

[Surya Gayatri]

5. Here, here! Really a walking zombie...

[AngryAmish]

9. I am not convinced images cause disease

But as a workplace safety issue I am fine with this. Kinda like jockeys have to be monitored.

A bit like the photoshop people and seamstress full employment act.

[Surya Gayatri]

11. 'Images cause disease' indirectly by unduling

encouraging young influenceable tweens to try to look like that.

See here:

'Anorexie: "Je mangeais juste une pomme par jour", témoigne l'ex-mannequin Victoire Dauxerre'

(Anorexia: 'I ate just one apple a day, says ex-model Victoire Dauxerre')
http://www.bfmtv.com/societe/anorexie-je-mangeais-juste-une-pomme-par-jour-temoigne-l-ex-mannequin-victoire-dauxerre-874289.html

[AngryAmish]

23. Can an image encourage me to get bladder cancer?

[Comrade Grumpy]

10. I find both anorexic fashion models and this law kind of creepy.

[Surya Gayatri]

12. Similar laws are already in place in other fashion capitals: Italy, Spain.

Nobody's going to do hard time for hiring a 'Twiggy'. But, this will keep them off the catwalks and out of the fashion mags.

[jberryhill]

31. What other physical attributes might one ban?

[Surya Gayatri]

32. Nobody's saying you can't starve yourself to death on your own time and dime...

This is a measure specifically aimed at an industry that exploits young women and poses a clear and present health risk to same.

[Snow Leopard]

13. Me too

Seems a little totalitarian for my tastes. Can you imagine if they tried to ban overweight models?

[Calista241]

15. Exactly, they're essentially excluding a class of people from a particular line of work.

While their hearts may be in the right place, mandating conformity by law seems a little backwards to me.

[Yupster]

28. and it would be for the same reason too

It's unhealthy to be overweight so you can't be hired if you're overweight.

A agree. Too authoritarian for my tastes.

[valerief]

17. Cancer Couture. That's what we should call what these emaciated models are wearing.

[Larry Engels]

21. WTF?

Of all the nonsense posted in this thread, yours is the most offensive.

[valerief]

24. Sorry for offending cancer. nt

[Larry Engels]

20. Ah, well.

Let's get some full-figured women on those runways.

[Surya Gayatri]

22. Well, at least a little more realistically proportioned...

Personally, I'd rather see slim but healthy young women, than these skeletal specters.

[ailsagirl]

41. "skeletel specters" is an apt term

[ailsagirl]

25. Here are a few...

They look like beautified Dachau victims. It's a horrifying sight. I've seen photos of former models who are afflicted with anorexia, but now they parade around on the runway when they look as though they are weeks away from death. It's sickening.



?w=344&h=480

?w=604

[olddots]

27. our daughter is fighting her way back from anorexia

the agents are the culprits and should be dealt with .

[ailsagirl]

29. I'm sorry to hear that

It's all so bizarre-- I guess it's the weird way of thinking that if eight glasses of water per day is healthy, then 80 glasses must be ten times healthier.



Best of luck with your daughter's journey

[Surya Gayatri]

33. Yes, I've seen these pics used in the debate...I feel sorry for them.

They look sick. Not beautiful, not attractive.

[ailsagirl]

40. That's for sure

Their very lives hang in the balance... for what? Would anyone honestly want to look like that?

Very sad

[24601]

26. So "my body, my choice" no longer applies. n/t

[JudyM]

30. The lower end of their acceptable range is slender but not skinny, if those are clear adjectives.

Not even very skinny, never mind anorexic. I'm surprised.

[delrem]

34. Does anyone give a shit about the fate of the models?

Is anyone going to compensate them for being shit listed?

[Surya Gayatri]

35. This legislation is intended to keep them healthy and working...

The fashion houses and modelling agencies, who are driving these women to anorexia, are the culprits and targets here.

[delrem]

36. Yes. Absolutely. But, in the meantime.

What about the fate of the now-existent models, who suddenly don't fit?

That's only the first of questions.

[Quantess]

37. The anorexic models can eat an extra bowl of salad per day,

or an extra spoonful of beans, get their weight to a more normal, non-lethal range.

Skinny, thin, models will always be the standard. Get real. The only difference is there is suh a thing as "too thin" now. As in, bones sticking out all over the place.

[closeupready]

38. The same proportion who cares about overpaid star athletes.

[Recursion]

42. Like their first lady? (nt)