The fight for healthy body images in fashion is now getting taken up in France. According to Reuters, France is looking to put a bill into action that would ban super-skinny fashion models and would fine the modeling agency or label that hires the girls. This would apply to both the catwalk and adverting campaigns.
So how would they enforce this bill? First there would be regular weight checks, and agencies would be fined up to $79,000 in US dollars while any modeling agent involved could face up to six months in jail. Models would be on the hook as well. Girls would present a medical certificate showing a BMI of at least 18 (that translates roughly to a weight of 121 lbs and height of nearly 5’9”) before being able to be hired for a job, sometimes for weeks at a time. The bill is set to be presented at parliament on March 17, and is likely to be passed based on reports.
What do you think? Is this a step in the right direction or taking it too far?
I think it is a step in the right direction, a huge step. To me what’s important is the models being healthy, rather than whether they look teeny-tiny or not (thought that could start a pile of conversations re: body image…). 18 is the beginning of the healthy BMI range, so I don’t think this is an awful ask. Hope it passes.
The problem isn’t so much the BMI of these models, but their age. There are way too many models who are starting out at the ripe old age of 16 or 17. Give these girls the chance to mature a bit, to say… at least 20, and I can assure you that many of these models will have healthier BMI’s.
I think this is outrageous, now your telling girls that if your skinny that there is something wrong with you! Some people are just naturally very skinny, i know people who have tried to put on weight in the past without much success. There is a fine line and i believe this is definitely crossing it, surely its better to educate younger people than to penalize them for their weight. If it is ok to fine people for being too skinny then the same should go for obese people! There shouldn’t be one without the other.
Not taking it far enough…more frontiers to be crossed regarding age and body type. We are all women, we all wear clothes.
Accidental Icon
http://www.accidentalicon.com
I totally agree Pffft!! So in that case lets make a law that anyone with a BMI over 23 should not be able to hold public office or work for any government agency…. Or be allowed to appear in any visual media….So lets also ban fast food restaurants, any food in the markets that contain high amounts of sugar, carbs, or just plain fattening crap. So Sumo wrestlers, sports figures, or kids with parents over 23 BMI should be banned from entering the country, or the families that are overweight should be required to attend therapy and see a nutritionist ..of course paid for by the government..
As a working fashion photographer in NYC full time models these days eat exceptionally healthy with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, protein, very low carbs and work out on a regular basis. The ones I find that starve themselves are usually the ones that should not be going into high fashion at all, they should stick with athletic, commercial, or life style modeling, they do not naturally have the body proportions for it, so the stave themselves because they don’t have the discipline to eat healthy and exercise to maintain the proportions that are required…..
and lets not forget the chances of someone becoming a famous super model are like 1% of 1% of 1% of the total population of the planet????