Should there be a ban on models that are too skinny?

The average runway model has a BMI (Body Mass Index) of under 18.5, which is considered the minimum healthy weight as a ratio of height. This led to a minimum BMI ban at the Madrid Fashion Week in 2006, a policy that has not been adopted by the broader fashion industry.

Implications to Other Questions

If you believe A then possibly you believe B

Does the media distort our perception of beauty?

Experts and Influencers

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Agree

Experts In Health

Eating Disorders Association (BEAT)

Agree

Where you have these commercial pressures to provide unhealthily thin models, then the only way to create a level playing field is through some sort of legislation. I am absolutely certain that no amount of moral pressure is going to be enough. ... With eating disorders on the increase, it is irresponsible to be glorifying an unnatural image that puts impressionable girls' and women's health at risk.

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16 Sep 2006 Source

Experts In Fashion

Charlotte Carter Fashion Model

Agree

The industry has always put pressure on me to be thin, but I brought my own issues along too. I can’t blame modelling, although it has not helped. .. [Being banned for being too skinny] helped me finally to realise that I was too thin. I was impressed that an agency was actually addressing my well-being.

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11 Sep 2007 Source

Experts In Politics

Dee Doocey Politician, UK

Agree

I got involved in this issue because I am very concerned about the effect of using very thin models on the catwalks. Not only is there extreme pressure on the models, as well as a huge risk to their health, but also on very young girls to lose weight and compare themselves to ultra-skinny women. There are one million individuals with eating disorders in the UK, and only 10% are receiving any treatment.

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09 Sep 2008 Source

Disagree

Experts In Media

Cathy Gould Director for Modeling Agency

Disagree

I think its outrageous, I understand they want to set this tone of healthy beautiful women, but what about discrimination against the model and what about the freedom of the designer.

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13 Sep 2006 Source

Experts In Fashion

Hilary Riva Former CEO of British Fashion Council

Mostly Disagree

This will only work if it's an international solution. ... I would love for there to be a simpler solution. If we could just tick a box and move on it would make everyone's life easier but now this really is along-term educational and behavioural campaign.

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13 Aug 2008 Source

Valentina Zelyaeva Fashion Model

Disagree

I think it's discrimination. We are skinny; this is our work. There are lots of overweight people working in offices but I'm not going to say `This girl is fat, she can't work in an office'.

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13 Sep 2006 Source

Comments

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1 Point the27th 09 May 2010 Stance on Question: Mostly Agree

People are looking at this wrong.

It's a worker safety issue when modeling contracts are unclear and require models to maintain a physically dangerous body weight. Models are quite young and often immigrants. There's a potential for exploitative working arrangements here.

It's not about whether non-model women are harmed by being exposed to photos of thin women. (Don't we all choose what media we consume? I hardly ever pick up a fashion magazine.) It's about worker safety.

I'm not a big regulation fan, but I do think the industry should self-regulate, out of compassion. If I were an editor or agent in the industry, I wouldn't want to be personally responsible for a model's illness (or, occasionally, death.)

0 Points Benja 09 May 2010 General Comment

"I do think the industry should self-regulate, out of compassion."

I sympathize, but I fear that's wishful thinking.

"If I were an editor or agent in the industry, I wouldn't want to be personally responsible for a model's illness (or, occasionally, death.)"

And the market wouldn't select someone like you for that position (and I don't mean that in a bad way!), but rather someone who would be prepared to take on that responsibility (though I'd doubt they'd see themselves as contributing to hurting others - they'll invent mental excuses to ensure they still consider themselves good people).