Media and culture: Sociology assignment
This video was made by me for a sociology media and culture class to show how much impact the media can have on women of our society. Some may think that it is hypocritical to post something of this nature when I myself am a model; however, I am a voice from within the fashion industry who is trying to make a difference. I have felt so much pressure in my career as a model to be overly thin. I feel that the constant images we are exposed to time and again can play a negative impact on the way that we feel about ourselves. Some cities in Europe, including Milan have banned overly thin models from the runway.
“Madrid Fashion Week, the Pasarela Cibeles, announced last week that it was banning models with a body mass index, or height-to-weight ratio, of less than 18 – which a 5-foot, 9-inch model would have at about 125 pounds. Also, the mayor of Milan, Letizia Moratti, said she would call on her city’s designers to take similar action”( n.a 2006).
This is an excellent start. The more that we speak out the better chance that we have to change this issue. I am happy to say that at this time I am no longer worrying about my weight as a model. I have decided to freelance and to not work through an agency unless they have agreed to take me for my weight at the present time. Most agencies won’t take me at this time because of my weight, or they will agree to sign me if I lose weight. Keep in mind that I am 120 pounds at 5′9 which is already less than I should weigh based on the BMI (body mass index). Through genetics however, I have a tendency to stay on the thin side and always have. If I am already under weight based on my height and age how does anybody have the right to tell me to lose weight? This should be illegal! Modeling has always been a dream of mine, but I am not willing to kill myself to be in this industry.
“After a controversy in the modeling world over body weight, a second model has died after becoming dangerously thin. Ana Carolina Reston, a well-known Brazilian model who worked for Giorgio Armani, died this week at the age of 23. Reston was 5 feet 8 inches tall and starved herself down to 88 pounds during her battle with anorexia. The model ate only tomatoes and apples at the end of her life. Reston had to be hospitalized because of a generalized infection. She had been a model since 13 and worked worldwide” (n.a, 1996 para. 2).
The constant pressure is not only felt by models within the industry it is also felt by every girl who scans through the pictures of her favorite magazine. it is felt by turning on the television or playing on the computer.
These consistent images can bring girls to starve themselves, use drugs to maintain their skeleton type figures, and in several instances may even result in death. Because of these horrible circumstances I have decided to start a petition and send it to our governmental leaders so that we can also make this change in our country. It is important to be healthy; we live in a demanding society that requires us to be able to take on so many daily challenges. I don’t believe it is fair that everywhere we look we see a stick thin girl (usually 14, 15 or 16 years old) who makes us feel like we can’t even wear a bathing suit to the beach. We need to get realistic here and speak out as an entire team of Canadian citizens. Please take the time to review this short video and please sign the petition that I have created. I am going to print the petition and write to the leaders of our country, which will hopefully help stop some of the unrealistic standards we are exposed to in our daily lives, and perhaps, like Milan and Madrid, we can create a ban on unhealthy Canadian models as well. Thank you for your interest!
References
(2006). Another Supermodel Dies After Weight Loss. Retrieved March 4, 2007, from 5nbc51.com Web site: http://www.nbc5i.com/health/10344570/detail.html
The Associated Press, (2006 September 18). London rejects thin model ban. Retrieved March 4, 2007, from International Herald Tribune Web site: http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/09/18/business/rthin.php
Duration : 0:2:35
[youtube fFRzMMFI9ZA]
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
a fat person made …
a fat person made this
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
The requirement of …
The requirement of the super system is upheld with the negative body image, the consumers consume to fill the illusionary false needs, spending to devote their fears and contribute to the bourgeois hypnotic spectacle, you invest in the pharmaceutical lies, helping squander ‘OUR’ freedoms on the monopolized capitalist lie, YOU personally are guilty as they all are, until you say NO MORE LIES.
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
you can’t live …
you can’t live forever you know only in heaven
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
lawl. what a moron. …
lawl. what a moron. i’m about 5′3. i weigh less than 90 pounds. i constantly eat. some people are just born lucky.
MODELS ON THE RUNWAY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE SHOW. hurr durr people.
the point of thin models is to show off the clothes. theyre thin for a reason. if they were fat then the clothes would pucker, and look like shit. thin models make the clothes appear like they are on hangers. yeah some models are so skinny that its unhealthy, but that is their choice.
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
Yeah, i’m 18 years …
Yeah, i’m 18 years old 5″1 and i weight around 95 pounds. For me i’ve always been naturally small i think some people need to be more understanding of people’s natural beauty. As though models who are 5′8 on the other hand shouldn’t be weighing in the same amount as us smaller framed girls.
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
well, not all girls …
well, not all girls are dangerously thin.
I’m around 5 ft tall and weigh under 90 pounds, and you are going to say that’s bad? what the hell, at least i am healthy.
on’t tell me to eat 2 burgers because im naturally that way.
anyway, thanks for making everyone aware that models sshouldn’t have to look thin to be in the runway.
i think the models should be healthy.
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
i thought it was a …
i thought it was a great video, and hu cares if they r fotoshoped, that just as bad, it means that even models r classified as thin enough so the ppl hu edited them r just sik if they made it for public views.
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
this is really …
this is really typical =x
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
lol im 13 and if i …
lol im 13 and if i kno the pics r fake thten i blow them off. unless something is drilled into our head we usually juss forget bout it unless we have brain problems so
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
those pics are fake …
those pics are fake some of them anyway, anorexia is scary enough without having to doctor the photos! anyway, really good video its a really important issue that needs more attention than it is getting in the media. every girl i know is concerned about her weight, including me and im only 8 stone and everytime i see a picture of a model or a stunningly beautiful woman, whether the picture is fake or not, i still get really depressed. imagine how it affects a 13 year old girl?
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
The images from 1: …
The images from 1:19-1:31 were proved photoshoped.
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
media + gullible …
media + gullible people = mess.
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
I really Liked it. …
I really Liked it. At first the women in the ads look beautiful but then you see the models on the runway and they look so distorted and skinny. It gives you that wow feeling because they don’t even look like humans.
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
Thank You.I was …
Thank You.I was Discusted Looking at those Women, they have no self respect. I appreciate you trying to put the word out and inform those of the adds “brainwashing” us. =D
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
i know im 11 and …
i know im 11 and have a eating disorder
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
All those pictures …
All those pictures to illustrate anorexia in media viewers were fake. The real ones can be found on the internet. I don’t think it’s wise to preach about something that you haven’t even properly researched.
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
whats with ALL! the …
whats with ALL! the stam pictures!
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
those pictures are …
those pictures are fake, but this is to the point. I’m feeling a LOT of pressure right now, i have a photo shoot coming up, and i don’t know if i should eat that day. I should but… i don’t want to be bloated. I am 5 foot 9, 120, and i dont feel fat, but i dont feel thin. I feel like i might be sinking in. Help?
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
nice vid.
nice vid.
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
fuck the media! …
the media! they turn you into a mindless consuming machine, either to thin or to fat. either way people start to get concerned with their looks way too much, IT AIN’T THAT IMPORTANT!! some should go to their work/school in what they would wair if they had nothing to do.
the media gives a erally small image of what’s going on in the world. its one brainwash machine. sometimes i think the internet is to overloaded with conspiracy theories, but still i’m glad we have it
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
Do anorexic people …
Do anorexic people go taller than they should be/what they were before? O_o
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
EEP WALKING …
EEP WALKING SKELETONS! Well it is the freakness of our culture. YOU DO NOT LOOK LIKE MODEL YOU ARE UNPRETTY THAT MODELS IT IS PHOTOSHOP. And uneating til death is sadistic behavior of model agentures
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
I absolutely agree. …
I absolutely agree. As soon as I saw the first picture of the models I was like, ffs, that’s SO doctored.
Stupid idea really..
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
She said it was a …
She said it was a video to show the negative effect not just the general effect; it wasn’t meant to show the small number of people that show average humans in their ads. Also, isn’t it part of the point that it’s doctored photos that are being shown to people? These photos were from magazines and online, so it is something that people would see. Unless she actually went in and doctored them, they are just pictures open to the public
June 16th, 2010 at 12:16 am
this is an amazing …
this is an amazing video, thank you so much for creating it. I am also doing a similar anthro/psy/soc assignment on media and body image and this was very helpful. Great Job!