a fashion standard people pursue, being extremely thin is.
I strongly disagree.
Standard people want to look healthy, fit, and maybe have some muscle. You know, the stuff that the majority would say brings sex appeal.
But nobody wants to look like a sad, malnourished bonerack, unless they have an eating disorder. I’d argue that most people find the look of gauntness, protruding bones, no muscle, etc. to be unflattering and quite disgusting. There are probably studies on this, I haven’t looked.
The issue is that the fashion industry seems to like this look, and people with eating disorders find validation in that. It is a terrible cycle, no denying that.
That does beg the question, though: why not set the standard by having fit people wear your clothing? Why malnourished and sickly? Only a tiny fraction of the population has an eating disorder that causes them to be underweight, and I doubt very much that these companies are making all their profits off them.
It is not just about being unhealthy, it’s about not setting unhealthy standards.
I agree, which is why we should not be normalizing obesity, one of the top causes of death and morbidity, in advertisements. This isn’t an opinion, I already linked a study showing that ads, even when intended to be positive, negatively affect obese people due to the normalization of this unhealthy standard.
But nobody wants to look like a sad, malnourished bonerack
That is more common than you are probably aware of. Of course they don’t see it that way, they only see themselves as too big, even when they are far from it.
Unfortunately many clothes designers prefer models that are basically clothes racks. This is AFAIK the reason the standards have become so unhealthy they need to be regulated.
There are plenty horror stories about fashion houses that pressure their models to lose weight, and even provide drugs to endure not eating, despite they are already underweight. So there is 100% a widespread unhealthy attitude towards weight in the fashion industry, that needs to be regulated. The same is not the case for being fat that I have ever heard about.
we should not be normalizing obesity
Absolutely, but there also needs to be the possibility for clothes brands that specialize in clothing for “big” people to show their products in a reasonable way.
It can be very difficult for both overweight and even just tall women to find clothes that fit well. I don’t think banning advertising that helps anybody.
It’s very obviously not either a fashion or beauty ideal.
This is not normally nearly as much a problem for thin people. Although it can be for very small women too, I’ve heard of some that have to buy clothes and shoes for Children.
So there is 100% an unhealthy attitude towards weight in the fashion industry, that needs to be regulated.
In fairness, the fashion industry is a circus, almost literally. The stuff you see on the runway is so ridiculous that they might as well simply be costumes and not clothes. And the models, while they do suffer real consequences, are forced to have an unhealthy look to fit the character they play in this circus.
I would much rather see positive education into how to actually be fit and healthy, so that teens have no reason to look at these circus performers as a template.
but there also needs to be the possibility for clothes brands that specialize in clothing for “big” people to show their products in a reasonable way.
Absolutely. The reality is, people come in all different shapes and sizes, so there’s a realistic expectation that they’ll still need to buy clothes. But the normalization of super heavy (or super skinny) needs to go away.
The fashion industry is so much more than just the “circus” you mention. That is just the top of the iceberg. These standards have also spread to more common fashion, advertising clothes for ordinary people.
I would much rather see positive education into how to actually be fit and healthy, so that teens have no reason to look at these circus performers as a template.
If there’s a method for that, that actually works, that would be great.
These standards have also spread to more common fashion, advertising clothes for ordinary people.
No doubt.
If there’s a method for that, that actually works, that would be great.
First, block and avoid ads. They are poison to the mind. Dropping social media is also strongly suggested.
It’s hard to not fall prey to marketing companies if ads surround you on a daily basis, and I can’t honestly imagine how difficult it must be for any teen who uses the internet or apps unfiltered. It’s a losing battle if those influences aren’t dealt with first.
I have all ads blocked, I never see ads in my everyday life, not on TV, not on my phone or on my computer, and not on radio. I’m personally 99.9% ad free.
But the only reason that’s possible, is because we are a tiny minority, probably about 90% of people don’t care enough or don’t know how to get around the advertising.
To do that for everybody would be a major shift for society, that is not possible to do without a strong legal framework to achieve it, something that is not at all realistic in the current political situation in any place in the world.
So I think for now, the best we can do, is to regulate very thin models in the situation we are debating here.
I strongly disagree.
Standard people want to look healthy, fit, and maybe have some muscle. You know, the stuff that the majority would say brings sex appeal.
But nobody wants to look like a sad, malnourished bonerack, unless they have an eating disorder. I’d argue that most people find the look of gauntness, protruding bones, no muscle, etc. to be unflattering and quite disgusting. There are probably studies on this, I haven’t looked.
The issue is that the fashion industry seems to like this look, and people with eating disorders find validation in that. It is a terrible cycle, no denying that.
That does beg the question, though: why not set the standard by having fit people wear your clothing? Why malnourished and sickly? Only a tiny fraction of the population has an eating disorder that causes them to be underweight, and I doubt very much that these companies are making all their profits off them.
I agree, which is why we should not be normalizing obesity, one of the top causes of death and morbidity, in advertisements. This isn’t an opinion, I already linked a study showing that ads, even when intended to be positive, negatively affect obese people due to the normalization of this unhealthy standard.
That is more common than you are probably aware of. Of course they don’t see it that way, they only see themselves as too big, even when they are far from it.
Unfortunately many clothes designers prefer models that are basically clothes racks. This is AFAIK the reason the standards have become so unhealthy they need to be regulated.
There are plenty horror stories about fashion houses that pressure their models to lose weight, and even provide drugs to endure not eating, despite they are already underweight. So there is 100% a widespread unhealthy attitude towards weight in the fashion industry, that needs to be regulated. The same is not the case for being fat that I have ever heard about.
Absolutely, but there also needs to be the possibility for clothes brands that specialize in clothing for “big” people to show their products in a reasonable way.
It can be very difficult for both overweight and even just tall women to find clothes that fit well. I don’t think banning advertising that helps anybody.
It’s very obviously not either a fashion or beauty ideal.
This is not normally nearly as much a problem for thin people. Although it can be for very small women too, I’ve heard of some that have to buy clothes and shoes for Children.
In fairness, the fashion industry is a circus, almost literally. The stuff you see on the runway is so ridiculous that they might as well simply be costumes and not clothes. And the models, while they do suffer real consequences, are forced to have an unhealthy look to fit the character they play in this circus.
I would much rather see positive education into how to actually be fit and healthy, so that teens have no reason to look at these circus performers as a template.
Absolutely. The reality is, people come in all different shapes and sizes, so there’s a realistic expectation that they’ll still need to buy clothes. But the normalization of super heavy (or super skinny) needs to go away.
The fashion industry is so much more than just the “circus” you mention. That is just the top of the iceberg. These standards have also spread to more common fashion, advertising clothes for ordinary people.
If there’s a method for that, that actually works, that would be great.
No doubt.
First, block and avoid ads. They are poison to the mind. Dropping social media is also strongly suggested.
It’s hard to not fall prey to marketing companies if ads surround you on a daily basis, and I can’t honestly imagine how difficult it must be for any teen who uses the internet or apps unfiltered. It’s a losing battle if those influences aren’t dealt with first.
I have all ads blocked, I never see ads in my everyday life, not on TV, not on my phone or on my computer, and not on radio. I’m personally 99.9% ad free.
But the only reason that’s possible, is because we are a tiny minority, probably about 90% of people don’t care enough or don’t know how to get around the advertising.
To do that for everybody would be a major shift for society, that is not possible to do without a strong legal framework to achieve it, something that is not at all realistic in the current political situation in any place in the world.
So I think for now, the best we can do, is to regulate very thin models in the situation we are debating here.