Beauty

[newziesuzie]

This might be hard to enforce but seems like steps in the right direction.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/04/03/us-france-anorexia-idUSKBN0MU0JK20150403

(Reuters) - France will ban excessively thin fashion models and expose modeling agents and the fashion houses that hire them to possible fines and even jail, under a new law passed on Friday.

The move by France, with its fashion and luxury industries worth tens of billions of euros, comes after a similar ban by Israel in 2013, while other countries, like Italy and Spain, rely on voluntary codes of conduct to protect models.

The measure is part of a campaign against anorexia by President Francois Hollande's government.

Lawmakers also made it illegal to condone anorexia and said any re-touched photo that alters the bodily appearance of a model for commercial purposes must carry a message stating it had been manipulated.

"The activity of model is banned for any person whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is lower than levels proposed by health authorities and decreed by the ministers of health and labor," the legislation says.

The lawmaker behind the bill previously said models would have to present a medical certificate showing a BMI of at least 18, about 55 kg (121 lb) for a height of 1.75 meters (5.7 feet), before being hired for a job and for a few weeks afterwards.

The law, voted through the lower house of parliament by Hollande's Socialist majority despite opposition by conservative parliamentarians, envisages imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of 75,000 euros ($82,000) for any agency contravening it.

A second measure means that any website inciting a reader to "seek excessive thinness by encouraging eating restrictions for a prolonged period of time, resulting in risk of mortality or damage to health" will face up to a year in prison and fines of up to 100,000 euros.

Elite and IMG, two big modeling agencies present in France, both declined to comment on the moves.

Some 30,000-40,000 people in France suffer from anorexia, most of them teenagers, health experts estimate.

In 2010, Isabelle Caro, an anorexic 28-year-old former French fashion model, died after posing for a photographic campaign to raise awareness about the illness.

[handygal2]

Kudos to the French government. U.S. lawmakers should take note.

[Valstybaby]

It's about time! Better late than never.

[suzyQ3]

I think it's absurd and a slippery slope. Would they consider banning extra-plus models because they might encourage unhealthful obesity? And how in the world would they every enforce such a restriction?

I'm one who is pretty okay with what others often call Nanny State laws. I favor those that help to keep all of us safe and and healthy as possible.

But trying to legislate the weight of models???? Wow.

[Southernfriedchick]

Really? I'm thankful Twiggy is all grown up!

[cw88]

On 4/5/2015 suzyQ3 said:

I think it's absurd and a slippery slope. Would they consider banning extra-plus models because they might encourage unhealthful obesity? And how in the world would they every enforce such a restriction?

I'm one who is pretty okay with what others often call Nanny State laws. I favor those that help to keep all of us safe and and healthy as possible.

But trying to legislate the weight of models???? Wow.

Well, I would agree with you except that there has been such an alarming trend towards model thinness over the years that models are starving themselves to comply. And those are the pictures that enter the mass consciousness that people subliminally feel are attractive and want to emulate.

[Amazinggrace2]

On 4/5/2015 suzyQ3 said:

I think it's absurd and a slippery slope. Would they consider banning extra-plus models because they might encourage unhealthful obesity? And how in the world would they every enforce such a restriction?

I'm one who is pretty okay with what others often call Nanny State laws. I favor those that help to keep all of us safe and and healthy as possible.

But trying to legislate the weight of models???? Wow.

I think that's an interesting point, as well. I, too, wonder how these laws could possibly be enforced consistently. In the US, I believe that some of the above would be Constitutionally challenged.

Having said that, I am disheartened by the epidemic of anorexia and bulimia in our own culture. I do know there is a growing movement to more accurately portray women in advertising (the Dove company comes to mind). I'd like to see the drastic photo-shopping to 'thin out' models' come to an end as well.

[suzyQ3]

Don't get me wrong. I would support any effective campaigns to help those who are prone to anorexia and other eating disorders, which can be very dangerous, debilitating, and fatal disease. People get very sick and can even die from bulimia, even though they make be of average or more weight.

But anorexia and other eating disorders (including compulsive overeating) are very, very complicated both in terms of cause and treatment. There are emotional, psychological, and probably even chemical components involved that play major roles.

Something as weighty (pun intended) as turning this model thing into a criminal activity is not what I consider the best use of any country's time or expense. And basing this solely on BMI is problematic, as many experts now question its accuracy.

[Southernfriedchick]

On 4/5/2015 suzyQ3 said:

Don't get me wrong. I would support any effective campaigns to help those who are prone to anorexia and other eating disorders, which can be very dangerous, debilitating, and fatal disease. People get very sick and can even die from bulimia, even though they make be of average or more weight.

But anorexia and other eating disorders (including compulsive overeating) are very, very complicated both in terms of cause and treatment. There are emotional, psychological, and probably even chemical components involved that play major roles.

Something as weighty (pun intended) as turning this model thing into a criminal activity is not what I consider the best use of any country's time or expense. And basing this solely on BMI is problematic, as many experts now question its accuracy.

Very well said!!

[Amazinggrace2]

On 4/5/2015 suzyQ3 said:

Don't get me wrong. I would support any effective campaigns to help those who are prone to anorexia and other eating disorders, which can be very dangerous, debilitating, and fatal disease. People get very sick and can even die from bulimia, even though they make be of average or more weight.

But anorexia and other eating disorders (including compulsive overeating) are very, very complicated both in terms of cause and treatment. There are emotional, psychological, and probably even chemical components involved that play major roles.

Something as weighty (pun intended) as turning this model thing into a criminal activity is not what I consider the best use of any country's time or expense. And basing this solely on BMI is problematic, as many experts now question its accuracy.

Well done, Suzie.