Column: Skinny models send the wrong message

For a number of years, Wal-Mart has been featuring its employees and their families as models in its advertising fliers. The department store chain saves money and gives some regular folks a chance at a little glory and fame. Imagine yourself in a Wal-Mart flier, wearing a pair of $10 denim shorts from  China, smiling like you just won an Academy Award. You’d be the envy of your neighborhood. They may  even organize a parade for you.

But aside from the obvious goodwill created by the Wal-Mart program, there’s a more significant benefit for society. I realized this recently while thumbing through a flier, gazing at models such as Sheila, manager of the garden center, and Vanessa, sister of Florinda, assistant manager. I’m so used to seeing professional models and found myself thinking, "Oh my goodness. I can’t believe it. Some of these women have hips."

I actually thought that hips were out of style. Professional models, even those in department store fliers, haven’t had hips since at least 1964. And as their hips disappeared, that extra weight somehow moved all the way up to their chests.

It’s amazing the type of body you can create through the delicate combination of plastic surgery and  starvation. Some models today are so skinny, they’d probably gain a few pounds just by kissing, say, Bill Clinton. A few pounds and a few nice gifts.

I don’t know about you, but an emaciated body is not my idea of attractive. If I were dating such a woman, I wouldn’t be able to eat. I’d feel too guilty.

Of course, models aren’t the only women who desperately need to be fed. I keep picturing Sally Struthers in a new television ad, saying, "Please take a few moments to think about all the people who are starving to death, while you’re having your 13th slice of pizza. For just 70 cents a day, the cost of a cup of coffee, you can help feed some of them. If you call right now and pledge just $21 a month, we’ll send a few life-saving snacks to the starving women from the television show ‘Friends.’ Please call 1-800-FEED-A-BABE."

I’d be the first to call. I’d pledge not just my money, but also my energy. Yes, if given the chance, I’d be willing to feed Jennifer Aniston personally. That’s how much I care about eradicating world hunger.

Have you seen Aniston and Courtney Cox recently? They’re wasting away. Who’s in charge of feeding them? Twiggy?

If this continues, medical students will be able to watch Aniston's movies just to study the movements of the human skeleton. "Oh my gosh," the male students will say. "Jennifer Aniston has such a cute fibula! Look at the way it stretches across her tibia. That woman has such sexy bones."

This is a serious situation and not just because some of these actresses may collapse in hunger. These stars are role models to teen-age and preteen girls who could develop eating disorders while trying to emulate their idols. They’re getting the wrong message from television and advertising, a message that  says, "It’s cool to look like a stick. You’ll be attractive to men and you’ll never have to spend another cent on X-rays."

Teen-age girls would be better off looking through a Wal-Mart flier. They’d see what typical women look like. They have hips and you can’t see their bones. And you know what? They look just fine.

Comments

[Grace]

I can't believe some people are giving models like that props for their "determination" or saying it "makes them feel content, peacful, proud and in control of themselves."
*shudder*
By no means can that make you happy, and by no means is that showing determination. It's a feeling that you have no control at all so you're doing the one thing you think you can. In reality, you're giving up control there too, becoming trapped by food, making your stomach a "god," if you will. That makes you feel empty not only physically but emotionally. Starving yourself IS disordered. Yea, some people are naturally skinny, but starving yourself is not healthy. And being underweight naturally isn't necessarilly healthy either even if you're not trying to lose weight. It's harming your body. And it means you have little or no self-respect. I've been there.
Girls, if you find yourself in that position, talk to someone! You may feel right now that it's not something you can escape, that you're trapped and depressed looking in the mirror. It's escapeable! Get someone to help you and keep you accountable!

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