DON'T DICTATE MY WEIGHT...
March, 2018
For most members of society, the media plays a huge part in our daily lives. With the development of social media platforms there is quite literally no escaping the sun soaked lives of the genetically ‘elite’.
Now, it is seen as vital that the media is portrayed as a positive role model. Many a time the media has taken criticism for presenting unrealistic body standards and for body shaming. In a society where body positivity is such a hot topic, surely the media and the modelling industry should do more to promote it?
Models have always been presented as something ordinary, average people should strive to be. The media is used as a platform to present them to the world and as an audience we eat up what they put down for us – and its completely carb free! “At the end of the day, the modelling industry is based on fitting a certain size”, Paris Omar, a student and model, plainly states, “if you don’t, you wont fit in the clothes and you won’t get the job.” Paris began her career as a model through her previous passion, acting, “Modelling definitely doesn’t promote body positivity, I think it’s actually a lot worse than people think.”
The 19-year-old model revealed her own struggle when faced with the media’s body standards, “I was a size 8-10, I had comments to me, even from my own agency, ‘oh if you were a size 12 or 14 you’d be great’, but because I was a size 8 I was told I needed to lose the weight or gain it.” For any girl or young woman this cannot be an easy thing to hear and it was clear for Paris that this wasn’t easy to tell. Despite the negative connotations paired with models, their thick skin is one to be admired.
Tess Holiday, creator of #EffYourBeautyStandards, tweeted last year that she thinks the current models are sending out the wrong message and despite what they think, are hindering body positivity. “I don’t think any sizing in the modelling industry is realistic, whether that’s curve or normal”, Miss Omar says, “no one is really as plus sized as you think, I would think of plus sized as size 20 not 14, but those people just aren’t included.”
Paris has most commonly worked with fellow female models, be that curve or standard. She expressed that she wished to work in more diverse environments, “I’d love to see more curvy men.” “I mean we talk about curvy women; we never once have mentioned accepting a curvy male.” It appears the spectrum of male models is very limited and straying beyond the muscular male is something many agencies have yet to do.
Anthi Giannopoulou, a fashion designer, stylist and makeup artist brought a ‘behind the scenes’ perspective, “body positivity is much more than actually seeing the perfect body wearing the high end, detailed clothes.” The 37 year-old’s passion to promote body positivity was indelible, “I love that I can make people be able to flaunt their personality through hair, makeup and clothing no matter whether they are a size 0 or 20.”
In the Spring 2016 campaigns, a mere 1.4% of the models were above a size 12 and a shocking less than one percent account for plus sized models on a runway. “We should stop categorising models as plus or normal, there are a lot of models who are misrepresented as plus sized, they are only a size 12.” Anthi has been in the fashion industry since 2002, “I have never liked the terms plus or standard sizing. We put a wall between people when we categorise them.”
Miss Giannopoulou firmly believes that “beauty will change the world”, but fails to see how this will happen when it is ingrained in culture to shame one and other. “Shaming curvier models who are trying to contribute to changing what is normal in the industry, is too common.” She explained that this accounted for male models too, “There is great representation in male models with slim or muscular figures”, she flexed, as if to demonstrate, “but sadly not the ‘love handle’ ones!”
Anthi primarily deals with what is seen as a ‘standard’ model, however, she wishes to become more diverse in her industry, “Female and male models with a fuller figure are never considered to be ‘industry standard’, it’s wrong, they are an amazing creative force with a lot to offer.” “My job now is to design clothes for women, sorry boys”, she joked, “but these women and men who are called curvy are just extra; extra beauty, extra style and extra motivation, I want to work with these kinds of people!”
Plus-size models have recently taken the heat for being a poor representation of actual plus sized people. According to general modelling requirements, a plus sized model can be anything from a size 8 upwards. For me, this was a shocking revelation, as a size 10, I have never seen myself as plus-sized. “I’ve come into the industry as a ‘curve’ model. I fit into the category of ‘skinny thick’”, Zoe Parker, a fashion model, states, “I’m not even sure what it means, a shapely size 8 to 10, apparently.”
Miss Parker has been working in the industry since the young age of 16, now at 23, she explained that within her time as a model that she has found her body confidence to come and go, “It did help with my confidence to a degree, but it could always come with a negative affect on my wellbeing, if I was rejected.” Zoe highlighted that is not uncommon for models to be rejected from a job and especially as a young woman, it can be a knock to the system.
Ashley Graham, arguably one of the most famous plus size models, has recently been under attack for losing weight. With making a lifestyle choice to lose weight after being called plus size all her life, Miss Graham is now under scrutiny for effectively not ‘fitting in’. Miss Parker, a fan of Ashley Graham, says; “Unfortunately, it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.” “Even I have been questioned about my size, the possibility of gaining weight,”, from where I was sitting it was hard for me to believe she was ever deemed to be ‘curve’, “it’s an industry that seeks perfection, even in extreme sizing.”
Alec King, a male model based in London brought attention to the life of a model from his side of the pond. “In the past few years we’ve seen models such as Ashley Graham take the industry by storm by redefining what it means to be a model.” “Its common for models to speak up on body positivity, sexuality and mental state”, he explained that it will always be a models job to strive to be the best they can be but, it is also important for them to be an empowering voice to their audiences.
It is an unanswered question as to why are there so many ad campaigns focused on the fact that "larger" females are just as beautiful as ‘skinny’ females but there are little-to-none of these campaigns focused on the male alternative. It seems plus size male models are practically unheard of, “we are yet to associate other male body types within society as still being ‘healthy’, so I feel plus size models, at the moment, are lacking the profile to be successful.” As someone who is right in the thick of the industry, Mr King commented that there should be a broader range of male icons in which more people can relate to.
Mr. King described himself as an editorial model, as no expert, I too had to ask. “My personal inspiration was always Winnie Harlow, we share the same genetic skin condition, vitiligo.” Winnie Harlow, the Canadian fashion model and activist was clearly someone he was passionate about and who encouraged him to excel in his career, “she allowed me not to feel enclosed by people’s negative comments.” At the age of 20, Alec has worked with brands such as Dr. Martens and made quite the name for himself on social media. “Despite what people may think, my experience has made me have more belief in my own ability and my own skin.”