Cynthia Rowley thinks anoerexic models are "in" again

April 18, 2011
Style magazine, NY Times, April 17, 2011

Take a good look.

THIS, my friends, is what our young women see as
stylish. Healthy. Attractive. Something to strive for.
Because they are inundated with images like this
in fashion photography. Films. Videos.

This woman is clearly anorexic.
And guess what? She’s selling the sunglasses and the bag.
Did you even notice them?
Would you buy something with Cynthia Rowley’s label?

This is Laura Coleman, Miss England, 2008. In that year, she was rejected for modeling jobs because she was “too chunky.” She is a size 10 in England, which is equivalent to our size 6.

Too chunky. Size 6 is not even curvaceous on most women.

Wondering what men, moms, young women, older women think about this.

3 comments on “Cynthia Rowley thinks anoerexic models are "in" again
  1. Kelly says:

    this is a major soapbox issue for me, especially dealing with young women in a dance studio environment, and young men too…
    I have 2 dancers that are battle with anorexia and bulemia, in varying degrees.
    I loathe the skinny model crap and the way that models are posed. Besides being unhealthily skinny, 95% of the images we all see are airbrushed and tweaked hugely. so the image of perfection that young women are trying to achieve isn’t even possible…its computer generated!!

    again, a major issue for me. Glad you posted it.

    My children are little so I am not there with them yet, but I have had many a talk with many a dancer about how they are perfect just how they are. When I taught jazz I had several girls who were prepubescent chubby darlings who were in major self pity mode. They said things like “only the skinny girls are good dancers. being a plus sized woman myself, I said “excuse me” *demonstrate*. If my fat old butt can do that than so can your 11 year old perfect butt, but you aren’t going to get there by sitting there and whining, so let’s go dance!”

    dismounting my soapbox now. thanks for posting!

  2. Colleen says:

    I teach body image classes to young women in middle and high schools so like Kelly this is a soapbox issue for me as well. I always let them know that only 2% of women look like that and that every photograph they see is photoshopped so it’s all fake. Milan and Madrid are banning these models on the runway. I have a 14 yo daughter and we are going to look at Ms. England and talk about how beautfiful and healthy she looks.

  3. These testimonials from women who work with young girls are powerful, thanks so much for sharing them. As I’ve said before, most women I know would love to have “Miss England’s” body.

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