America's new top model ...or top skeleton

[Zen]

I'm fairly certain most people don't find this appealing.

Adult women know it's unattainable and unhealthy.

Unfortunately the girls who aspire to this look are just that-girls. They don't have the wisdom or self confidence that comes with age and look for external validation of their self-worth.

You could write a thesis on this subject.

[mimitabby]

that is really disgusting. at least she doesn't have to worry about periods.

she has no curves, only bone bumps!

[Thistle]

that is really sick.

[RolliePollie]

I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I actually watch that show...and I 100% agree that these girls are WAY too skinny! And really, most of them come across as very...well, how can I put this...how 'bout not very intelligent, foul mouthed, and ummmm, kinda skanky. I'm a 30-something and I don't know why I watch it and my 50-something co-workers can't figure out why they watch it either...clearly it's targeted at the teen and young adult audience. Which makes it even scarier because there is no way they could be that skinny without being anorexic. Oh, and it seems like many of them smoke too. Another healthy lifestyle promotion. Now that I'm thinking about this, I am taking a vow right now to NOT watch it next season.

I'll take my flabby belly, well-padded hips, and almost muscular legs any day.

[Jolt]

Definitely unhealthy and a bad example! Yuck. And then we wonder why so many girls struggle with eating disorders.

[Melstar]

It seems like the High Fashion side of modelling is always getting negative publicity. What irks me is that there are people out there who are using this as an avenue to justify their unhealthy living. They are happy to sit back with their Big Mac and complain about stick thin models on runways with a size 0.

Its fine if the model is obviously anorexic, but those who have a healthy BMI but are slimmer than your average get lumped together with them as well - all because of their insecurity.

I am,of course, referring here to people who choose not to exercise but instead opt to justify their unhealthy eating habits, lifestyle and existence.

Oh, and it seems like many of them smoke too. Another healthy lifestyle promotion.

Yea, there's sort of a smoking culture going on among models unfortunately due to the inherent nature of the job.

The whole industry is really inefficient and slow and most of the time you're just rushing to wait in order to wait to rush.

So there's literally heaps of free time to kill. And if you consider the fact that there are heaps of 16-17 year old girls coming in young and impressionable, its quite easy to get sucked in to the whole drugs/smoking/partying thing.
And did I mention that smoking kills appetite when you haven't had breakfast and its near dinner time?

I'm not condoning why most of them smoke, nor am I giving an excuse for it. Its just the way it is. But its not all as bad as what people make it out to be.

[lph]

I dunno - personally I wouldn't want to look like this, but I don't really think she looks awful, but definitely very very skinny. I have a friend who is very slender and struggles to put on weight - in periods of stress her ribs poke out and she feels she looks like she's straight out of a concentration camp. My dh is very skinny too, "built like a bird." Both of them "could use" some more weight, but that's just the way they are. And they're both healthy, and beautiful in their own way (Oh, and they eat loads.) The problem with models this skinny is that for most people, *trying* to look like that would indeed bring on health problems.

I just wish that the ideal of beauty was a bit more varied - rounder women, muscular women, small women - instead of this onetrack idea of tall, thin women with no curves at all. Acceptance of a wider range would be nice, especially if there could be more focus on health rather than dress size.

And happiness - what's with the "I'm so pissed off I can hardly speak"-stare?

[Meg McKilty]

she has no curves, only bone bumps!

In the words of Reno! 911: "Don't nothin' like bones but a dog."

[ridethewind]

Unfortunately the girls who aspire to this look are just that-girls. They don't have the wisdom or self confidence that comes with age and look for external validation of their self-worth.

This kind of crap is a direct attack on girls' sense of self-worth. It's beyond disgusting.

[silver]

I hate these threads......

[Tuckervill]

I hate these threads......

Why?

Karen

[silver]

Why?

Karen

because I'm a skinny disgusting bag of bones with a boney butt

[Tri Girl]

because I'm a skinny disgusting bag of bones with a boney butt

But.... you're fit and healthy. If you're a bag of bones who exercises and is healthy, then it's OK. Just those bag of bones who are sooo unhealthy that we're referring to (although maybe you feel you're being lumped in that category- which is a shame).

Me and my athletic build (for me that means big hips, thighs, and calves) would love to shimmy into a size 4, but then I'd lose my cycling legs. Not worth it- I'll take my curvy swervy healthy body anyday.

[missymaya]

I actually watched part of the show last night and one of the things that really really bothered me (either than the whole super skinny aspect) was that the third woman kicked off apparently was kicked off because she looked "too old". What the heck?!! She looked as "old" as me and I'm 23!! They said they could see beginning signs of aging with the "wrinkles" by her eyes. Uh, what wrinkles? Am I blind or something. And even if she did have wrinkles, what's wrong with that. It's normal and everyone gets them. And yes, there are wome out there that look good and have wrinkles.
As for the whole weight issue, I've had a weight problem my whole life and when I was younger (more naive and not as self-confident as I am now) I had an eating disorder to counter my weight. I looked to the women in magazines because I thought that they were "perfect". Boy, was I wrong. It took a long time for me to get over that and it still takes a lot of work for me to not to fall into that trap. Shows like this have great potential to change the way things are and they started out in the right direction (they had 2 "plus size" models, but they got kicked off). But, unfortunately, it's just running in the same direction as the industry. I want to see change! I want to see something different too and maybe going against the grain will accomplish both.

[Jolt]

But.... you're fit and healthy. If you're a bag of bones who exercises and is healthy, then it's OK. Just those bag of bones who are sooo unhealthy that we're referring to (although maybe you feel you're being lumped in that category- which is a shame).

And a healthy skinny person usually doesn't look like the aforementioned unhealthy type. I'm on the skinnier side as well but have never had anyone think that I have an eating disorder (at least no one that I know of). The same is likely the case for you.