Extremely thin Ralph Lauren Model causes anger
A picture of a Ralph Lauren model so thin her head is larger than her waist and pelvis is really pissing people off.
It really shouldn’t come as a great surprise this picture is getting people so upset, especially after the controversy the last few years of not only using too-thin models in runway shows who don’t appear to eat more than 200 calories a day, but also the backlash against overly-retouched images like the one above, where the woman’s pelvic bone literally appears smaller than her head.
And although logically we can look at the picture above and see it just doesn’t look, well, natural, there’s still the concern how images of unrealistically thin women may negatively influence women, especially young girls.
Retouching has become such a hot issue, British Parliament has recently proposed outlawing retouching in advertisements aimed at teenagers. Jo Swinson, the British leader on such issues, said:
“Today’s unrealistic idea of what is beautiful means that young girls are under more pressure now than they were even five years ago. Airbrushing means that adverts contain completely unattainable images that no one can live up to in real life. We need to help protect children from these pressures and we need to make a start by banning airbrushing in adverts aimed at them. The focus on women’s appearance has got out of hand – no one really has perfect skin, perfect hair and a perfect figure, but women and young girls increasingly feel that nothing less than thin and perfect will do.”
Basically, I think most of us are tired of pictures being retouched to such an extent. It’s one thing to remove a zit on someone’s forehead or a bruise on their leg, but when L’Oreal lightens Beyonce’s skin and Jessica Alba’s waist is made smaller in a Campari ad, isn’t this getting a bit ridiculous? And those are just the ones we know about.
Do we really want absurdly perfect images of women and men in ads which will influence teenagers? Isn’t this going to just help spawn a new generation of eating disordered individuals?
Since 42% of First, Second and Third Grade girls want to be thinner and 25% of men and 40% of women would give up five years of their lives to be their ideal body weight, I’m pretty sure we already have enough issues with body image without making a movie star’s four-pack into a six-pack. But that’s just my opinion.
That picture is disgusting. Who the hell wants to see a woman with her waist and pelvis smaller than her HEAD??? If I had a teenage daughter I’d be even more pissed b/c young girls are less likely to realize this picture has been doctored.
OMG. Seriously…this is all getting out of hand. When 1st graders are dieting and men and women would give up five years of their lives to look a certain way, this obsession is all getting a little absurd. We (me included!) all need to just calm down a bit on trying to be thinner.
I’d like to think advertisers will start using slightly heavier models, but I really don’t think that’s going to ever happen. So that means we’re going to just need to keep educating people that many of these images are just garbage.
It has gotten out of hand. I recently met with a good friend who works at the ad agency that does re-touching for Hanes, and I was shocked to see how much retouching even those photos get- men and women! It really is creating a distorted view of the body.
Suz – That’s so cool, I’d love to see a Before and After of a retouched photo….again, I understand taking some things out, like I’m not sure everyone needs to see a huge pimple on someone’s back (ew!
), but come on. Does the Size Double Zero model really need to look thinner?
What’s really horrible and ironic here is that the Ralph Lauren brand continues to perpetuate this unattainable body image even though Lauren’s own niece, Jenny, suffered such terrible bulimia that she now has chronic pain and has to use a colostomy bag.
I’m sad and worried for that model.
And imagine, even after the picture was photoshopped, a dozen editors and people had to approve it. I would like to give them the benefit in thinking that by publishing it they KNEW it would evoke conversation. YES?
Jill – Never in my life would I imagine someone in the First Grade would even think about dieting. It’s sick, really.
Kel – You’re right, that does make even that much more horrible.
Gretchen – I’d like to think part of the impetus was to cause discussion, although, sadly, I’m guessing whoever constructed that ad thought the clothes just looked better on someone with 21″ hips.
Ann: You are so right on the money here. I think about how it is possible to raise kids these days with out eating disorders. Even 10 years ago I remember a friend’s school age daughter talking about losing weight. That is truly sad. Models can be thin & fit, but why promote anorexia, and why keep airbrushing people who already look impossibly perfect?
So happy you are highlighting this issue!
Cameron
I think I’m going to puke. Honestly, I don’t even know why that is in a FASHION magazine when there is nothing fashionable about it, that should be on a HORROR magazine because it is plain sickeningly HORRIBLE!!
Oh my God, I am SO furious…don’t these ppl have any morals? I don’t believe a word when these publications say that they are just fashion mags and have no impact on the rising rate of EDs….that is just bullshit, excuse my french but my blood is BOILING!
Cameron – It really is absurd isn’t it….does a 5’10″ 110lb. woman really need airbrushing to look thinner?
Sophia – I like how you said it should be in a horror magazine, because it really is horrific.
As a Black Man I find this picture offensive in so many ways. I mean damn woman have some hot wings or something. I think the fury over it is laughable. I mean if people find skeltor attractive then so be it. When I look at that picture it reminds me of a stick figure. That’s not sexy she looks like she’s near death! I’d laugh more if it wasn’t so tragic. I mean REALLY? REALLY! I am not saying that us Black guys have a different standard of beauty… but we typically like our ladies with a little more cushion for the “pushin”.
Travis – No, I don’t think many men find this look attractive. It really looks as though she could be a Darfur Refugee (and I don’t mean that in a funny way).
But in real life the model doesn’t even look like that. In fact, she just got Fired by Ralph Lauren for being “too fat” (BTW, too fat = 5’10″, 120lbs.)
The issue is they retouched this picture to the point where it doesn’t look remotely natural, but young girls still hold advertising images up as the Holy Grail of what to emulate, which makes this just wrong.
Besides – a lot of people are really tired of pictured being changed SO much. I’ve said I can see a pimple or bruise being edited out, but images like this are just ridiculous.
Ann, I am aware of the real issue as far as the picture goes. I guess maybe my humor landed flatly. This picture is just really tacky to me and it’s amazing that it actually got printed/published. It looks like a “madhouse” picture to me. SO I am in VOILENT agreement with you here… she could still use a hot wing or two tho. (chuckle)
I think she could use an entire BUCKET of Wings
And I agree….the picture looks ri-dic-u-lous. Totally fake.