don’t want to offend them! Just because someone eats a lot doesn’t make them healthy. Just like not eating anything doesn’t make you healthy.
So we can agree that a size 2 or 10 can be healthy person, despite what they may look on the outside, we should also bear in mind that when it comes to advertising, a fashion house may have some responsibility as to how it reckons with its public image because there are so many young people out there who take this all too seriously.
As one commentator offered in our article on anorexia within fashion:
As someone who struggled with anorexia, I am definitely sensitive to this issue. I can’t believe the word is so easily tossed around. I definitely agree that the model this post refers to looks underweight and, arguably, unhealthy. I remember a time I would have used this image as “thinspiration” (motivation to continue starving myself). However, to suggest that she is “anorexic” and that Top Shop is (or the fashion industry as a whole) is encouraging anorexia is beyond offensive. First of all, it suggests that anorexia is somehow “contagious”. It also suggests that women are vain, and gullible. Women don’t become anorexic as a result of the pictures or the clothes they see in catalogs or in magazines. Anorexia, just like overeating or binging and purging, stem from much more complex, psychological origins. (go to article to read other reactions)
But nevertheless as neutral as this author would like to be, I can’t help but wish I could run into Codie Young and take her round to my mothers for a rounds of lasagna. You’d like that right Cody, but would the fashion industry…?
It’s to draw attention to the fact that Top Shop who should know better orchestrated a campaign where they played up to thin themes. Cody may be healthy, but Top Shop by portraying this size 0 girl in size 10 clothes is playing at a game that needs to be drawn attention to. In essence they have cast this model to play role play a false pretense.
The Editor.
why do you still use the word anorexic in your headline if you accept that codie herself is not anorexic and that the misuse of the word anorexic is counterproductive? don’t you think that looks stupid and hypocritical?
Models, fashion all that is meant to be fantasy NOT reality…is obesity not a worse problem in society…especially in America? models arent meant to be ‘role’ models…come on they rarely even speak publicly…these young girls should look else where…maybe even look up to… I dont know their own mothers perhaps?