Should skinny models be banned from the runway?
Benjamin Siu, 16
Saint Joseph's College
Yes. In light of the recent cases of anorexia nervosa that have claimed the lives of several runway models in Brazil, we should acknowledge that something must be done.
I believe that the most effective solution is to ban models from the runway if they are abnormally thin, unless they have a certificate from a medical doctor to prove that they are healthy.
This has to be done not only to protect fashion models, but also the people who watch them, which includes many teenagers who follow the ideal of beauty portrayed on the runway.
The most obvious reason to implement this ban is to protect the health and well-being of runway models, many of whom are pressurised into losing weight.
We sometimes read about unhealthy rivalry within the modelling industry, not for beauty, but for slimness.
The measures authorities have taken are farcical. They include giving out leaflets on balanced diets and voluntary protection programmes offered to modelling agencies. But if the problems were that simple, they would have been solved by now.
According to the British Medical Association, the number of teenage cases of anorexia nervosa is directly proportional to the prevalence of ultra-thin models. One doctor even said: 'We are seeing children as young as six, seven and eight who are worried about being fat.' One main contributing factor is that they are exposed to skinny models from a young age and have developed a skewed sense of beauty.
The problem is getting out of hand, so we must take action.
Jocelyn Heng, 15
Maryknoll Convent School
No. Banning them would be a waste of resources.
Banning skinny models from the runway may aim to correct the notion that 'thin is beautiful', but this belief does not stem from models. According to a patient suffering from anorexia nervosa for the past decade, her obsession with a perfect body originates from lack of self-confidence. As she so aptly puts it: 'You can put a heavily overweight woman on a runway, but I would still be convinced that I am fat.' Eating disorders stem from within; people would deprive themselves of meals regardless of slim models.
Most importantly, this policy would have a detrimental effect on the modelling industry. The fact is, models - like everyone else in society - need to make a living too. If we ban them from 'sending the wrong message' to people, they are forced out of business with no means of supporting themselves.
Contrary to popular belief, models do not enjoy parading around like walking bamboo sticks. Most of the 'size zero' models we see nowadays are skinny because they were born that way. How justified is it to judge someone based on their genes?
Certain criteria already exist within the industry to ensure models are healthy. Girls are prevented from starving themselves slim, as they realise that no modelling agency would hire an ill girl with an eating disorder.
One must realise that the Brazilian model who recently starved to death is an exception. Models possess the same amount of rationale as everyone else and they do not deliberately lose weight just to look good.