How the ban on bony models can change popular culture.

In a culture where the wealthy are admired as celebrities, and the celebrity as “goal” or status bony models are a symptom of a much bigger value problem. Runway shows are selling tools, like advertising. They appeal to the demographic with the purchasing power. In many cases, this means teens. And while changing to heavier models may sell more product to lower income, lower status people in our culture it will never alter the societal desire to appear wealthy. It has been shown in other patriarchal cultures that where want is great, the appeal of fuller figure women becomes more of a status symbol. We are not in that culture. We are a cult of celebrity worshippers. By limiting the size of models, we can begin to reflect a different ideal. But it will not alone change the underlying value system. Until the culture shifts to a more reasonable system of measurement other than wealth and power, the “haves” will continue to glorify the distance between themselves and the great economically unwashed lower classes. And one of the ways this is easiest is by altering their appearance to an extreme unattainable by the normal non-status woman.

Right now, as the middle class dwindles and the separation of rich from poor widens, the obesity epidemic resulting from cheap carbohydrates and manufactured foods only fuels the desire to differentiate by weight. The “class of superior status” want obtain something that the separates them visually from the poor. This is accomplished through radical lifestyles choices that are unattainable to the masses extreme exercise, denial and surgery. The more we as a society glorify wealth, the more their differences become the goals of our youth. The more the anorexically thin models become appealing. Advertising did not create this problem and will not be able to solve it alone. But we can start. By giving girls especially values that do not depend on wealth, status and fame but accomplishment we can boost the effect that more rational model figures begins.

Yes, teens and children are bombarded with advertising displaying “false” images of women. Beyond bony, there is the photo retouching that creates a look impossible even for the very thin. And yes, it does affect the self esteem and behavior of our girls. However, the limiting of bony body types can only be judged as curing one symptom of a larger issue. Until our values change and the ideal reflects health, intelligence and accomplishments over extravagance and youth worship the cycle will continue. Step one, is changing the visuals that sell to these influence-able minds. But Step Two, is living up to the message behind the change. Encouraging thoughtful, intelligent views of self outside of this mad, worship of body. Like it or not, the human body is not perfectable to the standards set by these images. Like it or not, aging is unavoidable. Like it or not, wealth is unevenly distributed. We can change the images to something similar to a lifestyle of health by eliminating bony models. But what we really need to do is ask how we got to the point of worshipping skeletons in the first place. And put an end to it.