Thinning Tolerance for Eating Disorders

This morning, I awoke to the news that France's government will soon debate health legislation regarding extreme thinness in the country's fashion and luxury goods industries.

I was pleasantly surprised to know that France could soon join Italy, Spain and Israel in legally sanctioning modeling agencies and fashion houses who cast unhealthily thin models in runway shows and advertising campaigns. The potential law would fine staff that cast underweight models up to 75, 000 euros, and mandate regular weight checks for those modeling in the fashion and luxury goods industries.

I have long wondered what it will take to change the pervasive, ultra-thin norm of feminine beauty we see in Western culture today. Legislation like this would ensure that models we see representing French fashion houses such as Christian Dior, Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Balmain, Givenchy, Lanvin and Christian Lacroix, are healthy – or at the very least, have a Body Mass Index within a healthy range. While there are numerous steps to be taken beyond this one, I believe this bill is a crucial step towards healthier beauty norms.

While it is important to see past the images projected by the media, including the images put forth by the fashion and luxury goods industries, it would be naïve to claim that these images have no impact on the standards of beauty we internalize, as women. Therefore, preventing underweight models from dominating the images we see is a highly effective means of promoting healthier beauty norms, and thus, healthier habits.

Click here to read more on France’s proposed health legislation.