Famecrawler
Is America’s Next Top Model Promoting Unhealthy Body Images?
Tyra Banks knows how horrifying the fashion and celebrity industries focus is on weight. As a former model, she saw her colleagues battle fixation on their waistline and different types of body dysmorphic disorders. Tyra also came under fire herself just a few years ago, being called fat when photos of her in a bikini showed that she had gained weight.
She fought back on her show and has normally been open and honest about weight issues, making sure she is always promoting a positive message about body image. She wore a fat suit to show viewers of The Tyra Banks Show the hardship a larger-figured person goes through on a daily basis and she even started a model search for plus-sized girls. So this clip, that shows her becoming excited over an America’s Next Top Model contestant’s tiny (read: Emaciated/Anorexic) waist is far off from her character.
For young girls who see this, there is no doubt that it promotes an unhealthy body image. Click through to watch:
Tyra seems to really like this girl’s tiny waist despite the fact that she looks sick. Jay Manuel even goes so far as to make a joke that Miss J will soon be eating only”Tic Tacs and watercress” to get to this woman’s size. Funny?
What sort of message does this show teens? What happened to the old Tyra? Jezebel.com points out that “obviously the footage has been cut, so maybe what Tyra really likes about her is her walk or her ability to smize,” but young girls are still seeing this clip-a clip the network edited and chose to promote.
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1 Comment
Stephanie commented on Aug 11 10 at 9:39 amWhether Tyra Banks really likes this woman because of her small waist or the network edited the video clip to appear that way, what we really need are healthier media images of girls and women in the media.
The Healthy Media for Youth Act, H.R. 4925, is a bill currently in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill has three components, all of which encourage healther media images. First, the bill sets up a competitive grant for media literacy programs – which would help youth understand and negotiatie media messages, such as this video clip, rather than internalize the messages. Second, the bill facilitates research on the helath effects of negative media images of girls and women on youth. Finally, the bill creates a taskforce to establish voluntary standards for more girl-positive media.
If you’d like to send a letter of support for The Healthy Media for Youth Act, H.R. 4925, and ask your Member of Congress to cosponsor the bill, visit http://www.girlscouts4girls.org. You will find a sample letter that you can customize if you would like. Then just enter your information and the Girl Scouts will send off the letter.
Its an important bill that deserves our support! Stand up for girls today!
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