The banning of super skinny models

Steve Janke, Angry in the Great White North has a great post up about the ban of super-thin models at a recent fashion show in Spain. Unfortunately, his site has faulty software for accepting comments and they often don't get through. I lost patience with trying, but I would still like to comment, so here is my response to Steve.

I would prefer the fashion industry to do its own policing, but seeing as it is one of the most corrupt, women-abusive industries around, I wouldn't hold my breath. Maybe you're right and governments should be stepping in. One of the legitimate functions of government after all is the protection of its citizens, both from external threats and internal abuse.

For all your lack of interest in the fashion world - which I share, woman or no - you've done a good job of hitting a few nails on the head. Yes, the designers do prefer women that look like teen-age boys, because that is what corresponds to their own preferences and because of the practical considerations you mentioned. They have, for the most part, never shown the slightest interest in designing for real women. Fashion design is about being an artist, with all its attendant baggage of ego and self-indulgence, not about meeting any reasonable needs.

Have you ever seen the reports about the fashion agencies assuring parents that their teen-age daughters would be properly chaperoned while working in Milan and other European centres, while those self-same chaperones were introducing the girls to drugs and literally pimping them out as high-price call girls? This has been the subject of more than one exposé, but seeing as I saw them on TV some time ago, I can't link to them here.

The industry stinks to high heaven.