Regarding body image and society, what is acceptable and what isn't? Who's responsible for the 'ideal type', and who isn't? Why do I ask? Because of this story regarding Australia's Next Top Model:
"Alissandra Moone, 18, who at 57kg is considered underweight on the Australian body mass index, was "stunned" when her size became an issue on Foxtel's top-rating show.
Judge Alex Perry has openly criticised Moone's body, likening it to "overstuffed luggage", and the clash is set to reach a head on tonight's episode."
The headline is attention grabbing for sure, but immediately we can see this story for sensationalising a seemingly innocent event:
"Perry this morning took to Twitter and Channel Nine's Mornings with Kerri-Anne to answer his critics, saying it was "incorrect reporting".
Responding to people tweeting their anger over his comments, Perry said:
@AlexPerry007@bekskins bek, watch the episode, I was referring to her posing skills in a confined space, NOT her size. Alex ;i-)"
The article continues on not even addressing the photographers position:
"The model at the centre of the controversy, Alissandra Moone, yesterday said: "It's a very bad message to be sending to young girls who watch the show.
"It's harsh. It's stupid. And it's out of touch. I understand it's a reality of the (modelling) industry but this is a TV show and they should have a responsibility to censor that kind of thing.
"I know this has happened to other girls in the past but I was shocked when he (Perry) said I was too fat.
"I'm only a size eight. There's going to be a lot of young girls watching this who are bigger than me, and how's this going to make them feel?""
The defense raised by the photographer above, if focused on, would have reduced the force of this article, as such it is simply overlooked (which isn't to say his comments were admirable). But why, is it overlooked?
Factual reporting is key when discussing issues of bodyweight, when an incident, such as this, is obscured to push an agenda, it reinforces negative bodyweight stereotypes. As we see, the article itself is aware there is a problem, and indeed addresses the issue of public perception of women's weight:
"The average dress size for most Aussie women is a 12 to 14, while the most recent Mission Australia youth survey showed body image was the most serious concern facing young people between 11 and 24 -- above bullying, drugs and family conflict."
We are left to ask the question: "Is body image for women such an issue because of personal preference?" Or "is it an issue (to whatever extent, remains to be determined, by an article with greater investigative depth than this) due to the media, and their pushing of an archetypal body image?" The former may indeed be dependant on the media, it would be admittedly difficult to differentiate correlation from causation. If it is the latter, and I'm making a case it is, at least in the instance of this article, which distorts seemingly 'innocent' remarks about a model's pose, into a witch hunt. The authors of this article share a burden to promote healthy ideas, not biased sensationalism.
As we continue, we see again here:
""I understand it's probably a reality of the industry but no one likes to be told they look fat - regardless of what job you are in," Moone said. "I have never thought of myself as fat. I am a health freak. I go to the gym and eat well."
A spokeswoman for the ButterFly Foundation, which is aimed at educating and supporting people with eating disorders, said: "The (fashion) industry has a responsibility for portraying women of all healthy sizes and in playing a strong educated role in the contribution they make to the serious issue of negative body image."
As the article states this girl is underweight, and above, that women and their bodyweight represent a serious concern. We have to ask; if this model is so underweight why is she being modelled on T.V., where she is easily turned into an 'ideal type'? I agree with Moone when she states above, that an
underweight girl being labelled as overweight, will passively have all
over 57kg women looking at themselves in the mirror asking "if she's getting called fat by professionals, what am I then?" It might be one thing if this article was based on factual reporting, but as we can see, it isn't. It is fabricating an issue, which helps to reinforce the stereotype.
It's not only the fashion industry which bears a burden to accurately portray women and women's issues, it's also the media proper, which
reports on the various fashion industries, who should report on those events
correctly, and to portray healthy attitudes towards women. Not to simply offer faux sincerity to circulate articles, which end up reinforcing the very stereotypes the article is morally outraged against.
Reference
Australia's next top controversy - size 8 model bullied for being too fat. New.com- Retrieved 5/09/2011-
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/television/australias-next-top-controversy-size-8-model-bullied-for-being-too-fat/story-e6frfmyi-1226129310943?newscomautrack=news-newsfeed-1
