Unhealthy Beauty: The Dangerous Pursuit of Thinness

Even though some people in the business do not want things to change, there are others who do. One day, a top agent was talking to Kirstie Clements about her models (64). She said she noticed top casting directors demanding female models to be thinner and thinner. As an agent for other models, she was quite upset as she had four models already in the hospital for malnutrition. She even said some of her models would eat tissues because once they expanded, the illusion of fullness appeared (64). Sadly, these female models are putting themselves in dangerous situations in order to stay “relevant” in their trade (BE3). Unfortunately, these ladies are doing more harm than good to stay thin. If they become anorexic, they can endure physical and

In Size Zero: My Life as a Disappearing Model, ex-model Victoire Dauxerre talks about how modeling caused her to develop eating disorders. At the young age of eighteen, Dauxerre was blindsided by the glamour promised (14). She did not realize all the obstacles she would have to conquer. After being told she would have to fit into specific clothing sizes, Dauxerre decided she would start a strict diet to help her lose weight. Little did she know that this would develop into anorexia (119). After dropping from a healthy 123 to 103 pounds, the 5’9” model could not even sit down without being in pain (135). Even though the companies were praising her for moving down four dress sizes in a few months, Dauxerre continued to see herself as fat even when she was becoming thinner by the day (152). Looking almost alien with shallow, borderline green skin and fuzz - a reaction the body has when it is too thin and cannot warm itself - covering her body, the model was questioning her “glamorous life” (154). She said she was miserable. At photo shoots and fashion shows, catering would be available to everyone except the models. And when the models did nibble on food for the cameras, they would immediately throw it up (112). The modeling industry was promoting eating disorders without directly admitting it. After developing depression and bulimia, the anorexic model quit. Dauxerre made the choice to choose life and help others. Now at a healthy weight and a UK size 8, Dauxerre is inspiring others to get help and remove themselves from bad situations like her own (323). She is asking others to break the silence that the industry