Tyra Banks: America's Next Top Model

“Girls of all kinds can be beautiful --- from the thin, plus- sized, short, very tall, ebony to porcelain- skinny, the quirky, clumsy, shy, outgoing and all in between” (Tyra Banks). Tyra Banks is a worldwide model, actress, and businesswoman. She has modeled for numerous magazines and brands, such as Victoria Secret, Covergirl, and Vogue. She is also known for her TV production, America’s Next Top Model. In this show, she helps women and men of all types to become a model. However, based on the type of model someone wishes to become, there is usually an image the company wants. If someone wished to become a model who walks on the catwalks and runways, the companies would only want to take the client if they are tall, and lanky. Modeling

for magazines and other types (commercial modeling, etc) have less restrictions but they aren’t afraid of using photoshop. The average height and weight for a runway model are 5’9 to 6 ft and 110 to 130 pounds. Commercial models have no requirements but magzine modeling tend to pick models whose figures showcase the item they are trying to empathize. These requirements are affecting the minds of teens today, because they lower their self esteem, could cause depression, and health issues, like anorexia. Excellent introduction!
Measurement limits on modeling lowers the self esteem of most teens because it gives them the idea of a model image.

“According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, about 70 percent of girls grades five through 12 said magazine images influence their ideals of a perfect body, a fact that’s plain to see in the online world of teenage ‘thinspiration’” (Krupnick 1). This quote explains that girls in grades five to 12 are more likely to have a lower self esteem because of the idea of a perfect body beinging spread through social media. Models enjoy sharing their work with their fans their instagram and twitter accounts, which isn’t wrong. However, sometimes the pictures they post are exposed subtly, this causes for the pictures to get under someone's skin before they notice. These models, like Kylie and Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid, are idealized but billions of people and have millions of followers on social media but all they do is post pictures of them living the luxury life that everyone watches. These posts could either help influence teens to work harder or cause them to try to achieve what they want in a harmful way. Having weight and height limits will lower the self esteem of others because they put out an image that most people think they must look

like.
Similar to lowering the self esteems, have measurement limits on modeling also causes health issues, such as Anorexia. “For some time, ultra-skinny, gaunt models could be seen walking the catwalk, some little more than skeletons, but attitudes seem to be changing. ‘The skinnier, the better’ is no longer an acceptable mantra, following the high levels of extreme dieting, bulimia and anorexia that were dangering the health of models across the world” (Modellingadvice.info). This quote explains that most agencies seem to be changing their ways because they endangered the health of many models across the world. These models would starve and go on extreme diets to obtain their careers; “64.1% of models have been asked to lose weight by their agency, and 31.2% have had eating disorders” (modelalliance.org). These number are statics from a survey given, anonymously to 241 fashion models in New York and Los Angeles. Having weight and height limits affects the way teens look at themselves and usually they develop health issues, like Anorexia.
Not only do models have different eating disorders, but they also have anxiety.

With all the traveling and being in the public’s eye, it is not uncommon for a model to have anxiety issues. “We found that the majority of models begin their careers very young — most start working before age 16” (modelalliance.org). The majority of models start working at the age of 16 and some even younger. They are required to work just as hard and be able to take the same jobs has models older than them. “60.5% of models lack the privacy while changing into clothes, 46.4% posed nude because they were okay with it, 86.8% have been asked to pose nude without advanced notice and 27.5% ended but posing nude because they felt they had to even though they didn’t want to” (modelalliance.org). Many models are exposed to modeling naked no matter what age they are. “‘Insecurity is in everyone and we don’t feel it just because we’re models. We just see ourselves more often because we’re in pictures all the time, so it’s become more apparent to us. It’s easier for us to admit that we are insecure. Models aren’t any different and we don’t think that we’re that perfect image’” (telegraph.co.uk). This statement was made by male model, Jamie Jewitt; Jamie has explains that he was not always as fit as he is and he usually only sees his imperfections. In the statement, he explains how everyone has insecurities even models like him and it's easier to admit it because of the amount of times they are in

pictures. Jewitt claims that the pressure on female and male models is unhealthy and that the focus shouldn’t be on the models physical appearances but actually on who they actually are as a human.