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Is plus-size modelling beneficial or harmful to society?

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I don't think anyone should be assessing themselves by weight, muscle weighs a lot more than fat, hence why overweight is an incorrect term, body builders are extremely overweight, but that doesn't mean they have excess fat just because they're heavy.

Telling people what the ideal weight should be is even more harmful - a lot of anorexic people have weight issues as opposed to size issues (i.e they find it harder to allow weight gain, even if their shape/size remains unchanged), wishing they were lighter because everyone is told that heavy=fat.
There's a reason why models are skinny and size 0's. Why don't people get this?
People who are tall and thin are perfect for modelling clothes because all eyes need to be on the clothes and not the models wearing them. They are like waling hangers. Clothes showcased on the catwalk can then be altered to fit your body type.

If you make people who are curvier/bigger/middle ground model, no one's attention would be on the clothes but on the model. Which is counter productive to the whole point of fashion shows.
Original post by difeo
Oh yes silly me for assuming you mean all types of bodies when you say "I wish society celebrated all types of bodies".

:facepalm:

I didn't mention super skinny bodies because this is a thread about overweight bodies/models, and there's far less of them in comparison to overweight anyway.


The implication of all types of healthy bodies was there. It wouldn't make logical sense to condone something that was unhealthy.

I had a feeling that you'd mention that this is a thread about overweight models, but seeing as you thought I was talking about 'all kinds' of bodies, surely that includes the other end of the spectrum as well.

What evidence do you have for fewer underweight models compared to the overweight models? Are you serious? Why do you think anorexia and self esteem issues are so prevalent amongst young people today? Why do you think that overweight models walking for a famous fashion house or designer make news? It's because they are rarely, if ever, seen. I know that some think models need to be stick thin so the 'clothes can hang off them properly', but I just do not believe there are more overweight models. Google 'fashion model' and not a single one is overweight.
I think it depends on the model, and on what do you mean with "plus size". Sure a uk size 12-14 is a big bigger than the avg female (who is 5'4") should wear, but models who are between 5'9" and 6' would actually portray a healthier image of tall women than a size 4-6.
However, overweight and obese model such as Tess Munster are hamful as much as waif thin ones or even more, considering the obesity epidemic the western countries are going through. Neither of them is a healthy human shape.
Original post by tsrabby
by all means healthy 'plus size' people should be allowed to model, its when its unhealthy and promoted by labelling it plus size that the line needs to be drawn, not all size 0 models are unhealthy though, my friend is probably a size 0 and she eats like a horse and has a healthy bmi so it depends.


i agree :smile: xxx
the models aren't obese
they may be overweight, but only to an extent that harms them socially rather than physically
no one says anything about underweight models and that promotes an unhealthy lifestyle too
Reply 46
Original post by supernerdural
Plus size people exist, therefore we need plus size modelling because plus size people need to wear clothes too! Also, in the modelling industry, they count 'plus size' as size 12 or above. The vast majority of people are at least a size 12 because to be honest under that is unhealthy.

edit: I looked it up and plus size for modelling is size 10 or above. If you are under a size 10 you very badly need to gain weight


What the F. I'm a US 6/UK10, but I can fit into a US4/UK8 (it doesn't look bad, it's just kinda uncomfortable in certain areas). Really, people need to realize that clothing sizes don't determine whether someone is healthy or not. True, there are some size 4 and under female models that look like they've been starved with their ribs poking out, but some of my classmates are size 4 and most of them are healthy, hardly get sick, and they eat normal amounts of food without taking a trip to the toilet to vomit it up. Tbh, I can't see how anyone over size 16 could be considered "normally" healthy (meaning, it is possible, but for the most part, it isn't), but "healthiness" is more dependent on one's height, weight and physical makeup, as well as their diet and so many other factors. It's too difficult to depend on surface area (which is basically what clothing sizes are based off of). Declaring that someone is perfectly healthy is like declaring that someone is perfectly good (versus evil).But plus size modelling? It's a problem when it's made into it's own category. Why not just add it in to every other size? I mean, it's not like they're a different category of human. ("Over here, you have clothing for humans who wear plus sized clothing, and over here, you have clothing for the rest of the human population"). I have to say, I've seen a lot more plus sized people in the US than I did when I was in the UK, and I have to say, when you see someone that's plus-sized walking through Walmart, chances are you see their cart filled with Coca Cola, processed and packaged foods, and maybe the occasional carrot (men and women alike). I'm not even kidding you. So I would conclude that from my experiences, at least in good ol' America--most of the time (not all) "plus-size"=unhealthy, when taking into consideration height, size, and diet.But while plus-sized people shouldn't be antagonized and should have the right to wear clothes (god forbid that anyone doesn't), specifically correctly-sized clothes, plus-size modelling seems to want to drive humanity back into Elizabethan times, where being "fat" was considered to be a good thing (and people died faster, partially because of bad hygiene). British people, I hope you know what I'm talking about lolDoes anyone else think that it seems like the only thing male models are pressuring on men are six packs, while for women, it seems a little more complicated (correct me if I'm wrong, I'm a girl so this is from my POV)

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