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British model Katie Green started the campaign and has created a petition to go along with it. She’s calling for a ban on “all size zero models and models with an unhealthy BMI (below 18.5) from the fashion catwalks.”
According to her website, the petition will be “presented to the Prime Minister and Parliament with the help of Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik, to try and have a policy put in place, ensuring that all models are fully health checked before undertaking any modelling assignment, including catwalk modelling.”
There are already bans in other countries for models who are deemed “too skinny.” Like I said before, a ban like this shouldn’t be based on BMI because it’s really not an accurate depiction of how healthy someone is.
While I admire Green’s desire to keep unhealthy models off the runway, it’s still not fair and the “Say No To Size Zero” is offensive.
I’m a size 0. In certain brands, I’m a 00. And there is nothing I can do about it. My BMI has always been below what it should be for a person my height, but I am healthy! I eat. I have never starved myself. Heck, if I go like four hours without eating I’m like “Who am I?!”
I know that people say, and will continue to say, that skinny women have no right to be offended. But that idea is so incredibly wrong. Why is it okay to make fun of women who are thin? Why is it okay to have a campaign that shames thin women? It wouldn’t (and shouldn’t!) fly at all to shame women of larger sizes. It hurts just as much when someone tells me to eat a burger as it does telling someone who’s a larger size to put a burger down.
I understand that the intention is not to offend a size 0 like myself, but it is offensive. It’s true that there are models with eating disorders. Having been in the industry, I personally know a few who struggled. I was even asked to lose weight.
But being a size 0 doesn’t mean you have an eating disorder or you’re unhealthy. And having a low BMI doesn’t mean that either.
I think models should have to be checked out by a doctor to make sure they are healthy, but it shouldn’t be based on size or BMI because it isn’t fair. I know plenty of girls who are not a size 0 and who have a perfect BMI, but also have an eating disorder.
Stop saying no to size zero and start saying hello to healthy instead. That’s the only way the industry and society is going to change.
What do you think about the “Say No To Size Zero” campaign? Do you think it’s right? How do you think model bans should be determined? Have you ever been shamed for your size? Tell me in the comments!
Body shaming of any kind is just NOT okay
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THANK YOU. I’ve been struggling with EDNOS for a while and I’ve never been underweight or noticeably skinny or anything,and then there are friends of mine who just don’t gain weight and are unfairly called anorexic.
Also, I think the healthy part definitely needs to be emphasized more. It bothers me when people are like “being skinny is bad but if you’re obese and proud then you go girl!” Obesity and being extremely underweight are both problems that need to be dealt with; if your overall health is endangered then it’s not healthy.
I’m a size 00 to 3. Yes its a range of sizes. Because while my technical size is a 0 different companies cut their clothes in different ways and that changes what a good fit is. But that doesn’t even matter because I’m skinny. And that is totally fine. I know I’m healthy and so does my doctor. One number does not tell you how healthy you are, and saying it does is saying that your size is the end all be all, and no wants that. I think there are a lot of more encouraging names they could have chosen for their campaign.
Body shaming just need to stop all together. Skinny or fat it just needs to stop. Society has to stop being so stupid and start being more open to variety. There are people like me and many others who are naturally skinny and they’re perfectly fine with that. BMI isn’t an entirely accurate way to calculate health though.
I totally agree with this article! It’s so refreshing to see that finally someone is sticking up for all the naturally skinny people in the world who are unfairly being labelled ‘anorexic.’ I’m a size zero but I eat so much more than the average person! I literally spend my days eating- I love food haha! I find it so hurtful that just because I was born naturally skinny people automatically assume I’m anorexic. Great article!
I think her heart is in the right place – but there are lots if girls who are naturally thin and just don’t put on weight. They should just concentrate and keep the girls off the runway who are intentionally making themselves unhealthy just so they can model. It’s true that alot if models starve themselves and that’s bad – but not all do.
I hate hearing people overweight and underweight complain about how they can’t do anything to change their body image. You can, you’re just not trying hard enough. I got tired of people calling me anorexic/bullemic in highschool because I have a high metabolism and never gained weight (even though I ate 4 meals a day). So I did something about it. I joined a gym and ate wayyyyy more protein and veggies (I upped it to 5 meals a day). Instead of gaining a bit a mushy fat, I gained muscle. I am proud to be 5’6, and weigh 130. Just because you’re thin and have issues gaining weight, it doesn’t mean that the gym can’t be a solution.
I dont think people understand that they cant say “Dont judge my body. You’re all beautiful.” then turn around and say stuff like “These models are disgustingly skinny they dont even look good.”
The message is that all bodies are beautiful not that being skinny is bad.
this site is really triggering . this is my last night at home till im getting sent away to inpatient for anorexia tomorrow , i dont know why i continue to come on here when i know i’ll just see things like this . it is true though, you dont have to be size 0 to have an eating disorder.
I always thought I had the body of a skinny person and the personality of a fat one.
This is horrible. Im a size zero with a BMI of 15.8, and I eat a-lot. All the time. I can’t help being skinny, I simply am.
I’m a size 0. And my BMI is 17.9
That’s not my fault though. I eat every meal every day, unless I’m really not hungry, and I’m just a thin person that’s who I am. I’m not unhealthy I just have a fast metabolism