The Fashion Industry Doesn't Like Coco Rocha's Grown-Up Curves

Coco Rocha is the latest model to come out against the fashion industry's stubborn adherence to a super-skinny aesthetic on the runway. Rocha has recently gone on the record saying that she has lost jobs because her body is too big now that she's reached the ripe old age of 21.

We remember when Rocha was a featured speaker at a CFDA Health Initiative forum back in 2008, where she confessed that a day in the life of a typical model involved hearing sensitive comments like, "We don't want you to be anorexic--we just want you to look like you are." She also admitted that an agent had once advised her to throw up after meals and that she had used diuretics to control her weight. Today, Rocha has a healthier outlook: “You know what, I’ve stopped caring. If I want a hamburger, I’m going to have one. No 21-year-old should be worrying about whether she fits a sample size.” The same cannot be said for many industry insiders, who, despite their attendance at the CFDA forums, are still upholding the unhealthy standard of hiring pre-pubescent girls and then routinely rejecting them when they start showing the first signs of curves.

“A lot of people are accountable, and nobody’s saying anything about it,” says James Scully a well-known fashion industry casting agent. “What happens when these girls develop and turn into women?” Well, it looks like they get the axe.

"A Model's Prospects: Slim and None" [NY Times]

Are People Finally Fed Up With Model Shows? MTV Pulls the Plug on "Model Makers"

MTV began casting for a new show called Model Makers, but it appears the show will never see the light of day. That's good news, because it looked all kinds of horrible. Contestants on the show would have been forced to "endure twelve weeks of intensive physical fitness training to help them get down to their ideal size...With weekly eliminations looming, models must put their best foot forward at all times while staying focused on losing weight."

In truth, the premise of Model Makers sounds a lot closer to reality than most other model "reality" TV shows. Yes, a segment of the population of today's working models is naturally and effortlessly skinny. The rest are perpetually and sometimes dangerously focused on losing weight (remember Ali Michael?). The show's teaser line sums up exactly what's wrong with the fashion industry: "Women come in all shapes and sizes, but models don't." Actually, you could modify that line to read "Women come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, but models don't" and you would have a pretty accurate picture of what the runways at Fashion Week look like these days.

So why did Model Makers get the ax? Darryl Roberts, director of the documentary America the Beautiful, credits a massive letter writing campaign. Roberts wrote an open letter to MTV on HuffPo earlier this month. He published the casting email address and encouraged outraged readers to protest the show. We love to think of that inbox being flooded. And if MTV really did come to its senses as a result of the groundswell, that is a huge victory for woman and girlkind.

But while we're on the topic of model reality shows, we'd like to pose a question. Will audiences ever grow weary? Of course America's Next Top Model keeps on trucking into it's 200th season or something. We've also seen Model.Live, Models NYC, The Agency, She's Got the Look, 8th & Ocean, The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, and our personal favorite, America's Most Smartest Model. Even Project Runway insists on incorporating a model elimination within a show that's supposed to be about the designers (insert Tim Gunn inflection here). We're not exactly crying a river, or a puddle, when Heidi aufs one of them each week. Is there anyone out there shedding a tear?

We suppose there is a core audience of the model-obsessed who will watch anything and everything related to those pretty moddles. As for the rest of us, it's fun to laugh along for a while, and sometimes those shows can even be edumacational! But when does it start to get old? Is there a saturation point for eye smiling and fierceness?

[Huffington Post via Ypulse]

Friends Don't Let Friends Fat Talk

October 13-17 is Fat Talk Free Week, an initiative launched by Delta Delta Delta to get women to think about how our body bashing talk can keep us from the meaningful conversations and actions we really need in our lives.

Related:
Sign the promise to end fat talk
Vocab Rehab: Pregnancy and New Mom Edition
Vocab Rehab: Change Your Body Talk for the Better

Dear World: What Would YOUR Letter Say?

Dear World,

It's me, a girl.

What is it like growing up as a girl today? What was life like for YOU as a girl? The new "Dear World" campaign from Girls Inc. invites girls and women everywhere to write their own original letters and join together in asking for all the support and empowerment that the world has to offer.

Join the campaign:

Watch the "Dear World" ads and find out what messages girls are sending.

Submit your letter, or call 888-DEAR-WRLD to record your message to the world.

What I love most about this idea is that it challenges us to use the power of our voices to build connections and make positive changes. Think about what you want to tell the world. Share your letter here, and ask the girls in your life to share their letters with you. Let's make sure the world hears us loud and clear!

CFDA Health Initiative Discussion: "We've Been Drinking the Kool-Aid"

I attended a CFDA Health Initiative discussion last night focusing on "The Beauty of Health: How the Fashion Industry Can Make a Difference." [Usually this is a team effort, but Magali is on vacation with her family. She was sorry to miss it.] This was the third health initiative event they've hosted since releasing their guidelines in 2007.

Some highlights:

Nian Fish of KCD (whose Q & A was our very first blog post almost a year ago) is sick of the ultra-thin look. "Size zero. What is that?" she asked the audience, which included Anna Wintour and Donna Karan. "A size zero means you're invisible. I think we have brainwashed ourselves into believing that is beautiful. It's time to admit that we've all been drinking the Kool-Aid."

James Scully has been an outspoken advocate for reform in fashion, so I was happy to see him step up to the microphone. As one of the most sought-after casting agents in the industry, he knows that he and his colleagues have a responsibility to understand the power of their words and the tremendous influence they can have in young models' lives. "Magali talks about how her life would have taken a different turn if she had received caring support instead of harsh words about her weight," he said. "I think about that every day. Let's stop treating models like greyhounds we plan to shoot after a race. We have to remember we are dealing with real people who have real feelings."

Michael Kors also reminded everyone to treat models as humans, not mannequins. He challenged designers to "stay away from child-size clothes unless you're designing for children,"
pointing out that fashion influences the Hollywood aesthetic--and when celebrities starve themselves to fit into sample sizes, it has a dangerous and far-reaching influence on girls and women everywhere.

Model Coco Rocha did not hold back. She said that a day in the life of most models involves an obsession with staying thin, a constant hunger, and cutting remarks like "We don't want you to be anorexic. We just want you to look like you are." She admitted that an agent once advised her to throw up after meals. Last year she gave in to the pressure and took diuretics--a decision she seriously regrets. After consulting other models, she offered four recommendations:
1. To designers: make your fit models bigger (i.e. make your clothes bigger). When zippers don't zip up at castings, models suffer unbearable humiliation.
2. Keep working to raise awareness about the long-term effects of eating disordered behavior. If young models knew the permanent damage they were causing to their bodies, they might think twice.
3. Agencies need to be closely linked with medical professionals, including nutritionists and eating disorder specialists.
4. Provide healthier food at shows.

I left the discussion with a hopeful outlook. Go ahead, call me the eternal optimist. Magali and I have been working to raise awareness about eating disorders and body image issues in the fashion industry since 1999. For many, it might seem as though change is happening at a snail's pace. But in the span of our work together, the last two years have felt like giant leaps forward. More and more people are finally speaking the truth. We need that kind of honesty. We can't get to a healthier place without it.

Good News on a Friday: Aetna Expands Its Eating Disorders Coverage

If you have struggled with an eating disorder or care about someone who has, you know that the cost of treatment is often one of the biggest obstacles to recovery. We've talked to families who have gone into debt, taken out second mortgages on their homes, and made countless other sacrifices to pay for treatment because their insurance companies won't.

This week, Aetna agreed to expand its coverage of anorexia and bulimia (which had previously been limited to 20 outpatient visits a year and 30 days of inpatient treatment) and pay $250,000 in reimbursements to a group of New Jersey families who were previously denied. The settlement was the result of a class action lawsuit. It still needs to be approved by a judge and could face opposition. We'll keep you updated on the story, but for now we are celebrating this as a victory. [WSJ Law Blog]

Australian Government Releases Body Image Code of Conduct

The Victorian Voluntary Media Code of Conduct on Body Image was just officially launched in Australia. The code contains four clauses that address the following issues:

· The use and disclosure of altered and enhanced images;
· Representation of a diversity of body shapes;
· Fair placement of diet, exercise and cosmetic surgery advertising; and
· Avoiding the glamorisation of severely underweight models or celebrities.

Youth Affairs Minister James Merlino urged the media, fashion and advertising industries to adhere to the guidelines, though of course a voluntary code means that there are no penalties for ignoring it. “The many expressions of support across these industries is encouraging, but there is much to be done if we are to address body image issues in the media that can have devastating effects on young people’s lives," said Merlino.

Here's hoping that the Australian media and fashion industry will take the responsible route. But while we're waiting to see how that pans out, it's pretty clear that their government is seriously committed to raising awareness about body image issues. The Brumby Government's Go for your life initiative has committed $2.1 million to body image programs over the next four years. They also give mini grants of $5,000 to body image programs run by and/or aimed at youth ages 12-25. One of last year's recipients was Girls Together, a project started by a group of 12 to 16-year-old girls. [Media Newswire]

France Has Eating Disorders Legislation. What is the U.S. Doing?

France has officially passed a law making it illegal to promote extreme thinness through pro-ana websites. While critics argue that penalizing these sites will stigmatize sufferers, Health Minister Roselyn Bachelot sees this as a way for the government to French government to take a stand against what she views as life-threatening behavior. She also plans to require doctors to conduct eating disorder screenings on children, starting at the age of 12.

Two of France's most high-profile families have been personally touched by eating disorders. Former president Jacques Chirac's eldest daughter has suffered with anorexia for many years. And in 1995, news anchor Patrick Poivre d'Arvor's 19-year-old daughter committed suicide after a long battle with anorexia.

So what is the U.S. doing about eating disorders? There are certainly plenty of high-profile Americans who have suffered from eating disorders. Just turn on Entertainment Tonight or flip through a celebrity magazine, and you'll see a story about someone "in a battle for her life" or someone who is "dying to be thin." Where is our government in all of this? Try to get insurance coverage for eating disorder treatment and you'll find out exactly how big of a mess our health care system is (if by some miracle you haven't uncovered that fact already). And while eating disorders are a much-buzzed-about media topic, most family doctors still aren't educated on how to spot the signs and symptoms. But there are advocates who are working to change that. If you think the U.S. government should play an active role in eating disorders research, treatment, and prevention, go to the Eating Disorder Coalition's website and sign up for their newsletter. We just did.

V-Day 10th Anniversary Celebration

We wish we could have been in New Orleans this weekend, because Eve Ensler's 10th anniversary V-Day event was clearly the hottest spot on the planet. A giant, glowing vagina set the stage--literally.

Author Nancy Redd covered the event for Jezebel. Take a look at what went on down there, so to speak. [Jezebel]

Congressional Briefing on the FREED Act (Federal Response to Eliminate Eating Disorders)

In cooperation with Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), the Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action will host a Congressional briefing tomorrow (4/10, 4:30 p.m. ET) on the FREED Act, A Federal Response to Eliminate Eating Disorders. This comprehensive eating disorders bill addresses research, treatment, and prevention services. The briefing is free and open to the public, so if you are in the D.C. area, here's the link to register. While we can't be there in person, we've got some sources on the inside, so we'll post highlights as soon as we can. We'll also keep you updated on what you can do to support the bill.

Hearst Teen Launches Donatemydress.org

As this prom season approaches, Hearst is spreading some good prom karma with its new Donate My Dress website, which allows girls and women to donate formal dresses to girls who might not be able to afford new ones.

Remember how Molly Ringwald gave an old prom dress her own special 80s twist in Pretty in Pink? Well, you never know how a crafty teen might be able to transform a bridesmaid dress you'll never wear again. OR you could be extra generous and donate the stylin' dress that's been hanging untouched in your closet for longer than you can remember. There's a chance you might wear that one again. But come on, you know you probably won't. [Donate My Dress]

British Magazines May Face Restrictions on Retouching

Magazine editors in the U.K. have agreed to meet with their trade association to discuss a code for the use of retouched photographs. This move is part of a series of recommendations that came out of Britain's Model Health Inquiry, an initiative established by the British Fashion Council and led by Baroness Kingsmill, who concluded that retouching could “perpetuate an unachievable aesthetic." While it's not bloody likely that there will be total ban on retouching, we are certainly curious to see what they come up with and how it impacts the images we see on the glossy pages. [The Times]

UPDATE: The Australians have gotten in on the action, too. The Victorian Government's media code of conduct on body image will discourage the use of Photoshop and other tricks to change the shape and appearance of women in the media. Their code will be released April 18th.

Australian Association of National Advertisers executive director Colin Segelov, who was on the committee that formulated the voluntary code, said it addressed "concerns that images in the media should not set up such false expectations and aspirations as to cause danger to young women." [MSN]

So where is the U.S. in all this? Apparently we're still on the poreless, fat-free, wrinkle-free side of the argument. Let's hope that changes soon.

Anna Wintour Says Models Today Are Pale, Thin, and Joyless

Anna Wintour was not impressed with the models at New York Fashion Week. "Overall, they were pale and thin and entirely lacking in the joyfulness and charm that once defined the supermodel," she writes in the April issue of Vogue. "This is, of course, not their fault: Designers now near-uniformly favor a non-vivacious, homogenous ideal." Oh, snap. And therein lies one of the central problem with tackling the fashion industry's too-skinny beauty standards. The good news is that we've gotten to the point where even the most powerful industry leaders recognize that something is awry. The bad news? Everyone thinks someone else is responsible.

Designer Bradley Bayou, whose daughter suffered from an eating disorder, is calling for a cease fire in the industry blame game. "If everybody takes responsibility and everybody works together, we can change it. In other words, the designers and the editors and the modeling agents and the models' parents and everybody gets together and decides, 'This is not a healthy thing. We must change it.' Then, hopefully, we can." We'll second that. [CBS News]

Jezebel Bans Body Snark. You Can, Too.

It's not easy being a pop culture junkie and an advocate for positive body image. Those two passions don't always play nice. That's why it helps to have some practical ground rules.

Back in January, Jezebel made a resolution to put a stop to negative comments about people's bodies. This was not a ban on celebrity gossip, fashion, or snark in general (because frankly there are some of us who might melt away without them)--just the mean-spirited body bashing that can spring from the intersections. They're sticking to their guns, too. Every day Jezebel editors choose the best and worst out of hundreds of comments submitted on their blog. The offenders are often those who can't stop themselves from making a nasty dig about a celebrity's weight.

This is the kind of stance that can shift people's thinking and change conversations and behaviors for the better. It's really as simple as creating and enforcing community policies that match your values. Wish women would stop talking trash about their own (and each other's) bodies? Well, fellow bloggers and media makers...we can all start in our own backyards. By the way, our blog also has a permanent ban on body snark. But you probably knew that already. [Jezebel]

Doin' It for the Kids: A Tribute to Moms

Kelly over at Fitness Fixation wrote a very moving piece this week about how her six-year-old daughter is already hearing the "F" word at school. No, not that "F" word. The other one: Fat.

“You know how everyone has that extra skin and stuff at the top of their leg? Two boys pinched me there and said, ‘You’re fat.’ But I’m not, everyone has that,” Kelly's daughter reported back to her one afternoon. While her little girl didn't seem to be devastated by the comments, Kelly was enraged, frustrated, and motivated to cancel her women's magazine subscriptions.

"I get a lumpy throat if I think of a slightly older her, critically examining her legs in the mirror, wondering if they are big or jiggly and maybe she ought to eat a few less cookies and try some stupid cream and will she get dates with legs like that? Did I say lumpy throat? Make that nauseous," she writes.

There's no sugar coating it. Moms who are working every day to instill healthy body image and strong self-esteem in their children are fighting an uphill battle. But you know what? It's a battle well worth fighting. So to Kelly and all the other amazing moms out there: keep up the incredible work. Your daughters and sons will thank you.

Submit Your Questions for Jess Weiner, "The Queen of Self-Esteem"

We are thrilled to be interviewing body image expert Jess Weiner for a special podcast to celebrate BlogHer's new Letter to My Body Campaign.

Jess is the bestselling author of A Very Hungry Girl and Life Doesn't Begin 5 Pounds from Now. She is also the Global Ambassador for the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty. Do you have a question for Jess? Post it here by Thursday 5 p.m. ET and we'll do our best to include it in our interview!

It's National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

It's National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. Find out what events are happening in your area.

In Memoriam: Johnnie Carr, Civil Rights Activist

Longtime civil rights activist Johnnie Carr has died at the age of 97. Carr joined her childhood friend Rosa Parks in the Montgomery bus boycott.

Carr succeeded the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as president of the Montgomery Improvement Association in 1967, a post she held at her death.

She played a prominent role in 2005 on the 50th anniversary of Parks' refusal to give up her bus seat, speaking to thousands of schoolchildren who marched to the Capitol.

"Look back, but march forward," Carr urged the huge crowd of young people. [MSNBC]

Model Spies Infiltrate London Fashion Week

Seven top models will act as undercover agents this week in London, filing reports on working conditions, eating disorders, and harassment issues with the actors' union Equity. One hundred models have already joined Equity in the U.K. and the union will have a drop-in office set up onsite, where models can give union officials the scoop on how they are treated during London Fashion Week. [Daily Mail]

Of course the more models are represented by a union, the greater that union's negotiating power (just look at a recent little entertainment industry scuffle and you'll see how that works ). The downside? Forming a union means risking the loss of work and facing intense pushback from the powerful businesses in the industry. Those guys are never psyched to hear the "u" word because adhering to regulations and paying standard wages and benefits affects their bottom line.

Unfortunately, convincing a majority of models to join a union is going to be an uphill battle. Today the industry is filled with very young Eastern European models, girls who are often working to support their families and are more than willing to put up with crappy working conditions for a crappy-but-better-than-nothing paycheck. It's not just a pipe dream, though. Bette Davis and Olivia de Havilland paved the way for SAG, so let's get some gutsy fashion dames together and raise hell.

Vocab Rehab: Change Your Body Talk for the Better

This weekend we had a two-hour chat about language. We used a lot of different words to describe the times we have been on the receiving end of appearance-related "compliments" that feel good in the moment we take them in, but actually aren't so good for us the longer we hold onto them.

We are two women with tons of body image baggage. We know how hard it is to avoid engaging in body talk--especially when those conversations seem to be common ground for so many women (and increasingly more men). Enter Vocab Rehab, our new regular feature aimed at detoxing some of the most typical body conversations. We hope you'll add your comments and send us your suggestions for future Vocab Rehab words and phrases. Here's our first pick:

The phrase: "You look great! Did you lose weight?"

What you're trying to say: In our diet-saturated culture, commenting that someone's frame looks more slender and svelte is widely accepted as the ultimate compliment. If you throw this one in someone's direction, you're usually trying to make her/him feel good.

What might be heard: You can just never be 100 percent sure what is inside a person's heart, body, and mind when s/he loses weight. Though not always, weight loss can be linked to physical or emotional problems. You might be talking to someone who is secretly caught up in an unhealthy obsession. By drawing attention to size, you could be inadvertently adding fuel to a dangerous fire. What that person hears is a loud and unrelenting: "I am more beautiful and loved when I'm thinner."

Where it goes: If there's "look who's thinner!" buzz in a room, diet war stories spread fast. Before you know it, everyone's talking about weight. And the more people get into the convo, the greater the chances that one or more of them struggles with disordered eating. In fact, those odds are pretty good.

What you could say instead: We don't know about you, but we're pretty excited about this historic Presidential race. We'd much rather talk about the future of our country at happy hour than compare the size of our jeans. This is not to say that there isn't a time or place for fashion and beauty talk. But we keep our compliments in the realm of "You're glowing!" (translation: "Something amazing must be happening in your life.") and "I love your style." (translation: "There's something special about you that's really working right now.").