Debate: size 0 - how thin is too thin?

[Blue_bumpkin]

I believe that, and this is just my opinion, that anyone classed as under/over weight should not be allowed on the catwalk, based on BMI's. It still allows for a variety of sizes and different shapes but not extremes that could influence children either way..

You will notice from my ticker I myself am overweight, I dont have a problem with people loving their bodies, big or small, but so many young girls become fixated on their weight and thats what concerns me. I watched programme about VERY young girls dealing with eating disorders and it broke my heart. Im talking girls as young as 8 saying they were fat.. i was so shocked. I watched it in an attempt to understand my neice a bit better (was doing some other research at the time also). She is 14 and is around 5.5-6 st but is taaller than me and im 5'6. It really upsets me when she tells you things like 'she hates her body' and shes too fat. Im not saying the catwalk is to blame, there are other underlying issues but I cant see it helping any, that the girls our society deem beautiful are all size zero

Sorry for babbling...

 

[Tiff]

I am all for whatever size someone is, so long as it is that way naturally. I'm so tired of the photoshopped models who look perfect, but most pictures have full editing done to them before hand.

Not sure if anyone is familiar with Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty? I was a huge fan of it... the premise being that you're beautiful at the size you are naturally. No pressure to look like digitally altered pictures.

Here's one of the commercials:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hibyAJOSW8U

 

[lulu61388]

i was a size 0 all through high school and now i am a size 2 (US). i have battled with stares, whispers and rumors of me having an eating disorder since the 7th grade. yet my father, who is built just like me (thin, tall and waif like) is just a thin guy...he never has people making snide comments or prying into his diet.

i appreciate magazines like glamour because they make an effort to show women of all sizes and a shapes without making a big deal about the models being plus size. i am confident and proud of myself because of my family as well, i was always told that everyone looks different and that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

there will always be girls (and some boys) with eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder and low self esteem. i believe it is up to the parents and other adults in the child's life to make sure they know that just because they might weigh a little more than a classmate or they have brown eyes instead of blue that they are beautiful just the way they are. i wish more magazines, beauty companies and tv shows made an effort to do the same, but they are ultimately in it to make money and its a shame that that is what it comes to.

 

[bky]

My family had me weighing food and obsessing before I was 8. It took me a long time to get over that. Now, even though I'm significantly overweight I know I'm not going to get to the point that magazines etc tell me I ought to be. It's unrealistic for my metabolism and my body type. I've come to accept and be happy with what I am. I wish everyone could be.
I am fantastically healthy, go to the gym (well when I'm not full of baby) and eat very healthy food. It's not worth my time to hate myself for something I can never be.
I'm not against size 0 or whatever models, but I think advertising that has been digitally altered should have some kind of disclaimer on it and even the option to view the original image(s).

I heard once from someone involved in the fashion industry that the reason such small sizes are used is that generally average sized women distract from the clothing. The ultra thin models are more walking hangers.

 

[kiwimama]

I am all for whatever size someone is, so long as it is that way naturally. I'm so tired of the photoshopped models who look perfect, but most pictures have full editing done to them before hand.

Not sure if anyone is familiar with Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty? I was a huge fan of it... the premise being that you're beautiful at the size you are naturally. No pressure to look like digitally altered pictures.

Here's one of the commercials:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hibyAJOSW8U

i LOVE these commercials! I occasionally see one of the side of a bus and they always make me smile and feel a bit better about myself!

 

[Farie]

I think if your a 'natural' size 0 thats one thing, if you have to semi starve yourself to get there, no its not right.
IMHO you can spot the naturals easily - yes they are slim, but not ill or gaunt looking.

 

[aly888]

whoever it was who said that to assume naturally skinny girls have an ED is just as hurtful as calling someone who is overweight fat, thank you!! When I was in school one of my friends genuinely thought I had an ED and it really got to me. And one of my friends at work is always told to "eat more" and "put on some weight" even though she eats plenty. She just cant put it on (like I used to be in school, but its caught up with me now )

There needs to be more like that dove campaign in the media. I knew/know about the Dove campaign for real beauty, but we dont see enough of things like that video

 

[Dopeyjopey]

I think as long as someone Is not trying too hard to be a certain size anyone should be able to model.

Would banning size 0 models make naturally petite girls feel they're too skinny? Personally i've always been very slim, UK size 4 on top on 6/8 on the bottom and i'd much rather be a bit bigger. I am only 5ft and battled so hard to get to over 7 stone and even had a party when I got to it. It's really hurtful when people assume I have an eating disorder and have had some really nasty comments. We are all different shapes and sizes and I believe that should be celebrated

 

[Tiff]

whoever it was who said that to assume naturally skinny girls have an ED is just as hurtful as calling someone who is overweight fat, thank you!! When I was in school one of my friends genuinely thought I had an ED and it really got to me. And one of my friends at work is always told to "eat more" and "put on some weight" even though she eats plenty. She just cant put it on (like I used to be in school, but its caught up with me now )

There needs to be more like that dove campaign in the media. I knew/know about the Dove campaign for real beauty, but we dont see enough of things like that video

I was very skinny growing up, right along until I quit smoking. I was still very thin then but not "anorexic looking" according to my "friends". I had people in grade 8 ask me how my legs supported my body. I got called "chicken legs", "knobby knees" and because I didn't have many curves boys teased me.

There's just as much pressure on the "too thin" girls as the overweight ones. But I always felt like I wasn't allowed to complain or be upset about how I was treated because I was "thin" therefore everything should've been peachy. At least where I was from growing up, you had to look like the magazine models. If you weren't crazy thin with huge boobs and curves then you were nothing.

 

[Charlotteee]

Should size 0 be allowed on the catwalk? - If its natural then yes.

I cant stand looking at girls that have ribs poking out of there bodies and you cans ee are not natural at all. - I understand this is an Eating disorder and it isnt the persons fault - but i think todays society has made us the way we are. Airbrushed people in magazines make us think we aren't good enough for boys. Because they eant someone like the airbrushed models.

When i was 15/16 in school - i used to eat a cookie a day. And at one point was 8 stone and a size 8. For my frame that isnt healty. I should be a comfortable size 10/12. With lovely curves. At the minute im not happy with my size 14 12ST shape. I hate it. And do consider going back to my cookie a day regime. But i have my partner that loves me for who i am.

Size 0 is not healthy unless it is natural.

My sister is a natural size 0. She's 5FT 1 and is tiny.

I think we all just pick at our flaws and we shouldn't. Because each and every one of us is beatiful in our own way!



-x-

 

[Arlandria]

I personally think that all sizes should be allowed on the cat walk - not just a certain 'frame' as I think a lot of girls look up to these models and no matter what size you are, they are all beautiful Just wish there was bigger girls on there to even the balance so its a little more normal

 

[aly888]

whoever it was who said that to assume naturally skinny girls have an ED is just as hurtful as calling someone who is overweight fat, thank you!! When I was in school one of my friends genuinely thought I had an ED and it really got to me. And one of my friends at work is always told to "eat more" and "put on some weight" even though she eats plenty. She just cant put it on (like I used to be in school, but its caught up with me now )

There needs to be more like that dove campaign in the media. I knew/know about the Dove campaign for real beauty, but we dont see enough of things like that video

I was very skinny growing up, right along until I quit smoking. I was still very thin then but not "anorexic looking" according to my "friends". I had people in grade 8 ask me how my legs supported my body. I got called "chicken legs", "knobby knees" and because I didn't have many curves boys teased me.

There's just as much pressure on the "too thin" girls as the overweight ones. But I always felt like I wasn't allowed to complain or be upset about how I was treated because I was "thin" therefore everything should've been peachy. At least where I was from growing up, you had to look like the magazine models. If you weren't crazy thin with huge boobs and curves then you were nothing.

I know what you mean. You daren't complain about your body because the only responses you got were "oh shut up, you are skinny so you should be happy" like you were making a fuss over nothing. Even though I would have killed for my friends size 10/12 body (that she hated coz she felt and was told she was 'fat')

 

[Kerry.]

I don't think it's right that models are encouraged to be underweight. However, I think it would be just as bad (if not worse) to see people with higher BMIs/overweight as well. Both are advocating unhealthy lifestyles imo.

 

[lulu61388]

whoever it was who said that to assume naturally skinny girls have an ED is just as hurtful as calling someone who is overweight fat, thank you!! When I was in school one of my friends genuinely thought I had an ED and it really got to me. And one of my friends at work is always told to "eat more" and "put on some weight" even though she eats plenty. She just cant put it on (like I used to be in school, but its caught up with me now )

There needs to be more like that dove campaign in the media. I knew/know about the Dove campaign for real beauty, but we dont see enough of things like that video

as a child i was called into the nurse's office at school because she was concerned my mother wasn't feeding me! UM HELLO i was a 9 year old girl that played sports all year round. my mom pulled me out of that school pretty quickly.

 

[pinklightbulb]

I was a size 0 (size 6 in Australia) before I was pregnant and hated it as everyone used to think I was that way through starvation etc, but I really was naturally like that so I used to get upset about the comments I received. I didn't look too thin as I am so short but it didn't stop them saying how 'skinny' I was anyway. Post-pregnancy, I am now again a size 6 and was from 3 months after birth. It just melted off and I think it happened as I BFd. It isn't always easy being so slim People can be just as cruel to naturally thin girls as they are to bigger girls and girls who intentionally starve themselves to get to this size. Sorry for the rant I haven't read the thread but saw the title and just had to put in my two cents

 

[NuKe]

I def think 0 is too thin. It breaks my heart that poppy will grow up in a world where being slim is a definition of attractiveness to many. I dont want her to be fat by any means, but I want her to be happy with her body and with all those skeletal models out there on pedestals, she'll be trying to obtain the unobtainable as many girls currently are.

 

[cherryglitter]

I was a size 0 (size 6 in Australia) before I was pregnant and hated it as everyone used to think I was that way through starvation etc, but I really was naturally like that so I used to get upset about the comments I received. I didn't look too thin as I am so short but it didn't stop them saying how 'skinny' I was anyway. Post-pregnancy, I am now again a size 6 and was from 3 months after birth. It just melted off and I think it happened as I BFd. It isn't always easy being so slim People can be just as cruel to naturally thin girls as they are to bigger girls and girls who intentionally starve themselves to get to this size. Sorry for the rant I haven't read the thread but saw the title and just had to put in my two cents

Im not skinny myself, but I have a friend who is the same as you. No matter how much she eats!
People have been so cruel to her and some of the things i've been told they have said is disgusting. It can work both ways but we rarely hear about it. xxx

 

[blahblahblah]

I don't think size zero should be promoted by any organisation as normal, healthy or ideal. Whilst I appreciate that there are some women naturally that thin, they are a minority, and it is unachieveable and unhealthy for 99% of women to even try to get that thin. It can't be that practical either - I imagine clothes in UK 4 are hard to get hold of unless they are top end designer!

I would be happier to see models that are a realistic, healthy size - say a minimum UK 8, ranging to UK 12. They only seem large to us now because we are conditioned to seeing super-skinny women who have then been airbrushed even smaller.

With airbrushing, I don't think it should be allowed to change someones bodyshape or size with it, although removing blemishes etc seems acceptable to me. The other thing that also gets my goat about airbrushing/falsifying pictures is when they enhance the product they are selling. If you are selling mascara you should only have natural eyelashes with the product applied - no falsies or airbrushing!

 

[bluebaby]

There is so much pressure these days to be skinny or size 0. I was a size 10 before i was pregnant and since having my LO have been struggling to lose weight and am now a size 14. This is the average size for britian but i am so self -conscious. So much so that for a while i wouldn't leave the house without my LO as I wanted people to think I was carrying post-baby weight instead of just being fat. It sounds so silly but I thought when I walked down the street everyone was staring and everyone thought i was obese. I am getting used to my weight now but i wouldn't have been like that if our society wasn't so obsessed with size.

 

[Gwizz]

Havent read all the thread so I apologise if I repeat someone but Asda (George) have recently started to sell size 4 clothes (size 0 USA) and Topshop do. :s

I think the persons BMI and how healthy they are is very important