The Truth Behind Modeling
Modeling began in the 1800s and has become an increasingly pervasive phenomenon in our society. Using models is the way that most fashion and clothing brands show their ideas to the world. Whether it be through photos posted online or through an extravagant fashion show, models are needed to make designers’ visions come to life. Modeling is done at both micro and macro levels, and some models are able to reach celebrity statuses. These models are often portrayed as having no flaws and to society, everything in the modeling world seems perfect. However, behind the scenes, there are practices that are unfair to models and often project them into unhealthy conditions.
While many models have positive experiences with their employment, there are unfortunately many models that go through unfair treatment. Models often are subject to unfair workplace practices, especially due to the fact that many are independent contractors and do not have the normal protections that people have from their employers. They are not protected by zero-tolerance policies that prevent and punish any workplace bullying or harassment. Because of this, many models have experienced harassment while wokring and have had unwanted sexual advances from employers that are too often not reprimanded. It is very common to start modeling at a very young age, which unfortunately makes many models susceptible to bosses that do not have their best interest in mind and take advantage of their young age as a way to exploit them. At a young age, it is very common to not have knowledge about labor laws, which protect workers from long working hours. However, models are frequently accustomed to excruciatingly long work days that would not be tolerated in other work environments. The modeling industry is unfortunately full of unfair practices that very often hide behind the scenes.
One of the more well known truths behind modeling is the overwhelming pressure that models have to stay thin and have a body that will keep them employed. There are many body requirements that employers project onto models, and while some are more menial, others can be severely taxing on models’ mental health. Models are often given size requirements by their agencies and if they go above a certain size, then they are at risk of losing their job. Because of this, many models have fallen into developing eating disorders as a way to make sure they maintain their thin frames. The pervasiveness of this culture has been promoted both indirectly and directly by many models in the industry. One of the most striking examples of this is when Kate Moss said her infamous quote: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” in 2009. Being skinny in the modeling industry is expected, and when a model starts to fall outside of that frame, then it is not unnatural to turn to unhealthy habits to return to a thinner frame. Several models go through eating disorders and other mental struggles due to the immense pressure they are under to look a certain way. Although it is clear that many models are accustomed to this pressure, there is a glimpse of hope seen in the growth of different sizes in the modeling industry. This has only begun recently, and there is a lot of work to be done until the modeling industry completely recedes from being associated with thinness being an expected norm.
Because of the unfair conditions models go through and the constant reminder to fulfill a certain look, the mental toll of modeling can become very high. Behind the scenes, many models are not the poised, happy figures people see on a magazine cover or on a runway. Several people in the industry are fighting real struggles every day that they would not be experiencing if they were not in the industry. Society can only hope that these numbers will decrease and no model has to go through an inappropriate or unfair work environment or be influenced to fall into unhealthy body practices.
Victoria de la Mora