WARNING: This post may be triggering for some people.
Yesterday, designer Alex Perry admitted that he’d made the wrong decision in casting extremely underweight models in his fashion shows.
After watching the segment, 21-year-old University of Sydney student Michaela Jones wrote to Today sharing her own grueling experience with anorexia, which left her with arrhythmia (also known as an irregular heartbeat) at age 18.
Michaela joined Mamamia publisher Mia Freedman and Lisa Wilkinson on the show this morning to discuss the issue, saying images of emaciated models dominating the media had affected her as a teenager.
“Every single day we’re bombarded with images in the media and in every magazine and you look on the catwalk,” she said on Today. “And when you’re a young 18-year-old trying to find out who you’re going to be in the world, it’s very easy to be influenced by that sort of images. (They) make you question- is that was a normal woman’s supposed to be like?”
Michaela told Mamamia today it was a “very long road” to recovery for her — and that she fears for the health of other impressionable girls exposed to images of emaciated models.
“I think that this has such an impact, the modelling industry. It’s happening with young girls, and with anorexia happens without you knowing. That happened to me.”
She said she would “absolutely” support the imposition of a minimum BMI requirement of 18.5, as exists currently in Italy and Israel. She would also like models’ oestrogen levels to be compulsorily tested.
“(At a very low BMI) they’re not menstruating, which means they can’t produce children. Right now that might seem okay… but down the track that’s going to be the worst things in the world.”
Watch the Today segment here:
These are some of the models who have been working at Sydney Fashion Week:
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Do you agree that we need a BMI screening process for Australian models?
Top Comments
I Don't believe these images are by any extent the 'cause' of my illness, hell I am five years down the track and I am still trying to work that out. This interview is rushed, not enough care is taken in my words. If these images were the cause I would simply turn a blind eye to them and see no more, eliminating the cause of my illness. However, you cannot deny that the media presents to viewers an image of a life that is perceived to be liveable. I would read soup diets, "Look like Miranda Kerr in 5 days" and it's total bullshit, but in the back of a vulnerable persons' mind who is in the process of sifting through their likes and dislikes about themselves, these images and reports are only sticks to the fire. No denying that Australia is a severely overweight country and it is in need of weight loss plans to help bring that prevalence down. But what is ignored are the silent screams of the biggest killer of any mental illness. Anorexia Nervosa poses a only a 50% recovery rate, of the other 50%, 20% will die and 30% will struggle and relapse for the rest of their lives. I am not recovered, I am recovering, deciding whether I will be part of the 30, 20 or the 50 that get their lives lived, and it's scary, so yes, I believe BMI (although a flawed system) is a generic starting idea. I would further have blood tests to find essential hormone functioning. If the models who are below the line are knocked back, they will gain some weight to begin functioning properly again. This system (while may seem invasive) determines, those who do and do not have an eating disorder. Gaining weight is no option when you have anorexia, no modelling job would come between you and your anorexic goals.
I am more than happy for anyone to come back with questions/ opinions and discussions. The more we talk about this the more of the world and governments understand its' severity and dyer need for attention.
Michaela (the girl from the article, FYI)
Although a good idea in theory, it should be noted that not everyone with an eating disorder has an extremely low BMI as well as the fact that not everyone with a low BMI has an eating disorder.
In an ideal world, the designers should just choose models that do their clothing justice...which ironically is not skeletal.
Although i understand that images of underweight models can be triggering to some with eating disorders, It is rarely the 'cause'.
From being in treatment with many many different people from all different backgrounds and different ages, hardly any of them attribute their ED to wanting to be thin like the models and celebrities. It is much much deeper than that. Food and weight is just a symptom of a much more complex disorder.