Have Models Who Are Too Thin Really Been Banned From Fashion Shows?

Yes. There has recently been a political flap about models who are allegedly too thin. A number of politicians have expressed themselves on the subject, denouncing the fashion industry and its idolization of the tall, skinny feminine form as the ultimate icon of beauty. They claim that this encourages eating disorders in young women who are influenced by these images, and may say the models as role models.

There have also been concerns expressed about the health of the models themselves. Some feel that models are being forced to subject themselves to unnaturally meagre diets in order to remain thin and satisfy the whims of the fashion designers. The Madrid fashion show in September 2006 took the lead in banning excessively thin models from appearing. The World Health Organisation's criteria for a normal height-to-weight ratio were used to determine what would be considered excessively thin. Fashion shows elsewhere have resisted following Madrid's example but are being pressured by politicians to change their minds.