Pro-Ana and Thinspiration vs. Lane Bryant

Some time back, there was Lane Bryant commercial that was banned from ABC to air during primetime.  For those that don't know, Lane Bryant is a Plus Size clothing store for women.  With very great designs, if you ask me.  The commercial was banned because it was considered far too sexy.  Here is a link to the 30 second spot:

  http://youtu.be/uiGt6bjk0NM

Then not too long after that, at 7pm countrywide, America indulged in the Victoria Secret Runway Show.

I dare anyone to say that what the Victoria Secret model is wearing is anymore conservative than the Lane Bryant model.  Here is a perfect example of how our media tells us curvy is dangerous and bad while tall, muscular, and thin is good and acceptable.  

Earlier this year, I saw an interview with Kylie Bisutti who used to be a Victoria Secret model, but then quit.  Here is a link to her interview (it's about 2:30 long):

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainment/2012/02/victorias-secret-model-quits-to-reserve-body-for-my-husband/

She talks about her Christian beliefs and how it drove her to stop modeling.  What struck me the most, however, is what she says around 1:05 of the interview.  Her 8 year old cousin was watching her in the mirror as she put on her make-up.  Her little cousin told her that she was going to stop eating so she could be beautiful like her.

Whoa.

This is how little girls think.  And to deny that models have any influence over their thinking is either egotistical or careless.  Would this little girl think this way if she saw examples of many body types of beauty instead?

A British lingerie company is expanding its line to include larger sizes now.  This is their latest model:

Again, she's causing people to stir.  Why?  Because she's curvy.  She's a size 16.  Why is it so controversial for a woman to have curves?  Isn't that just how we're supposed to be?  

Have you ever heard of Thinspiration?  Websites are designed to drive women towards being thin.  In its most basic form, it's supposed to encourage women to be healthy and workout in order to achieve a thin body.  The problem is that this concept has turned into sites that have picture after picture of very thin girls (remember the camera adds 10lbs) dying to see their hip bones poke through, see their thighs not touch, etc.  

You'll see postings of girls talking about month long "fasting."  Not for religious reasons but for weight loss.  One of the screen names reads "ineedskinnygenes."  You will find girls pleading that they need to be "hot."  Here is one example:

http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/thinspiration

So these women and girls visit these sites daily to keep being thin always in the forefront of their existence.  This is the only way they know to be beautiful.  There is also a diet/weight loss lifestyle called Pro-Ana....short for Pro-Anorexia.  These sites will swear up and down that they do not encourage eating disorders and simply are looking to help women lose weight and have a healthy lifestyle.  Then why name your branded lifestyle after a debilitating eating disorder that haunts hundreds of thousands of women?

Awareness is just the beginning of the battle.  

Let's re-learn beautiful.  

Be scandalous.