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Women Are Thin Research Paper

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Pushed to the Limits Societal views of beauty have changed over time, yet the path to societal acceptance has remained narrow. Women are pressured to maintain a thin figure in society to seem modest and ladylike. In relation, in the fashion industry, models are pushed to extreme measures to maintain a small figure. Extreme measures include: developing anorexia and/or bulimia, turning away from being sexually harassed, as well as turning away from being discriminated based on race or gender, to lack of financial transparency, and exploitation. They are convinced that if they go to these extreme measure they will become successful models. The beginning of a models career is the toughest due to the many pressures they face by the industry such …show more content…
Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder “characterized by intense fear of gaining weight or becoming obese, a distorted body image, and excessive weight loss” (Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia). Women are usually more likely to develop this deadly disease of the portrayal of women in our society. Bulimia is an eating disorder “in which persistent over concern with body weight and shape leads to repeated episodes of binge eating” (Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia). Many more people obtain anorexia, but there is still a plentiful amount of people that suffer with bulimia. Models develop these diseases to get to the thinness that is expected from them. Regulations should be made to prevent this from happening because a job is not worth someone’s life. The following quote is a regulation that the industry should implement to prevent disease; “the severity of anorexia nervosa weighs in favor of allowing for a BMI requirement to protect against starvation…” although many consider BMI an erratic metric it could help prevent many models from ending up in a hospital or worse (Katherine L. Record and S. Bryn Austin 1). Countries like Milan and Spain have implemented a policy that you must show a health license to be hired. America has not done this but we have made a requirement that models who are undergoing eating disorders to get the necessary

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