Thinspiration...

...I don't get it...

Once again found over at Ish's blog:

Models backstage at Fashion Week in Sao Paulo. (source)

Important to remember, in the ongoing war between Camp “Unrealistic expectations for female bodies!” and Camp “It’s a model’s job to be thin!” that there are real women working who could very well drop dead in the middle of the debate on how to regulate the industry standard.

There is naturally skinny and then there is mad dieting (or exercising), not eating, taking nutrient tablets and purging skinny. I have friends in the modeling world, and not one of them will deny the crazy world of maintaining the "ideal" weight and are quite happy to be out of it (for those that are).

What I don't get is why there are so many girls out there who idolize these models or other thin celebrities (who may be naturally that skinny, but then...they only represent something like 4% of the worlds women) and then go on to begin thinspiration blogs and monitor their weight online for all the world to see. Body dysmorphia is a serious thing, and by making an individuals struggle with their weight and personal confidence something that is so public I feel like we're taking away from this illness and reinforcing this destructive behaviour.

I know, I know...it's a little idealistic of me to wish that everyone could just be happy with their bodies, but seriously. This stuff is going just a little too far. I love studying societies and behaviours, but god it can be depressing.