Argumentative speech
Claim Eating disorders are a major consequence of unhealthy expectations in the
modeling industry.
Intro:
It has come to the world’s attention that the modeling industry’s idea of a
“perfect body” is both unrealistic and unhealthy. Every year, models die from eating
disorders, and it is because of the industry’s obsession with thinness. Young girls are
feeling pressured to be incredibly thin because of the business’s emphasis on skinny
bodies. Authority figures in the modeling business are telling new models that they will
book more jobs if they lose weight.
Cause #1
Most Models feel so pressured to be thin, that they can then develop unhealthy
eating habits, which can lead to serious eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia
nervosa are the most common eating disorders. Anorexia is a disease characterized by
self-starvation. If a person has bulimia nervosa, they will consume large amounts of food,
and then try to remove the food by vomiting, exercising excessively, and using laxatives.
These diseases can lead to many horrible effects to the body. Professor Christopher G
Fairburn, of Oxford University Department of Psychiatry shares some of the effects of
eating disorders in an article on Sciencedirect.com. For anorexia, some of the effects are
bone density reduction, severe dehydration, and even a growth of hair covering the entire
body, called lanugo which is the body attempting to stay warm. For Bulimia, some
consequences are tooth decay growth which are caused by stomach acid that comes in
contact when the body vomits. Bulimia also can lead to irregular bowel movements,
constipation and inflammation in the esophagus. People don’t think of the serious
consequences when they begin following unhealthy eating habits. Both of these diseases
are deathly. It has come to the world’s attention that many young models have died, and
it is because of these serious diseases. The modeling industry is pushing people to a limit
where they believe that starving themselves and vomiting until they are thin is the only
option to be part of this industry.
Cause #2
Young girls feel pressured to lose weight because of the modeling business’s
obsession with incredibly thin models. Allegra Broft, a psychiatrist in the eating disorders
program at Columbia University, said “Nearly 70% of girls in grade 5-12 said models in
magazine images influence their ideals of a perfect body.” This means that only 30% of
young girls don’t feel influenced by the body types shown in magazine images. Allegra
Broft also said “In general, when I’m working with patients, this concept of a ‘thin ideal’
which is popular in the modeling industry does come up.” Her patients, who all fight
eating disorders, are all admitting that the modeling industry has influenced them. This is
proving that the modeling industry’s focus on incredibly thin models, is affecting young
girls’ body image. Young girls often feel so pressured to follow the modeling industries
unhealthy expectations, that they can grow unhealthy eating habits.
Cause #3
Authorities in the modeling industry are pressuring young models to lose weight
because they believe it will help their modeling career. Georgina Wilkin, a 23 year old
who modeled from 15 to 18, told Huffington post in October 2013, about how she was
told to lose weight by modeling agents. “Wilkin, when she began modeling at 15, was
automatically told to lose weight -- "a few inches from my hips so I could be eligible for
the best jobs." Georgina Wilkin did what she was told by those people. Because of this,
she still fights anorexia. Although her modeling career is over, her eating disorder is still
current. Eating disorders are long terms diseases, and it can take years to recover from it.
Conclusion
The modeling business’s expectations for models to be thin are leading to
consequences. One of the biggest consequences is eating disorders. Eating disorders are
extremely serious, and they have terrible effects to the body. One of the most serious
effects is death. The modeling industry’s idea that thin bodies are the best bodies isn’t
only affecting the models. Young girls feel persuaded by the modeling industry to be
thin. The modeling industry needs to stop obsessing with thinness so that models and
young girls can stop trying to follow these expectations, which are extremely unhealthy.
Works Cited Page
Catherin Pearson, “Fashion and Eating Disorders: How much
responsibility does the industry have? Huffington Post. September 13, 2011.
November 13, 2011
Christopher G Fairburn, “Eating Disorders” Science Direct. February 1,
2003