2015 Antonio de Moraes Barros FilhoPhoto: Yahoo
French lawmakers have officially passed a law today that bans excessively thin fashion models from the runway and potentially subjet their employers to fines of $82,460, and 6 Months jail term. The law clearly states that all models must present a medical certificate indicating that they have a BMI of at least 18, about 55 kg (121 lb) for a height of 1.75 meters (5.7 feet), before they are hired for a job.
This bill came as a result of fighting Anorexia. Olivier Véran, a doctor and the Socialist deputy from southeastern told The Wall Street Journal on Friday that “The law is to protect models, who are getting so thin that they’re in danger,” “It’s also to protect adolescents. This image of so-called ideal beauty augments the risk of eating disorders.”
The second part of this law specifically targets pro-anorexia websites or any other sites that promote “excessive thinness by encouraging eating restrictions for a prolonged period of time, resulting in risk of mortality or damage to health,” incriminating those responsible with fines and jail time as well.
Isabelle Saint-Félix, secretary-general of SYNAM, a model agency trade organization, called the proposed amendment as “discrimination,” one that could potentially hurt the French fashion industry.
“Our models are thin, not sick. They are young and thin,” she said. “The government forgets that the fashion industry is international. Ninety percent of our models are foreigners. How can French agencies be competitive if they’re held to one standard in France that others are not in other countries?”
France is actually not the first country to take such action on super-skinny models, as it is similar to that of Italy and Israel in 2007 and 2013 respectively. While this action seems welcoming, and Paris being one of the biggest fashion capital, – would the bill not hinder the growing rate of runway models?
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