When Tyra Banks started modeling she was a size four, which according to the supermodel, would be too fat to model in today’s magazines.
Tyra Banks recently wrote an open letter to the Daily Beast applauding Vogue for its new plan to promote healthy models. Banks writes:
“To models around the world, I want to celebrate Vogue ’s recent groundbreaking announcement. The editors of Vogue ’s 19 international editions have pledged to ban models from their pages who “appear to have an eating disorder,” to create healthy backstage working conditions, as well as several other revolutionary initiatives. This calls for a toast over some barbecue and burgers!”
Banks talks about her early career and how she “didn’t know (size 0) even existed” when she was a young model. Tyra said:
“The truth is that if I was just starting to model at age 17 in 2012, I could not have had the career that I did. I would’ve been considered too heavy. In my time, the average model’s size was a four or six. Today you are expected to be a size zero. When I started out, I didn’t know such a size even existed.”
TV Guide reports that Vogue has outlined a 6 point plan to promote healthy looking models. The magazine will no longer use models under the age of 16, they will start mentoring programs for young models, they will provide healthy food at photo-shoots, and encourage designers to provide realistic sample sizes. Vogue declares that it will be the “ambassador for the message of healthy body image.”
Banks applauded Vogues effort as a step in the right direction but said that that magazine can’t fix the problem alone. The supermodel says that parents need to show their children that all body types are beautiful.
Banks writes:
“We can show our daughters diverse images of beautiful women: curvy, tall, short, and everything in-between. Moms, you are the first and most influential role model in your girl’s life. Use that power. Teach her to love herself and everything that makes her unique.”
What do you think of Tyra Banks message? Can you believe that she would have been too fat to model today?
