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2008/01: Should girls under 16 be banned from being fashion models?
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2008/01: Should girls under 16 be banned from being fashion models
What they said ...
'We heard ... about the working conditions faced by many models, and the vulnerability of young women working in an unregulated and scarcely-monitored work environment' Baroness Kingsmill, chairperson of the British Fashion Council's Model Health Inquiry
'We are not here to exploit young people at all but actually to promote and encourage young people to follow their dreams for their future' Kelly Wheiler a spokesperson for Gold Coast Fashion Week
The issue at a glance
On September 14, 2007, it was reported that a 12-year-old Queensland schoolgirl, Maddison Gabriel, had been selected as the face of the inaugural Gold Coast Fashion Week. Ms Gabriel's selection immediately sparked controversy with the Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, commenting, 'We do have to preserve some notion of innocence in our society.
Catapulting girls as young as 12 into something like that is quite outrageous, and I'm totally opposed to it and think most Australians would feel the same way.'
These views were supported by the leader of the federal Opposition, Mr Kevin Rudd, who stated, 'I have real concerns about littlies that young going out there doing that sort of thing.'
The organisers of the Gold Coast Fashion Week have indicated that they did not realise Maddison Gabriel's age when they selected her. However, they have not withdrawn the selection and maintain that Ms Gabriel will be properly looked after and will not be asked to do anything inappropriate.
In the wake of Ms Gabriel's selection there have been calls for a ban to be imposed in Australia prohibiting girls under 16 from working as fashion models. Such a ban has been recommended in Great Britain.
Background Concern over anorexia among fashion models
On August 2, 2006, Luisel Ramos died, apparently of heart failure caused by anorexia nervosa. The 22 year old model had been participating in a fashion show during Fashion Week in Montevideo, Uruguay. Ramos' father told police that she had gone 'several days' without eating. She was reported to have adopted a diet of lettuce leaves and Diet Coke for the three months before her death. At the time of her death she had a body mass index (BMI) of about 14.5 due to having weighed little more than 7 stone (98 lb, 44 kg) despite being 5 ft 9 in tall (1.75 m). The World Health Organization considers a BMI of around 16 to be starvation.
On November 15, 2006, Brazilian fashion model Ana Carolina Reston Macan died at the age of 21 of kidney malfunction and generalized infection due to anorexia and bulimia. She was reported to have been surviving on a diet of apples and tomatoes. She had been represented by renowned modeling agencies such as Ford, Elite and L'quipe in countries such as China, Turkey, Mexico, and Japan, including prestigious ad campaigns such as Giorgio Armani.
In January 2004 Ms Macan made her first overseas trip to Guangzhou, a Chinese city close to Hong Kong. While attending a casting call there, she was reportedly informed that she was 'too fat', a criticism, it has been said, that led to her decline into anorexia nervosa.
At the time of her death Ms Macan weighed only 40 kilograms (88 lbs.), measured 172 cm (5 feet 8 inches), and had a body mass index (BMI) of about 13.4.
On February 13, 2007, Luisel Ramos' 18-year-old sister Eliana Ramos, also a model, died at her grandparents' home in Montevideo of an apparent heart attack, believed to be related to malnutrition.
Measures to protect fashion models
Following Luisel Ramos' death, the Madrid Fashion Week (held in September 2006) set a minimum BMI of 18 for all models. In December that year, Italian fashion designers banned size zero models from walking down their catwalks.
Ultra-thin models were banned from fashion week runways in Madrid, Spain, and Milan, Italy, in 2007. Organizers in Paris, London and elsewhere have come under pressure to do the same.
In March 2007, the British Fashion Council established the Model Health Inquiry, chaired by Baroness Kingsmill.
The British Model Health Inquiry report was released in September 2007. The report recommends that fashion models should be 16 years of age or older and should be screened for eating disorders.
The British report, written by a panel composed of fashion designers, models and an eating disorder specialist, asked agencies to certify that their models had been examined for eating disorders by an accredited list of medical experts.
Internet information
On September 15, 2007, The Sydney Morning Herald published a news report on Maddison Gabriel as the face of Gold Coast Fashion Week. The article also included a report on the Prime Minster, John Howard's, support for a ban on girls younger than 16 being fashion models in Australia. The full text of this article can be found at http://www.smh.com.au/news/fashion/call-to-ban-child-models/2007/09/14/1189276982236.html
On September 14, 2007, the Daily Telegraph ran a news story detailing Australian model Kristy Hinze's objections to girls as young as 12 being fashion models. (Interestingly, Hinze acknowledges that she was only 15 when she began working as a fashion model). The article includes Michelle Gabriel defending her decision to allow her daughter to work occasionally as a model. The full text of the article can be found at http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22416814-5001021,00.html
On September 30, 2007, the Queensland online news site, Goldcoast.com, ran a report detailing the response of Maddison Gabriel's mother, Michelle Gabriel, to criticisms of her daughter's modelling. The full text of this article can be found at http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2007/09/14/2753_gold-coast-top-story.html
On July 12, 2007, the British newspaper The Telegraph ran an article detailing the probable recommendations of the British Fashion Council's Model Health Inquiry.
These recommendations were thought likely to include that girls younger than 16 not be allowed to work as fashion models. The full text of this article can be found at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/12/nmodels112.xml
On September 10, 2007, the British newspaper The Telegraph ran an article detailing the actual recommendations of the British Fashion Council's Model Health Inquiry. As anticipated the British Fashion Council has accepted the Inquiry's recommendation that girls younger than 16 be banned from fashion modelling in Great Britain. The Council has also accepted that models will need to have regular health checks. The full text of this article can be found at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/09/nmodels109.xml
Details about the British Fashion Council's Model Health Inquiry including why it was set up, how it was constituted and what it hoped to achieve, especially in regard to anorexia, can be found at the Inquiry's Internet site. This can be found at http://www.modelhealthinquiry.com/faqs.html
In November 2006, HealthPlace.com ran an article originally written for the New York Times titled, 'Models' Deaths Put Spotlight on Eating Disorders'. The article focuses on the death of Brazilian fashion model Ana Carolina Reston Macan. It looks at steps that have been taken within the fashion industry to try to prevent the recurrence of such deaths. It also presents a range of conflicting specialist opinion on the role of the fashion industry and the media generally in the causation of anorexia. The full text of this article can be found at http://www.healthyplace.com/Communities/Eating_Disorders/news_2006/death.asp
The full text of Kelsey Wood's 2004 study into the effects of media on body image and eating disorders among children can be found at http://www.uwlax.edu/URC/JUR-online/PDF/2004/wood.pdf
The report is titled, 'Effects of a Media Intervention Program on Body Image and Eating Attitudes Among Children'
Arguments against girls under 16 being fashion models 1. Using very young girls as fashion models may damage the body image of adult women
It has been argued that promoting images of extremely thin woman as attractive and the norm has had damaging effects on adult women. Using very young girls as fashion models is part of this process as these girls have a slim form and unmarked faces which it would be very difficult if not impossible for older women to seek to achieve.
This phenomenon has been described by Kesley A Woods in an article published in 2004 and titled, 'Effects of a Media Intervention Program on Body Image and Eating Attitudes Among Children'. Within the article Wood began by considering the effect of the promotion of a thin ideal on adult women. Wood stated, 'The mass marketing of body image through print media and television advertising has been well documented as a powerful force in creating the perception of the tall, thin and toned ideal for women and the medium sized, muscular ideal for men in the twentieth and twenty-first century... Irving and Berel call this epidemic the "thinning" of Western beauty ideals. This current slender beauty standard depicted in media has been documented as having an affect on body image dysphoria.
Body image dysphoria is defined as dissatisfaction and anxiety about one's body, ranging from mild to severe ... Body image dissatisfaction and dysphoria have also been linked to poor self-esteem as well as the onset of eating disorders and disordered eating habits.'
Thus Woods concludes that promoting an ideal of thinness has lead to many women being in a state of permanent body image dissatisfaction.
2. Using very young girls as fashion models may encourage anorexia
It has been claimed that promoting images of very thin models as desirable can help to encourage anorexia in the broader community. Using very young girls as models is part of a trend toward normalising extreme thinness as these girls are normally quite thin relative to what would be the expected body weight for a fully grown young woman.
An American research team led by Dr. Katherine Halmi is studying families in which two or more relatives have suffered from anorexia nervosa.
Dr Halmi has stated, 'Environmental factors such as society's emphasis on being overly thin may serve as a trigger that increases the risk in an individual who is genetically pre-disposed. Although less than half of 1 percent of all women develop this disorder, anorexia nervosa has the highest death rate of any mental illness, which makes the controlled treatment studies we will be conducting extremely important in enhancing our understanding of anorexia nervosa and in developing effective therapeutic treatment plans.'
Aimee Liu, author of 'Gaining: The Truth About Life After Eating Disorders', has argued, 'Genes create the gun. The fashion industry, images of celebrities, relationships with parents and other environmental factors load the gun. Emotional distress pulls the trigger.' As thus explained, though the fashion industry cannot be held solely responsible for the current prevalence of eating disorders, the industry clearly has played a significant role in promoting an ideal of thinness which encourages some people to become anorexic..
3. Using very young girls as fashion models may sexualise children and deprive them of necessary childhood experiences
It has been claimed that the use of young fashion models is part of a general trend toward sexualising young children. Encouraging such girls to see themselves in adult sexual terms is, it has been argued, likely to harm them in a variety of ways.
In an article published in The Age on October 10, 2006, Dr Emma Rush, a researcher at the Australia Institute and the lead author of the report Corporate Pedophilia, stated, 'Children, particularly girls, are under increasing pressure from advertisers and marketers to adopt a "sexy" persona from very young ages.' Dr Rush argued that such precocious sexualisation puts young girls at greater risk of being approached by pedophiles.
The doctor wrote, 'To sexualise children in the way that advertisers do - by dressing, posing, and making up child models in the same ways that sexy adults would be presented ... implicitly suggests to adults that children are interested in and ready for sex. This is profoundly irresponsible, particularly given that it is known that pedophiles use not only child pornography but also more innocent photos of children.'
Dr Rush has also argued, 'One less obvious risk to children as a result of an excessive focus on "sexy" appearance and behaviour is that other important aspects of their lives can suffer. The developmental period known as "middle childhood" (about six to 11 years old) is critical to children developing a sense of self and self-esteem. Children of this age are beginning to understand their place in the world, and are forming a sense of their own competence and the kinds of activities that are important. A significant part of this learning occurs through play.
If children perceive being "sexy" as important and their play times revolve around this theme (shopping, makeovers, imitating pop stars and so on) then they will miss out on other activities that better foster physical and cognitive development, such as sports, problem-solving games and imaginative play. As a result, aspects of their physical and cognitive development are likely to suffer.'
4. Very young models may be seriously harmed and their health put at risk by the experience of being fashion models
It has been claimed that the experience of being a fashion model may be harmful for a young person. In response to findings that modelling can harm young girls involved in the industry, models aged under 16 will be banned from London Fashion Week catwalks under new rules proposed in July 2007. A panel of British experts set up to investigate health problems among models also called for greater protection for 17 and 18 year-olds, including chaperoning at shows.
The panel's chairperson, Baroness Kingsmill, stated, 'The panel has set out an approach designed to protect vulnerable young workers in an industry which appears to be glamorous but which has hidden risks and that for all practical purposes is largely unregulated and unmonitored ...
During our investigations members of the panel became increasingly concerned as we heard more details about the working conditions faced by many models, and the vulnerability of young women working in an unregulated and scarcely-monitored work environment.'
The panel's work was launched by the British Fashion Council after controversy over the number of models aspiring to the US size zero - the equivalent of a UK size four. The trend appears to have begun with celebrities such as Nicole Richie dieting down to the super-thin size.
In August 2006, Uruguayan model Luisel Ramos, 22, died of heart failure after not eating for several days. Her death was followed in November by that of Ana Carolina Reston, a Brazilian model who suffered from anorexia.
5. Very young models are unable to make an informed decision about the appropriateness of fashion modelling
It has been claimed that girls younger than 16 are unlikely to recognise what is in their best interests. They may be attracted by the allure of being a fashion model without realising the stresses such a work situation is likely to place them under. This point was made in an editorial published in The Herald Sun on September 15, 2007.
The editorial states, 'Tweenie fashion model Maddison Gabriel does not think she is too young to be the face of the Gold Coast Fashion Week.
Most parents of a 12-year-old know that a child of that age is not the best person to judge if they are being exploited...
It takes stamina, nous and a very level head to survive in the modelling world.
A 12-year-old does not possess those skills. A rule that only girls aged over 16 can feature in adult fashion shows would save children such as Maddison from themselves.'
Arguments in favour of girls under 16 being fashion models 1. Many of the young girls chosen as models have adult body types
It has been claimed that the young girls being used as models are not being employed because they look like children but because they look like attractive adults.
The mother of 12-year-old Maddison Gabriel has noted that her daughter has an adult body and that her daughter and many of her friends have no option than to wear adult clothes.
Mrs Gabriel has noted, 'There's been a carry-on about Maddison wearing adult clothes. She is five foot 71/2 (173 centimetres). All of her friends buy clothes from adult shops.'
Mrs Gabriel also suggests that wishing to be a model is evidence of her daughter's social and emotional maturity. Mrs Gabriel has stated, '[As a society] we're trying to get our teenage daughters to act older. I am so happy that I've got a daughter who has got a good head on her shoulders.'
The judges who selected Maddison Gabriel as the face of Gold Coast Fashion Week were, in fact, unaware that she was only 12. Ms Gabriel acknowledged this when she stated in an interview, 'The people there (at Fashion Week) thought I was a bit older, like their age.'
2. Anorexia is not prompted simply by the example of thin fashion models
It has been argued that a problem such as anorexia has a complex causation and that it is an over-simplification to suggest that it is prompted solely or even largely by exposure to images of thin, child-like models. Rather, it has been claimed, anorexia is caused by a complex set of factors, including a desire for control and a distorted view on the part of the sufferer of his/her actual body shape.
On September 17, 2007, Amy Kirkwood, a freelance writer, argued in an opinion piece published in The Age, 'Every day women are bombarded with messages to tell them how they can be perfect. 'Lose weight', 'tone up', 'look healthier with a natural glow' are just some of the messages that appear regularly. And yet, while some people treat these as healthy assistance for their lives, others take the messages to an extreme.
Why does this happen?
It is too simplistic to just blame marketing, pop culture, the fashion industry and women's magazines... It is offensive simply to blame the media as that does not pay due respect to the intelligence of women. The time has come to promote an open discussion where all parties can come together to analyse why this is happening to our young women and how we can change.'
Similarly Eric van Furth, president of the international Academy of Eating Disorders, has stated, 'This grossly oversimplifies the issue... [Emphasising the catwalk] helps to trivialize and stigmatize the illnesses, and can prevent people from getting help.' Van Furth and other specialists maintain that a combination of genetic and psycho-social factors contribute to anorexia.
3. Young fashion models do not sexualise the childhood of other children
It has been claimed that young fashion models do not sexualise the childhood of other children. Young fashion models typically look significantly older than they are. They, in fact, look like young women, not children. Therefore, young fashion models are not promoting an inappropriate image to children. These young models' target audience is older women, not children as young as themselves.
The judges who selected Maddison Gabriel as the face of Gold Coast Fashion Week were, in fact, unaware that she was only 12. Ms Gabriel acknowledged this when she stated in an interview, 'The people there (at Fashion Week) thought I was a bit older, like their age.'
It has further been disputed that the aim of being a fashion model is to look sexually appealing. Rather, it has been claimed, the intention is that the models look sophisticated and effectively display the garments they are modelling. This point has been made by Michelle Gabriel, the mother of Maddison Gabriel. Mrs Gabriel has stated, 'This is not for her to look sexy, it's for her to look fashionable.'
Simone Hyde, the head of a modelling agency responsible for the 12-year-old girl Maddison Gabriel, has said Maddison's role would not involve anything like lingerie or bikini shoots. 'She's actually going to appear in the VIP parade on Saturday night with the other finalists and she'll be in an evening gown covered from head to toe.'
4. Young fashion models are supported by both their parents and the fashion industry
Maddison's mother, Mrs Michelle Gabriel, has stressed that she is always there to support and chaperone her daughter when she is modelling. Mrs Gabriel has stated, 'If Maddy does anything in modelling I'm there and I'm the chaperone. I think people have fears of what they perceive something is going to be, rather than what it actually is.'
Mrs Garbiel has also stressed that fashion industry representatives were supportive and respectful of young models. Mrs Gabriel has claimed that many other models from the Gold Coast area - including Catherine McNeil and Kristy Hinze - had started at a young age. Mrs Gabriel said under-age models like Maddison were chaperoned at all events.
Representatives of the fashion industry have also offered assurances that young girls working as models are properly looked after.
Simone Hyde, the head of a modelling agency responsible for the 12-year-old girl Maddison Gabriel who won a Gold Coast fashion event says she will ensure the girl is not exploited. Ms Hyde has also said she would ensure Maddison was not exploited in the future.
Simone Hyde said the judges had interviewed the girl before choosing her. 'They spoke to all the finalists and saw that Maddison was mature for her age and spoke very well, better than some of the other girls actually.'
Similarly, Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, which launches in October, has stated that models under 16 are always accompanied by a parent and 'young models should not be asked to wear sheer garments without the prior written consent from their agents and parents and/or guardians'.
The agency handling Maddison Gabriel has been specifically defended for its care and responsibility by the mother of another young model whom they have handled. The mother, Mrs Christine Thompson, has stated, 'I can't think of a better agency for "an almost 13 year old" girl to begin her career. My daughter was "discovered" by Simone Hyde almost four years ago at a Gold Coast youth event at the tender age of 14...
She bends over backwards for her girls and I am proud of the way my daughter has emerged into a successful well balanced young woman juggling both career and school. I am sure Maddison will not regret entering the competition and her family will be very pleased with the level of respect and professionalism that she will encounter.'
5. Young fashion models are likely to benefit from the experience of modelling
It has been claimed that working as fashion models is a valuable opportunity for young girls and can be the first step toward a full-time career in the industry.
Kelly Wheiler a spokesperson for Gold Coast Fashion Week has stated, 'We are not here to exploit young people at all but actually to promote and encourage young people to follow their dreams for their future and that is what we are trying to do with Maddison and we wish her luck.'
Maddison Gabriel has been reported as saying, 'It's my dream to become a top model.' Her success in becoming the face of Gold Coast Fashion Week could help to ensure that she achieves her ambition. Ms Gabriel will be a part of all future fashion week marketing, advertising and publicity campaigns over the next 12 months in the lead up to Gold Coast Fashion Week 2008.
Kelsi Thompson, an 18 year old model who began modelling at 14 with the same agency that handles Maddison Gabriel has stated. 'As a model of almost four years myself and part of fashion week this year it is such a great opportunity for young models to gain experience in the fashion world ... The fashion world I have experienced is one of professionalism and class and the Academy of Design and Ugly People Modelling Agency have always promoted this. I absolutely love modelling and becoming a model was one of the best decisions I ever made. If modelling is what Maddie loves and wants to do then I think ultimately it should be her decision.'
Further implications
The issue of the age at which young people should be able to model is more complicated than it at first appears.
Child models are regarded as uncontroversial so long as they are modelling as children, that is, modelling children's clothing. Yet, in terms of the threat of predatory behaviour from pedophiles, young children in underwear or swimwear are probably at least as at risk of attracting harmful and unwanted attention.
The problem for those who disapprove of child fashion models is in part what is referred to as the 'sexualisation of childhood'. That is, critics are discomforted by children dressing and appearing to be adults. This is actually a threefold concern.
There is concern that adult women will be harmed by attempting to acquire the slim forms and flawless complexions of models who appear to be women but are really children.
There is also concern that the child models will themselves be damaged by the pressures of the industry. This could lead to their developing eating disorders or losing their childhoods. This last concern seems to refer to a fear that these children will be lured into an adult world and adult concerns and miss some of the valuable developmental stages associated with childhood.
Finally there is concern that other children will seek to emulate these young models and will suffer the same loss of childhood attributed to the child models.
However, though many of these concerns have some validity, all seem to represent a significant oversimplification of a much more complex problem. It has repeatedly been noted that diseases such as anorexia, whether experienced by children or adults, have a complex causation and that media images play only a small part. Equally, the sexualisation of children, to the extent that it is occurring, is hardly primarily achieved within the fashion industry. Toys, film and popular music are all likely to have a much larger impact on how children perceive themselves.
However, the related issue of what protections should be put in place in an attempt to protect models from some of the pressures of their industry remains significant. It is one that countries all around the world are attempting to deal with.
Newspaper items used in the compilation of this issue outline
Herald-Sun, September 20, page 23, comment (photo) by S Morrell, `The sag in the uplift business'.
Herald-Sun, September 17, page 7, news item (photo) by G Stolz, `Mayor backs Maddison'.
Australian, September 17, page 16, comment, `Global abuse of children is the real issue'.
Age, September 16, page 8, news item by C Marcus, `Model's mum seeks apology from PM'.
Herald-Sun, September 15, page 7, news item (photos) by Ife and Lloyd-McDonald, `Model, 12, laughs off catwalk outcry'.
Herald-Sun, September 14, page 3, news item (photo of Maddison Gabriel) by G Stolz, `Our latest model just 12 years old'.
Comments posted on the Brisbane Courier Mail website from readers (in full) This appears to be a very bright, beautiful and articulate young lady who is capable of making good decisions about her own life and I think that is perfectly fabulous. Remember that not all people are the same and it appears that she has matured quicker than most her age. This sometimes happens. So why not let the young girl model if that what makes her happy.
Posted by: David Hedick of Florida - USA 4:11am September 19, 2007
Well the sad thing is she will not be able to meet a normal intelligent guy because she will bump into airhead feminine looking pretty boys all the time.
Posted by: Portia Blake of 3:02pm September 17, 2007
Pushing her child into the very grown up modelling world .... now hiring Harry M. Miller. Will this mother stop at nothing to exploit her daughter?
Posted by: Janne of Samford 1:19pm September 17, 2007
Poor little rich girl ! Maybe she won't end up getting her own way in the long run. She may have a pretty little face, but in the end she's really not that special.
Posted by: Brad Coward of Brisbane 1:07pm September 17, 2007
I seem to remember something about the young girl being mature enough to do the job. Well, with the job comes public scrutiny and if you want to be famous expect the media to pay attention to your every activity. It would seem that young Maddie is not quite as well equipped to do the job as she first expected. That's OK but mum should now reconsider her actions, not employ Harry M to make things worse for Maddie. The old saying goes, the worst form of poverty is intellectual poverty. Mum take note of what is happening around you.
Posted by: Brian of Brisbane 12:58pm September 17, 2007 Using google to find newspaper items still available on the Web
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