ANTM: Finally, a winner that real girls and women can relate to
When Whitney won the title of "America's Next Top Model" Wednesday night, I shoved my right fist into the air just as actress Camryn Manheim did when she won her Emmy Award and proclaimed to the audience: "THIS is for all the FAT girls!"
Whitney Thompson isn't as full-figured as Manheim. But she is the first full-figured winner on a show spotlighting the modeling industry's unrealistic and painfully thin expectations that women should be skin-and-bones. I'd say Whitney is a Size 8 -- which is still less than the average woman's size of 12-14 in the U.S. In modeling lingo, she's a "plus-size" ... like "addition" is a four-letter word.
The odds were stacked against Whitney. She was surrounded by twigs angled into unhealthy, emaciated looking shapes: Young women with no chests and no hips and no bootie. Their average size was 0-2 ... Size 0. I've never understood how zero -- which means nothing -- can be a size.
Well, Whitney had plenty of chest and hips and bootie, and she was proud of it. ANTM, for all its push on exterior veneers, also requires personality. And Whitney had plenty of that, too. Yes, she struggled to ratchet down her tendency toward beauty pageant demeanor and, at times, a show's assignment would befuddle her.
But she won! And she hopes to be an inspiration to other young women. You can read more about her win in this story from Salon.com. All I can add is my standing ovation.
Comments:
that decision was a sham. seriously, she will not work as a top model. even with certain cities & countries attempting to pass ordinance restricting the use of super skinny models, whitney will still not fit the bill of a top model.
she is an attractive women, has curves, and will be able to work in the industry. but she's no top model.
but we're fooling ourselves if we think that the annointing of whitney as the next top model is anything but a political move for tyra banks, a statement, a headline grabber. "look, we picked the big girl!" tyra would do more for the industry if she continued to model herself. she has the reputation already established, and yet she's not trying to get out on the runway.
as for the odds being stacked against her, well, duh. that's like saying that the odds are stacked against me making a career in professional basketball. i'm not that fast, only 6' tall, shoot about 30% from the free throw line and never mind my overall shooting percentage. i don't have physical make up for the profession. my only hope would be if isaiah thomas was still w/the knicks. or if mark cuban had a contest to select the "next nba superstar."
Posted by: ed at May 15, 2008 11:45 AM
Ed, the point is that they did pick her. It is a win that can resonate with young girls and young women who too often these days are inundated with unhealthy images of what others think they should look like. You can call it a political move, but it was refreshing. And at least she has a chance of being remembered. Seriously, the past winners tend to blend in my memory, and I haven't heard how their careers are going.
Posted by: felicia matlosz at May 15, 2008 11:54 AM
Now I know I'm definitely kicking your ass at HORSE during the Blogger Olympics, Ed.
Posted by: Heather at May 15, 2008 12:02 PM
I seriously hope that this sends a message that you don't have to be waif thin to be beautiful. Fashion ain't my thing (being a guy and all), but I see how it's effecting today's youth. I pray this is a step in the right direction.
There's blogger's Olympics? Good thing I haven't posted anything to my blog since Sept. 07 otherwise I'd have to particapate and Heather would kick my ass at blog wars.
Posted by: Michael at May 15, 2008 12:25 PM
Aaaaaw, c'mon Ed, you splashed cyncism all over me. Damn it!
Seriously though Ed, you've been hanging out with me waaaaaaay too much. I'm not even that cynical about this. Small victories my friend, small victories.
Posted by: adam at May 15, 2008 12:57 PM
Ed,
As someone whose household erupted in cheers when Whitney won, I'd have to side with those in the bunch who see this as a symbolic victory.
I understand why you'd be skeptical, but I'm hoping that Whitney can carve out a career based on the fact that she is a little different from the stick-figure models who seem to be the vogue. Perhaps she can work that distinctiveness to her advantage.
Posted by: Donald Munro at May 15, 2008 3:59 PM
Unfortunately Ed's cynicism was spurred on by me, his wife, who was in a uproar all night about this bogus win.
I am however glad to see that many people took this win as a positive "you go girl" moment.
Posted by: Heather at May 15, 2008 8:57 PM
i'm glad others were excited that she won. and, i'm one of those that see it as a symbolic victory. and a publicity stunt for tyra's show.
and i'll stand by my opinion that the most qualified, most employable, and realistically next top model didn't win.
Posted by: ed at May 15, 2008 11:38 PM
About size zero...It is a result of vanity sizing. No one is getting skinnier, the clothes sizes have changed. When I am shopping for vintage clothing I am a size two, but at the mall I am now a double zero. (Which by the way in the last few years has changed- I have the same body but six years ago I was a single zero.) It is extremely embarrassing to have to ask for a zero, and have it not fit; it makes me feel like I'm a zero-a nothing. I get that there is a "standard image of beauty" that this country is fighting against, but I think we need to realize that it is a two way street, for every woman who is buying plus sized clothes -which is just as bad as a zero- there is an adult woman being told to try the little girls section and getting every pair of pants she buys hemmed, and buying bra inserts to fill out the top that is only too big in the bust.
Posted by: Lisi at May 18, 2008 12:50 PM
I have also notice that the size have changed. I have to wear a belt for a pair of pants i bought that was the same size of a pair of pants i bought several years ago. So i definitely notice the size change. It is all about vanity, except i am pissed because now when i buy the right size i have to wear a freakin belt when i should have to.
Posted by: John at May 19, 2008 3:07 PM
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