France’s Parliament is taking action to put a stop to the ongoing emergence of models suffering from eating disorders in the fashion industry.
France’s Parliament has now made it a crime to use anorexic models or encourage anorexia, which will hopefully help in protecting not only models, but also teenagers from the glorification of dangerously thin women, according to the Denver Post.
“It’s not just about protecting the models but also teenagers, because this body-image pressure also affects them and contributes to the emergence of eating disorders and tendencies to eat less and less,” stated Olivier Veran, a neurologist and legislator who supported the new law.
Under law, models will now have to show they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) above a certain level, according to BBC News. Those who are unable to pass the level will reportedly not be able to work as a catwalk model.
The law would further protect models as agencies will reportedly be “severely punished” if they force models to undergo excessive weight loss, according to Veran.
“The idea behind this law is not to send people to prison or fine them,” stated Veran.
He continued, “The law will be dissuasive enough to make sure that the health of people working in the modeling industry is protected.”
An estimated 40,000 people reportedly suffer from anorexia in France. Nine out of 10 of them are reportedly women and girls.
Those who are running pro-anorexia websites have also reportedly been targeted in a related amendment that was adopted earlier this week.
“When you have websites dedicated to helping you hide from your family, your doctor, your friends that you are not eating, throwing up after meals or taking laxatives, when you have websites detailing what is it to be a perfect anorexic by telling you how to ingest cotton balls, drink tea and let them swell in your stomach to block your appetite, we are faced with a problem,” explained Veran.
