Former supermodel and entrepreneur Tyra Banks continues to vocally support Vogue after their 19 editors announced a ban on skinny models who “appear to have an eating disorder.”
“Vogue believes that good health is beautiful. Vogue Editors around the world want the magazines to reflect their commitment to the health of the models who appear on the pages and the well-being of their readers,” said Conde Nast International Chairman Jonathan Newhouse in a statement via Huffington Post.
Tyra wrote an open letter on the Daily Beast in solidarity with Vogue – read an excerpt below:
“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.”
The former Victoria’s Secret Angel continued, “I would love for models to be protected by a guild. Even when I was a teen model, I didn’t think it was fair that I had to enter the acting world to get insurance. When I went to Paris after graduating high school, I saw a model who was 12 years old without any supervision. That wouldn’t happen in the acting world. There needs to be more industrywide protections for models, and we need to be more consistent with what the acting world does: protect our minors, as well as the health and well-being of models.”
“To young girls everywhere, it’s sad that our bodies go in and out of style, just like fashion trends. One season we’re supposed to be a zero, and the next you’re supposed to be a six. Then you’re supposed to have a six-pack, but wait, now you’re supposed to be juicy … with a booty! It makes us feel crazy. Many of you are saying, “What the heck am i supposed to be?” Exactly who you are right now: that’s who you need to be.”
Yesterday morning Tyra stopped by Good Morning America and had this to say:
What do you think of Vogue’s ban on skinny models?
