Ooo, la.* The French are considering legislating against promoting excessive thinness. The bill would make it illegal for any entity “to publicly incite extreme thinness,” according to the AP. (And this.)
The law would give judges the power to imprison and fine offenders up to about $50,000 if found guilty of “inciting others to deprive themselves of food” to an “excessive” degree.
I am dubious. I don’t think any amount of legislation can overcome a mindset that is so entrenched in America and Europe as thinness = beauty, at least not in my lifetime. If I could be convinced that it will made a difference for my granddaughers, then I’ll certainly get my ample behind behind it. But it would be nearly impossible to enforce.
*I actually had a friend who lived in France for years and she did NOT say, “Ooo, la la.” She said, “Ooo, la.” So there. (I’m feeling very French these days, for some reason…)
April 16, 2008 at 4:54 pm
You, know, I disagree a bit there. The French (and the Italians of course) have a great deal of power through the high fashion houses. The last time I was in Paris (okay 5 years ago) the French women were as always chic well dressed but not overly thin or overly thick…just well groomed and healthy in appearance.
In the U. S. we already have some major celebrities (beautiful ones) standing up and shouting back. The European girls I have hosted thought the entire waif image was silly. This will only stop when inch by inch we start to put weight back onto beauty icons. Every bit helps.
I think I will check in with LallaLydia who is very up on things French and fashionable and with Polly-Vous Francais? American in France to see what they say.
Thanks for posting this topic…we need to discuss it.
April 16, 2008 at 11:11 pm
But it’s only been entrenched for the past several decades. I actually have a feeling that the pendulum may be swinging back now.
April 19, 2008 at 1:43 am
Well, to my mind, even if legislation cannot quite take care of an issue, the very fact that there is a legislation shows that the issue is of importance and that a large number of people out there kind of support it–why else would politicians(elected representatives of the people after all) get involved in such an issue.