France bans super skinny models

Share
The move by France, with its fashion and luxury industries worth tens of billions of euros, comes after a similar ban by Israel in 2013, while other countries, like Italy and Spain, rely on voluntary codes of conduct to protect models.
The measure is part of a campaign against anorexia by President Francois Hollande's government. Lawmakers also made it illegal to condone anorexia and said any re-touched photo that alters the bodily appearance of a model for commercial purposes must carry a message stating it had been manipulated.
"The activity of model is banned for any person whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is lower than levels proposed by health authorities and decreed by the ministers of health and labour," the legislation says.
The lawmaker behind the bill previously said models would have to present a medical certificate showing a BMI of at least 18, about 55 kg (121 lb) for a height of 1.75 metres (5.7 feet), before being hired for a job and for a few weeks afterwards.
The law, voted through the lower house of parliament by Hollande's Socialist majority despite opposition by conservative parliamentarians, envisages imprisonment of up to six months and a fine of 75,000 euros ($82,000) for any agency contravening it.
A second measure means that any website inciting a reader to "seek excessive thinness by encouraging eating restrictions for a prolonged period of time, resulting in risk of mortality or damage to health" will face up to a year in prison and fines of up to 100,000 euros.
Elite and IMG, two big modelling agencies present in France, both declined to comment on the moves.
Some 30,000-40,000 people in France suffer from anorexia, most of them teenagers, health experts estimate.
In 2010, Isabelle Caro, an anorexic 28-year-old former French fashion model, died after posing for a photographic campaign to raise awareness about the illness.
- Pakistan becomes a full member of the international olive council09:53 PM | 22 May, 2022
- Impact of Climate Change on Mango Production in Pakistan08:30 PM | 19 May, 2022
- Pakistan agriculture facing severe water shortage06:33 AM | 16 May, 2022
- Effects of severe heat wave on crops in Pakistan06:17 PM | 11 May, 2022
- What can farmers do to increase the efficiency of fertilizers?07:21 PM | 6 May, 2022
- All educational institutions to remain closed in Rawalpindi tomorrow09:28 PM | 25 May, 2022
- Another child paralyzed as Pakistan reports fourth polio case of 202208:44 PM | 25 May, 2022
- HSA, UNFPA mark Int'l day of Midwife 2022 and day to end Obstetric ...08:14 PM | 25 May, 2022
- Pakistan Army strongly condemns sentencing of Kashmiri leader Yasin ...08:01 PM | 25 May, 2022
- PTA clears the air on blocking internet services amid political ...07:36 PM | 25 May, 2022
- Amar Khan and Momal Sheikh's hilarious BTS video goes viral06:45 PM | 25 May, 2022
- ‘Pawri girl’ Dananeer Mobeen's new video goes viral02:07 PM | 25 May, 2022
- Coke Studio 14 sets new popularity records in India04:44 PM | 25 May, 2022
- Five best Pakistani YouTube channels that would make your Ramadan ...12:24 PM | 15 Apr, 2022
- Where does Pakistan stand in most powerful passport list in 2022? ...08:37 PM | 5 Apr, 2022
- International Women's Day - Pakistani women who made a mark globally!09:55 PM | 8 Mar, 2022
- ‘Hybrid regime’: Pakistan among worst nations on EIU's Democracy ...01:22 PM | 12 Feb, 2022