I did my usual perusing of NYMag.com a few days ago to find America’s Next Top Model on the homepage, with a picture of some beautiful girl and the headline that “Miss Tyra threw a curveball” by selecting the first-ever plus-sized model to win. I haven’t seen the show in many a season, because Tyra Banks continued to be Tyra Banks and you can only see a marathon so many times, but needless to say, I was intrigued.
I frowned and scrolled back up to the picture. Hm. Come to think of it, her legs don’t look like they could be snapped in two by a twelve-year-old. But plus-sized? She didn’t really look plus-sized. I was perplexed. The consistent theory was that this “oversized” model was picked from the beginning as part of Tyra’s personal agenda to make reality TV history. Or something. Making a point that you don’t have to be skinny to be pretty.
It’s a great message, it is. Except this Whitney character really isn’t not skinny. But in the context of an industry full of waifs, she instantly becomes the fat girl. It’s like picking the hottest guy in a classroom only to find that he’s less attractive on the street among other civilians; you can’t base your judgment of a person in the confines of one element. Read More »




You know it’s going to be a long week when the only thing you have to look forward to is the season finale of
The tensions are as high as their heels this week, with four models left competing for the title of America’s Next Top Model.
Like me, if you settled into the couch Wednesday night, popcorn in hand, awaiting some supermodel drama, you were probably disappointed to find that
There are a few pick-me-ups I rely on to get me through a rough week of classes and work—beer, Red Bull, my weekly belly dancing class, and of course…Tyra Banks! In case you missed your hump-day dose of impossibly thin and tall women participating in totally unrealistic but nonetheless enthralling photo shoots, I’m here to catch you up.
10 models left and a whole lot of drama to look forward to. That’s right, it’s time for your
Everyone knows that the fashion industry can be bitchy, but now there are reports that it actually might be racist.