I'm curious as to whether or not male models (of any size) are subjected to the same level of scrutiny and demands as their female counterparts?

It's my belief that it's a retro bit of misinformation to claim that fat-laden foods are damaging. People don't suffer from eating fat-laden foods like oil, nuts, cheese, avocados, or even red meat, they suffer from the sugar, sweeteners, and refined flours that are put into literally every processed food - those are what strain the body and cause uneven energy levels and cravings. As Robert H. Lustig has pointed out, America significantly cut back on the fat and we're still gaining weight and getting sick.

The bottom line with modeling and the fashion industry is that the sample sizes used for photo shoots have to fit the models ! I agree that modeling can be a corrosive and unhealthy business, that absolutely creates unrealistic ideals. Changing this from within is a huge challenge. The explosion of plus size models in the mainstream is a start, I think. It is interesting to me that the plus size models are actual adults -- unlike high fashion models who are often too young to even have a drivers license. BUT -- models are selected for how well they photograph. A model that does not fit the clothes, even if she is an absolute beauty will not get much work. 

The same demands are placed on women who work as fit models -- their measurements must remain consistent. How clothing fits is based on a particular company's research about their client demographics. It is easy to think that the fashion industry can and should instantly accommodate all sizes and shapes. However -- a business based on a specialty line for petites probably won't start making clothing for tall women, for example.

This isn't remotely surprising, as thin models are held to the same standards, more or less.  To be honest, I think what needs to change is the society that tells us "this woman is important because she wears clothes in the vicinity of a camera" as opposed to "this woman is important because she is talented, intelligent, or driven."

to be honest (and I'm not asking people to agree) The whole idea of modelling as a profession depends on having a 'standard' otherwise, couldn't anybody do it? then there wouldn't really be a career for women in modelling. I don't necessarily believe that standard necessarily implies that certain body types are worthless, I just think it comes with the territory.. If you are selling yourself as a brand, you'd essentially have to manipulate your physical body the way you would a product. There IS danger in that but it seems to go right in hand with the business.

With all the talk that's been here about sizes, it really begs the question: why is this even a profession to begin with? It would be a thousand times more effective to put the clothes on robots or mannequins than it is to try a human being into a robot or mannequin.

I am a fit model, myself, though a junior medium/contemporary 6 size. And it's true that even a half inch can make or break me. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. The reason a fit model exists is to keep fit in a certain line of clothing consistent. If I lose a half inch in my hips or put on a half inch in my bust mid-season, and the patternmakers fit to my new body, the clothing will fit differently. My job is to remain consistent, so that when I put on a dress or a pair of pants, I can say with confidence, "hey, is the armhole a little small?" and have the patternmaker check and say, "why, yes, it's a quarter inch off," and I will say, "well let's have that quarter inch back, because it's not comfortable this way." I am supposed to be a neutral version of my particular size. In an ideal world, whoever would normally wear a junior medium, whether they're a little bigger or smaller than me in the bust/hips/arms, etc, should fit into something that was fit on me.

Our jobs as fit models is not to be perfect, but to be consistent, and a neutral version of whatever size we are fitting for. I'm sure any fit model will tell you this. It is the least mind-fucking side of the fashion industry there is. We do not go home feeling "fat" or "ugly" unless we are actually working with mean people who deliberately make us feel so, and that's rare, at least in my own experience. Otherwise, most of us keep our measurements and look as good as we can within reason, and depend on our measurements and knowledge of patternmaking and fashion to keep us in the industry as long as we can.

I think we all consider ourselves a bit like athletes. Our bodies have to be in the right shape or we can't do our job right. We work out, and yes, we pad (indeed, I do use "cutlets" occasionally, and even use Spanx occasionally, for certain clients -- but it's not a shameful secret: we are asked to by some, for the fit to be larger or smaller). We're professionals.

(Ironically, I was once told to PUT ON weight or lose my job. You bet I did. I was too skinny, anyway. Much happier now.)

Thanks for putting this together Amanda and opening up the discussion about the realities of plus modeling in the fashion industry -Tiffany from BIG SEXY