Notebook: The Thin Law (CBS News)

France is considering a landmark law which would outlaw extreme thinness. Katie Couric says that the courts should not regulate body weight, although parents must urge their children to stay healthy. (CBSNews.com)

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• Anorexia
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• Eating
• Disorder

[wigglesmalibu]

How about a law banning gross obesity ......or at least a tax on fat people for the added health care costs. After all we tax the fcuk out of smokers.

[her243]

bull shit!!

smoking has nothing to do with it !!

take a look at Australia (where i hail from) a hell of a lot of us smoke and apparently were 'fatter then America'

^.^

[GraceMartini]

@WildChildFL I'm sorry, but American models are just as emaciated as European ones. Apparently it's only the European designers who give a damn (i.e. Milan designers do not allow models with a BMI lower than 18 (I think) to work their runways).

[WildChildFL]

Who gives a crap what a bunch of clueless, effete, sissy French designers think? You know for sure that if real American men were designing the women's couture that defines "high fashion" you'd see models with hips. And breasts. And rears.

[WildChildFL]

Since Katie does a masterful job of skewing the point of the legislation, I'll reiterate. The law is NOT legislating body weight. It IS legislating by a modest fine the encouragement of unhealthy lifestyles. Just like fining the movie makers for showing adolescents smoking.

Funny, though, if Obama were to legislate something like this we can be sure Katie would be right there with all the other sheeple applauding....way to expose your bias Katie!

[randommagnum]

Sounds like something Obama would try to foist on America if he thought he could pull it off.

[Marictdude]

CBS news? Crap, I thought only fox news does this.

Well I guess saying opinions on Mainsteam News is just a norm now...

[xariiiku]

wow if they passed a law like this, a lot of people with eating disorders would probably commit suicide

[SWEETAPACHE1030]

Realiatically, I was 12 when I developed my eating disorder! There were various reasons. Fashion week had nothing to do with it. Wrong influences at the WRONG time in my life did. At 12, I didn't have a name for it & thought I'd created the perfect way to deal with my feelings without feeling them. It wasn't about "being thin" at 1st, but that later became my means of control when I had nothing else. My disorder was for coping, BUT images in the media influenced me GREATLY as I lost control!

[martikaalexis]

I think its important to remember all that, and be realistic. I don't know a lot of 12yr olds who watch fashion week and want to emulate french models, but I do know that people are always going to want to be skinny and will go to extremes for it. We can't blame models, or punish designers. It's not going to solve anything. It's just publicity

[misstiggykins]

I agree that EDs are caused by a combination of factors - as you have described. However, there is a lot of research evidence that supports the concept that these illnesses are sustained by biological factors as well as personality traits. Indeed, personality traits are in part determined by inherent characteristics, as well as being shaped by social factors. If you send me a personal message I can provide you with a list or references from peer reviewed research papers.

[SWEETAPACHE1030]

Actually...There is no single cause for eating disorders. Although concerns about weight and body shape play a role in all eating disorders, the actual cause of these disorders appear to result from many factors, including cultural and family pressures and emotional and personality disorders. Genetics and biologic factors MAY also play a role. I hope this speaks to you because you are simply not giving any facts. You are giving an opinion that isn't fully supported.