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From the "I never thought I would live to see the day that..." department...
mrfisher 111 Reviews 1876 reads
posted

The French, of all people, passing laws making it a crime to promote being "too" thin.

I must say that I have mixed feelings about this.  The law is so broad (NPI) that otherwise perfectly resonable photos could be interpreted sinisterly; and my sensiblilies regarding freedom of speech are severly bruised by this.

On the other hand, I abhor the psychological warfare against young women who are hectored by the images of super thin models and believe that they must conform or be discarded.

Click the link and see what you think.

-- Modified on 4/15/2008 12:44:27 PM

Related Link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24126072

xxmeowbabyxx442 reads

Oh boy...that's a tough one. I understand their reasoning but....  Does it not remind one of a certain someone who strived for the perfect race? Ethnic cleansing if you will? Being too thin? Remember when not being blonde haired, blue eyed, being homosexual, being mentaly retarded, being physicaly handicapped, all those things got you 'sent away'?

Yes I know I'm really reaching here.....but by making being too thin illegal, what's next? Being overweight, not having perfect teeth? Where did they come up with that idea anyway? Some old handbook from Stalin or Hitler?

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livie348 reads

I do think the real issue is forcing , pressuring or banning a woman for not being thin enough is the real point .I knew a girl once who was absolutely drop dead gorges with not an once of fat on her 6 ft frame.
With big blue eyes and natural blond hair. When she went to a model search to see if you could really be a model She was told she would have to lose 10 or 15 lbs. Believe me when I tell you the girl didn't have 10 or 15 lbs to lose if she did she would've looked skeletal. I think France is in the right direction in at lest taking a more serious look at the way woman in that industry are being treated.Just think what it would be like for you if you were told you were un employable because of the way you did or didn't look.And on order to change that you have to risk your health. just a thought.

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shudaknownbetter437 reads

A family aquaintance is a former professional ballerina...  pretty & young...  now has medical problems (bowel removed) caused by her eating disorder, never thin enough, etc.  She is a nice person & this is sad beyond words.  
skb

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zinaval234 reads


An attack on free speech, really.

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Chuck Darwin208 reads

worried about it, and now even Americans aren't.   Think of all the various American groups complaining about free speech, and who exactly is defending it?  The ACLU?  Give me a break!

As others pointed out, as admirable as the goal may be, the means are plain silly.  As if people can't figure out things for themselves, so you have to protect the emotionally hapless from what somebody else might be thinking.  So now, everybody is going to be arguing about how thin is too thin, and what is promotion.  Maybe McDonalds can make a few euro out of this, eh?

But I am gratified to see that the French can be a completely insane as we are.   Makes us more competitive - I guess.   If being competitive in an insane world is a goal.  Maybe if I can find an insane Frogette, I can get laid for free, whaddya think?

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zinaval802 reads


Even though the Supreme Court has ruled that commercial speech is protected.

So, as far as I know, the French are doing something Americans are doing-- on a different topic of health. I don't know if commercial speech is legally regarded as protected speech in France.

So, it's more complex than you have it-- but the debate comes down to free speech.

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Chuck Darwin504 reads

fag ads seem to be limited to (a) stuff that is misleading, and (b) the usual warnings about "don't actually smoke this shit unless you want lung cancer".

I suspect commercial speech gets restricted precisely because some things are patently untrue, and there's little value in that.  

While on the other hand, politics and religion are ALL patently untrue, but we know people will commit mass murder over them, and we don't want to go there too often - you know???

One of the things that concerns me is that you're going to have a panel of doctors deciding who is too fat and who is too thin, and frankly, I've been married to and defended way too many doctors to think any of them have a lick of sense.   I seriously doubt there is another group of people who is any more prone to look you in the eye and lie thru their teeth, ya know?  Even if I wouldn't mind fucking my internist's eyes right out.  Fucking and trusting are different issues!!

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ABosoxFan285 reads

Go to Google and type in "french military victories". Instead of clicking on the "Google Search" button, click on "I'm Feeling Lucky" and see the first link that is returned....
:)

Bob

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little phil384 reads

There is no such thing as too thin.




No, I'm not attempting humor.  Flame on.

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A_Einstein546 reads

http://www.wyolife.com/kerryfest/auschwitz%20prisoners.jpg

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livie525 reads

Now thats Insane!!!!!

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Nico Veneta412 reads

LOL, yes we know you love ladies who look like pencils with boobs!

Peace & kisses
Nico V

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little phil386 reads

Damn, you've got a scary good memory.  That's twice you've done that to me.  Here's a test...do you remember what the other one was?

For the record, the boobs part is optional, as long as the pencil part is working.  It just happens that in your case, both the pencil and the boobs are great.

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RinaTakami132 reads

the movie Machinist, because Christian Bale was sickly thin in it.  Personally I was impressed with how he did it, then gain it back and get beefed up for Batman.  

Seriously though, I think it'll be more beneficial to ban things like violence, drugs, smoking and drinking on the media.

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mattradd242 reads

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zisk283 reads

Neither the Machinist nor the Piano glamorizes thinness. You are supposed to be repulsed by it, as the Machinist has mental problems and the Piano IIRC is about the Holocaust (I've not seen The Piano). So if anything the French would make the Machinist required viewing, not ban it. :-)

And the name of the actor in The Piano is Adrian Brody.

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