Our modern tabloid culture has helped perpetuate some pretty bizarre body image standards, as the media's intense scrutiny of size-zero Eva Longoria proves. Tabloids are constantly looking for the first opportunity to pick apart a celebrity, whether she's fat, wearing a frumpy outfit, doing something 'normal' like shopping for groceries, or showing signs of pregnancy.
In the November issue of Allure, Eva Longoria answers the questions surrounding her recent weight gain. I'll spoil the surprise: She's not pregnant, and she's still a size zero. Unfortunately, despite wearing the same size clothing as always, her weight gain is considered big enough news to discuss on television and in magazines.
Eva Longoria's weight gain is the latest in a downward spiral of what is considered a socially acceptable body weight. Around the world, pin-thin models still dominate fashion magazines and catwalks--except for in Madrid, where they've been banned from the catwalk.
Jennifer Love Hewitt had the opportunity to encourage adolescents to embrace their curves after less-than-flattering photos of her on the beach surfaced, but weeks later, a new crop of photos showed off her newly-svelte frame. When questioned about her weight gain, Eva Longoria candidly replied on French television that she wasn't pregnant, just fat. While she may have been kidding, the joke didn't translate to tabloids stateside, with her own 'Desperate Housewives' costar calling Eva Longoria fat--check out the video to see what I mean.
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Trend Themes
1. Body Image Standards - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop inclusive and diverse representations of body types in the fashion and media industries to challenge traditional beauty standards.
2. Celebrity Scrutiny - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create platforms and initiatives that promote body positivity and mental wellbeing in the face of intense media scrutiny.
3. Banning Thin Models - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Foster an environment in the fashion industry that embraces diverse body shapes and sizes, following Madrid's example of banning excessively thin models from the catwalk.
Industry Implications
1. Fashion - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Implement body-positive marketing and advertising strategies to represent a wider range of body types in fashion campaigns.
2. Media - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop media literacy programs and initiatives that educate and empower individuals to challenge unhealthy body image standards perpetuated by the media.
3. Wellness - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create innovative wellness platforms and services that focus on mental health and body acceptance, supporting individuals in navigating societal pressures.