Size zero models…
I received the LibDem London Assembly group missive yesterday, the first article is full of typical politician idiocy-
It calls for the Mayor and sponsors to withdraw funding from London Fashion Week because of the refusal to ban size zero models. Whatever the merits of the arguments for or against such models being allowed, I have huge problems with the statement.
The two fundamental errors which are made are to assume that the Mayor has a duty to protect the health of londoners - that is not true. Government arguably has a responsibility for general public health issues but there is no responsibility to look after our health, that is up to the individual. The state has no responsibility for my actions - I have responsibility for them, to pretend otherwise is to increase servitude to the state.
The second point is that we should be calling for the Mayor to withdraw funding from the event, but not because of some decision revolving around horribly skinny women, but on the principle that we should not be handing out tax payers money to private concerns like that. Instead of Ken taking our money by force and lavishing it upon events most of us don’t care about, how about reducing taxes and letting us spend our own money on such events if we wish?
The state has no place in funding such events, it has no place funding art or ‘culture’, we should oppose the spending on tax payer’s money on such events on principle.
If you wish to make pronouncements on this issue, by all means do so, but don’t do it in such a way as to undermine individual responsibility.
This is basic, fundamental liberalism. The state forcing its will on others and spending money on private commercial concerns should be opposed on principle. Size zero models are not causing direct harm to others, it is not government’s place to force restrictions upon them - what comes next? Force feeding?
If there is enough public pressure then the sponsors will withdraw sponsorship, interference by politicians tends towards unintended consequences and increased power for those politicians, something which should be resisted at every turn.
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January 30th, 2007 at 5:40 pm
I think the counter-argument is that the modelling industry is causing harm to women and particularly to teenage girls by socialising them to believe that a distorted parody of the natural human physique is an ideal type to which they should aspire.
And what I think of THAT is the subject of my latest post on Liberal Polemic…
February 16th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
I feel that too many young girls want to be “noticed” leading onwards to wanting to be “famous” one day. There’s nothing wrong with that, but when it involves damage to their health or even a risk to their life in seeking their goal then, that is where any responsible parent, friend or employer should say No! After all, it is not what nature intended us to be - a walking skeleton and so many youngsters (especially the females) are like sheep and follow on regardless of the consequencies. Fashion is an ‘industry’ and the health & safety at work act should therefore apply. From a man’s point of view, a skeleton wrapped with a thin layer of skin is not at all attractive.