America's Next Top Model: positive or negative influence on the world of fashion?

While I’m on the subject of models, I figured I’d bring up everyone’s favorite fashion show, America’s Next Top Model, hosted by Tyra Banks. For those who haven’t seen or at least heard of it (which would be pretty hard unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past five years), ANTM is a reality-slash-fashion competition show that takes ten to fourteen hopeful amateur models and whittles that number down, through a series of competitions and photo shoots, to one. The lucky winner earns the title of “America’s Next Top Model.” I honestly can’t remember the names of all the past winners nor have I seen any of them in a fashion magazine lately, but nevertheless, the show is very entertaining.

While I hate to rip on a show that is pretty universally beloved, I do have one big problem with its focus. Tyra Banks has been one of the most outspoken defenders of natural beauty and “normal women” in recent years (notably telling paparazzi who snapped unflattering photos of her in a bikini to “kiss my fat ass”), but the tone of ANTM is not quite as consistent. While last season’s winner, Whitney Thompson, was “plus-sized,” several cycles have had girls who have been told to watch their weight despite their already thin frames.

Perhaps more surprising was the episode this past season where prospective top model Celia Ammerman was told by judge Paulina Porizkova that she was getting “too old” for modeling – at the age of 24.

Naturally, models are expected to be thin. Naturally, they’re supposed to look youthful. Perhaps the judges on America’s Next Top Model are only trying to be truthful about the harsh world of fashion in order to give their fledglings the best guidance possible. However, part of me feels that with such a prominent platform, perhaps Tyra and her fellow judges should try to be changing fashion stereotypes instead of reinforcing them. And again, perhaps they are changing some stereotypes – choosing a plus-sized model as winner doesn’t count for nothing. Am I being too nitpicky?