While browsing the news web sites this morning, I saw the following headline on MSNBC.com:

France may ban promoting extreme thinness

Bill would make it illegal to encourage ultra-skinny models

Here is an excerpt from the story:

PARIS - The French parliament’s lower house adopted a groundbreaking bill Tuesday that would make it illegal for anyone — including fashion magazines, advertisers and Web sites — to publicly incite extreme thinness.

The National Assembly approved the bill in a series of votes Tuesday, after the legislation won unanimous support from the ruling conservative UMP party. It goes to the Senate in the coming weeks.

Fashion industry experts said that, if passed, the law would be the strongest of its kind anywhere. Leaders in French couture are opposed to the idea of legal boundaries on beauty standards.

I was surprised to see this.  I know that last year fashion shows in Spain banned ultra-thin models so this isn’t a new concept but to see an actual law being considered is surprising to me.  Then again, this is France and they have a different political climate than we do here in the United States.  While I don’t think that the ultra-thin fad is healthy, especially to young and impressionable girls, I don’t think enacting legislation is going to put a stop to the fad.

While I never suffered from an eating disorder, several of my friends did in junior high and high school.  Bulimia seemed to be the popular trend among many of my classmates; I’m an emetophobe so the thought of becoming Bulimic like my friends just never entered my mind.

I’m curious, what are your thoughts on banning thinness?  Do you think it is an appropriate step for a government to take?  Do you think it will have an impact on the fad?  Talk to me! 

Read the entire MSNBC.com article here:  France May Ban Promoting Extreme Thinness