苗条并不是T型台的永恒标准。西班牙马德里政府近日发出禁令，禁止过于纤瘦的模特在本月底举行的马德里时装周上走秀表演，原因是担心她们给年轻的女孩传递“错误的信息”。时装周组织者认为，一些女性观众会羡慕那些瘦骨嶙峋的模特而盲目减肥，导致饮食紊乱。这是时装界首次对模特的体重进行如此要求，马德里政府希望此举能鼓励时装秀展现模特们美丽健康的形象，而不是消瘦颓废的“乞丐”或“吸毒者”。

The world's first ban on overly thin models at a top-level fashion show in Madrid has caused outrage¹ among modeling agencies and raised the prospect² of restrictions³ at other catwalk pageants⁴.

Madrid's fashion week has turned away underweight models after protests that young girls and women were trying to copy their rail-thin looks and developing eating disorders⁵.

Organizers say they want to project an image of beauty and health, rather than a waif-like, or heroin⁶ chic⁷ look.

But Cathy Gould, of New York's Elite⁸ modeling agency, said the fashion industry was being used as a scapegoat⁹ for illnesses like anorexia¹⁰ and bulimia.

"I think its outrageous¹¹, I understand they want to set this tone of healthy beautiful women, but what about discrimination against the model and what about the freedom of the designer," said Gould, Elite's North America director, adding that the move could harm careers of naturally "gazelle-like" models.

Madrid's regional government, which sponsors the show and imposed restrictions, said it did not blame designers and models for anorexia. It said the fashion industry had a responsibility to portray¹² healthy body images.

"Fashion is a mirror and many teenagers imitate what they see on the catwalk," said regional official Concha Guerra.

The mayor of Milan, Italy, Letizia Moratti told an Italian newspaper this week she would seek a similar ban for her city's show unless it could find a solution to "sick" looking models.

(Agency)

Vocabulary:

catwalk pageants: 走秀表演

scapegoat: 替罪羊

anorexia: 厌食

bulimia: 易饥症，特征是偶尔无控制地暴食，继而又感到沮丧、难过和自责，这常与为减肥而采取的措施，如节食或禁食有关