I'm really glad that Glamour interviewed her as well as putting up some behind-the-scenes photos from the same shoot. It's amazing what lighting, cameras, and styling (as well as retouching) can do to make a healthy woman look sick.
GLAMOUR: You told me that your worry was that girls would look at those thin-looking pictures of you and think that you were glamorizing extreme skinniness.
CRYSTAL RENN: Yes. That was a huge fear for me. I thought, "People are going to think that I'm sick—and maybe a girl who’s suffering from an eating disorder sees a picture like this and gives up hope.” People who have followed my story and heard my voice might think I’ve turned my back on that, and that it’s only beautiful to be thin. They’re not going to know where I stand right now, and I understand that. Because if I were in their shoes looking at this picture, I would be disturbed. I would absolutely be disturbed.
GLAMOUR: What would your message be, then, to that girl looking at this picture?
CRYSTAL RENN: I would tell her: I don’t look like that. I absolutely do believe in beauty at every size. And I’d tell her you can’t look at every image you see in this industry and say, "That's exactly how that person looks," because they don’t necessarily look like that. I mean, there is extreme retouching. There is amazing, very expensive clothing that is cut just right to flatter the body. People have trainers and go to great lengths for their bodies. And for that girl who’s thinking she has to be so thin to be accepted? You don’t. It’s not true. I starved myself to be successful, when in fact my real success only came when I became more confident.
8 comments
OMG There is such a huge difference between the ad photos and the behind the scenes ones...Just goes to show that in no way can the real people compare themselves to what they see in magazines, after everything has been lit, angled, and airbrushed to "perfection". That actually makes me a little sick that there is that much difference between the two shots.
ReplyIt makes me a bit sick as well -- but part of me really thinks that a model who has made a point of stating that being larger is healthy should have a bit more control over her image and how it is used.
ReplyIf that means fewer jobs, or less pay, well I'd do it on principle.
I doubt any little girl or woman looking at the photos would think well "they did this or that to make her look thinner." The initial impact sticks with that girl when she goes to lunch with her friends and sucks on a piece of lettuce.
If it wasn't for the color photos, I would have thought she was practically starving herself. Media has such an impact on our society. It's a tragedy how in some instances they put it to use the wrong way.
ReplyIt'd be great if some of these magazines would post the retouched photo next to the unretouched photo. I mean, they say they're in the business of making women look beautiful, but what about all the women left feeling unbeautiful because of their trickery?
ReplyHey... just wanted to thank you for your comment on my last post. I totally agree about the world needing less judgement and just more love! Amen!! Have a great week!
Reply~Margene
Margene--thanks for the comment. Few wars have ever been started because there was too much peace, acceptance, and love. Just sayin....
Replymmmmmm! i love crystal renn.
Replyjust found you on paula's blog!
Hi Alexia! Welcome to my blog!
ReplySo which Crystal Renn do you like? Model Size/anorexic? plus size (12-14) or where she seems to be now (10-12)?
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