Models on TikTok are saying, 'F--- the modeling industry.'

Brut America

"We're really just clothing hangers with no basic human needs."  These models are calling out toxic patterns in the fashion industry.

Transcript

00:00And welcome to my new series, Times When Modeling Has Sucked.

00:03Number one, professional full-time models aren't offered healthcare.

00:06At the end of the day, we're really just clothing hangers with no basic human need.

00:09The modeling industry.

00:14The series where I disclose times I've been attacked,

00:16times I've been assaulted, times I've been harassed.

00:19My very first shoot in the modeling industry, I was kind of introduced to drugs.

00:26I began modeling when I was 15, and I was scouted by my mother agency.

00:32When I very first started modeling, I remember my agent told me that

00:37I was perfect, but my legs were a little too muscular.

00:42After the initial ego trip of, you know, being told,

00:46oh, you're so beautiful, we want to sign you with our agency.

00:50That's when, you know, the roller coaster is at its top.

00:53And then, oh, but you need to lose weight.

00:56You need to grow a little bit more.

00:57It just starts kind of declining.

00:59And then it'll go back up when you book a job.

01:02Then it'll go back down when another client says,

01:05no, she's not thin enough.

01:07She's not tall enough.

01:08She's not this.

01:08She's not that.

01:09I personally know almost no models who have never been

01:16pressured in one way or another to change their body.

01:19And that goes for straight size fashion models.

01:21And that also goes for other size models.

01:23Your perception of yourself is constantly being twisted and changed.

01:28And you think, oh, wow, I'm so wanted.

01:30And then the next day it's, I'm so ugly.

01:33I'm so disgusting.

01:34I need to lose five pounds.

01:37I need to stop eating.

01:39It's the worst thing that can happen to your brain as a teenager.

01:44I think this is affecting me mentally.

01:48Like long term, it's gonna with me.

01:51I've been told to do cocaine, to lose weight from by my agent.

01:55Been told weekly.

01:56Been under a lot of pressure to lose weight by my agencies.

01:59I developed PTSD.

02:00I've been told whilst I was underage to just have lots of sex to lose weight.

02:14I've been recommended this diet three different times throughout my modeling career.

02:21Egg whites in the morning and halo top in the evening.

02:24And that's it.

02:25I myself have suffered from bulimia.

02:28And the thing is, it is virtually impossible not to.

02:33Because you're always being critiqued.

02:35The one time I was told that I looked really good was when I was extremely underweight

02:41at 5'8", 103 pounds.

02:44And that's when they were like, oh, you look amazing.

02:48At the exact same time, my hair was falling out.

02:51My skin was starting to flake off because I wasn't having the nutrients I needed.

02:57I was throwing up.

02:59I think what hurts me the most about it is that so many models are hurting so bad on the inside.

03:06And they are portraying this image that is supposed to be the ideal or perfect.

03:13And that is affecting so many more people than just the person on the other side of the image.

03:24No.

03:27Ooh.

03:31Yeah, that's the one.

03:32Two times I did post-topless.

03:34I think I was 16.

03:36And then another time I was 17.

03:38When you're in the moment of at a photo shoot and photographers or stylists are just kind

03:42of barking these orders at you like, oh, yeah, just take the top off really, really quick.

03:47Take the top off.

03:47You don't really get a chance to think about the implications of like, I'm taking my top off.

03:54I'm a minor.

03:55This is not OK.

03:57Men or women, people who are predators, know how to find loopholes.

04:02And so a very, very common loophole is finding a new model who has not been in the industry

04:11for very long and will do anything to shoot with a good photographer, get good photos,

04:19build their portfolio, find opportunities.

04:22And these photographers know this.

04:24And they'll promise them the world.

04:26And then they'll take advantage of them.

04:28It's very unsettling to know that there are pictures of me underage,

04:34naked out there where my private parts are on full display.

04:38I've had a few people ask me, why am I speaking up now about the fashion industry?

04:42Why didn't I speak up sooner?

04:43There's always that fear that it will hurt their career.

04:49Another thing that has happened was that they will actually make their models sign

04:54NDAs to where they can't legally cannot talk about it.

04:58If a brand doesn't want to work with me or if a photographer doesn't want to work with me

05:02because I'm posting how not to get exploited or hurt in the industry

05:10or how to remain healthy or things like that, then I don't want to work with them either.

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