I've never really had much of an opinion when it came to Tyra Banks. She's kind of always flown under the radar with me. Sure I love America's Next Top Model because of the clothes, and I think the fact she has her own talk show is ridiculous, but I was in a neither like or dislike state when it came to Tyra.But in the past few weeks Tyra has decided to take on the world who would call her fat, and fight back. I applaud this. I think she looks hot on the cover of this magazine, and yes, if someone wants to call that fat, they need their eyes, head and entire sense of social consciousness examined. (Baring in mind of course, this photo was more than likely photoshoped and airbrushed until the computer nearly exploded, but nonetheless...)
Then this week she delivered her rant which admittedly had me a little teary by the end. It was clearly heartfelt, and I don't believe for one second she didn't mean every word of it. I respect her for taking on the naysayers that would call a woman who wears a size six fat, simply because she looks like she might have eaten in the last month or two.
But on the flip side, I can't but help think Miss Tyra is being more than a little hypocritical. After all she is the creator, host and demi-god of America's Next Top Model, a show that has chewed and spit out every attempt the show has made to cast a slightly larger sized model. The end result of her show is invariably the same - stick thin wins. Every single time.
It's kind of like a reformed alcoholic owning a liquor store. Sure she can say that she's seen the error of her ways and realized that beautiful doesn't have to mean thin, but then why does she continue to perpetuate the cycle? It seems to me that Tyra should get off her own soapbox and start setting an example.
In the world of fashion, I would assume that Tyra Banks has the power to make or break a model's career. So why then doesn't she choose a woman who actually looks like a woman and try and make her career?
Sure it won't work right away; there will be people who will recoil at the idea. It may take years for even one person in the fashion world to take notice. In fact it may be the hardest thing Tyra ever does, but she is the only one with the resources to do it. I could shout from the top of the mountain, but no one is going to hear me.
So Tyra, take that anger and channel it into something that actually means something. I know it won't be easy, but that's how positive change is made in this world. With someone trying, working and taking it one little step at a time.
