苗條并不是T型臺的永恒標準。西班牙馬德里政府近日發出禁令，禁止過于纖瘦的模特在本月底舉行的馬德里時裝周上走秀表演，原因是擔心她們給年輕的女孩傳遞“錯誤的信息”。時裝周組織者認為，一些女性觀眾會羨慕那些瘦骨嶙峋的模特而盲目減肥，導致飲食紊亂。這是時裝界首次對模特的體重進行如此要求，馬德里政府希望此舉能鼓勵時裝秀展現模特們美麗健康的形象，而不是消瘦頹廢的“乞丐”或“吸毒者”。

In this file photo a model wears a Rosa Cha creation as part of the Spring 2007 Fashion Week in New York September 10, 2006. The world's first ban on overly thin models at a top-level fashion show in Madrid has caused outrage among modeling agencies and raised the prospect of restrictions at other venues. The world's first ban on overly thin models at a top-level fashion show in Madrid has caused outrage among modeling agencies and raised the prospect of restrictions at other catwalk pageants. 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 disorders. Organizers say they want to project an image of beauty and health, rather than a waif-like, or heroin chic look. But Cathy Gould, of New York's Elite modeling agency, said the fashion industry was being used as a scapegoat for illnesses like anorexia and bulimia. "I think its outrageous, 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 portray 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: 厭食 bulimia: 易饑癥，特征是偶爾無控制地暴食，繼而又感到沮喪、難過和自責，這常與為減肥而采取的措施，如節食或禁食有關 （英語點津陳蓓編輯）