Body Positive Victory: 'Top Model' Wins Lawsuit After Being Told 'Nice Face But Fat Ass'

 When are these modeling agencies going to learn? Ananda Marchildon, a winner of Holland's Next Top Model has won a lawsuit against Elite Model Management after she was fired for being too fat with hips that were a full two centimeters larger than the agency wanted. Apparently, she didn't lose enough weight, and was not up to their unrealistic, body-negative modeling standards.

Now 25, Marchildon won the show in 2008 and was entitled to a three-year contract worth $98,500. Apparently, though, the model did not live up to her agency's demands when her hips were 36 inches-not 35 1/2 inches. On a 6-foot woman, which she is, one-half inch is especially a miniscule amount. On any woman, really. But, nevertheless, the Daily Beast reported that Elite said she "had a nice face but a fat ass".  Read More

Worse Than Airbrushing: H&M Uses Fake Bodies For Their Models

If you thought the cleverly photoshopped bodies on the magazine covers at the check-out aisle were bad, wait until you see this: The bodies on most of the models that clothing retailer, H&M, uses on its website are computer-generated fakes.

That's right. If you look closely at the photo here, what do you see? Four identical bodies with four different heads. The company has admitted that they are "completely virtual" bodies with the heads of real women simply pasted on during editing. Maybe they're doing this to save money on costly photoshoots, but honestly, this just makes us think that they believe real bodies are not good enough to showcase their clothes.  Read More

45.9 Million Americans Suffered From Mental Illness Last Year

Women and young people were more likely to experience manic episodes and disorders than others, according to a new SAMHSA report.

A new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) finds that 20 percent of Americans adults suffered from a mental illness last year. To put this in perspective, this translates to 45.9 million people. Almost 30 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 suffered from a mental health disorder. And among all adults, women were more likely to suffer than men (23 percent vs. almost 17 percent, respectively).

The report included mood disorders like depression and manic episodes, anxiety disorders, (such as panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder), eating disorders (anorexia, for example), intermittent explosive disorder, and adjustment disorder. Read More

 Symposium 2012 Keynote Speakers Cover Eating Disorders from Different Perspectives

Jean Kilbourne EdD, Joyce Hawkes PhD, Corrine Gerwe PhD, Joel Robertson PharmD, Mark Gold MD