Jezebel: whitney thompson

Modeling Is Not The Road To Self-Esteem

Jessica — Wed, 28 May 2008 15:30:00 EDT

There's a new show premiering on TV Land on June 4th called She's Got The Look, where women 35 and older compete for a modeling contract and a Self magazine spread. It's like ANTM for soccer moms! Anyway, it reminded me of Whitney's exit speech after she was crowned the first "full-figured" winner of Top Model. Whitney went on and on about how she wants to be a role model for young girls, how she wants them to look at her and think, "I can do that. I can be that. I can be on that billboard and be on that magazine, because I'm beautiful from the inside out." While I think that the prevailing media images of "beauty" are too narrow and oppressive, modeling shouldn't be a paramount goal for any child, teen, or over-35 year old.

The idea that modeling makes you feel good about your looks in the first place is flat out wrong. Models are constantly told that they're too fat, too thin, too pale, too dark, etc. If you need all of that external verification to love yourself, you're going to be shit out of luck, eventually. Teens especially need to learn to feel good about their looks from the inside, not from the adoring eyes of possibly-predatory strangers. Also? Teens need to have more substantial dreams than becoming lifelong mannequins! Even The Hills twats are better role models than your average model.

Which is not to say that I won't watch at least one episode of She's Got The Look. I picture 15 washed up Dina Lohan-types snarking on each other over cellulite and fighting for granola bars. Who wouldn't want to witness that?

She's Got The Look [TV Land]

Earlier: And The Plus-Size Girl Takes The Cake

"Your Skin Is Sooooo Dehydrated!" (And 9 Other Reasons I Hate Makeup Artists)

You Wanna Be On Top

Tracie — Tue, 20 May 2008 13:45:00 EDT

ANTM Cycle 10 winner Whitney Thompson was in NYC this week and took some Polaroids. Looks like she got rid of that dreadful weave. She's not on Elite's website yet (is there a special "full figure" category that isn't advertised on the site?), but as we were checking out the other models on it, we noticed a familiar face: Mollie Sue from Cycle 6. And she's actually a real Elite model, rather than part of its Model Management that the winners of ANTM are signed to. (Click image to check out Whitney's shots.) [COACD]

You Wanna Be On Top

Tracie — Mon, 19 May 2008 17:20:00 EDT

Check it out: It's ANTM Cycle 10 winner Whitney Thompson's photos (taken by noted fashion photographer Nigel Barker) and interview from the forthcoming July issue of Seventeen. It's kinda great that the "full figure" girl won the cycle that featured a bikini shoot, so they weren't able to hide her body behind ponchos and shit. What's bizarre is that Whitney claims that she's a size 14, but with skinny arms, a flat belly, and what looks to be boobs not much bigger than a B cup, we don't see how she's anything larger than an 8 or a 10. But whatevs, congrats, Whitney! (Click image for the rest of the pics and the interview.)

Why is this always the go-to post for plus-size girls? Was Miss Piggy giving the "posing teach" that day?

ANTM: And The Plus-Size Girl Takes The Cake!

Tracie — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT

Despite conspiracy theories, underminers, and the fact that some of us thought Anya was actually the better model, we're damned proud of Whitney Thompson and the fact that a plus-size girl finally took the title on ANTM. (Of course, the show is not even close to a true representation of the real modeling industry.) There was something really telling in Paulina's commentary during judging when she said, "Whitney is the one that a man would want in his bedroom, but Anya is the one that you would buy the dress from." The fashion industry is fucked up. Or maybe we're all fucked up. Or maybe we need to stop letting curve-hating gay men tell us how we should look!

Earlier: ANTM Finale Live Blog: Arrivederci Cycle 10

You Wanna Be On Top

Tracie — Thu, 15 May 2008 09:45:00 EDT

Congrats to ANTM Cycle 10 winner Whitney Thompson! She's the first plus-size woman to win the the grand prize in Top. Model. History. But our girl is going to need a skin thicker than her (normal-sized) waistline, especially after one observant reader pointed out that her Wikipedia page was hacked last night by someone taking cheap shots at her body. (Click image to see screen grab.)