Glamorizing, Trivializing Homelessness On America's Next Top Model


Thanks to an anonymous poster who suggested we seek these out and put them up.

See our other post about America's Next Top Model.

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Posted by Lisa Thursday, March 6, 2008 at 9:35 PM Labels: , ,  

4 comments:

  Anonymous

March 6, 2008 at 10:09 PM

actually watching the episode put these pictures in a little better context. tyra had the contestants meet with a representative from an organization that helps homeless girls succeed--then she had the contestants pose in "rags" alongside homeless girls in couture. while the concept of exposing a serious problem is good, it brings into question whether it is okay to use charities to help your own self-image. also, it sort of objectifies the girls from the charity, labeling them as merely "homeless girls" (although if you notice, the girls they selected were all looked like they could be models.)
altogether, i felt like most of these photos would make ineffective PSAs. while a few of the models displayed toughness or sadness, the majority who were chosen for having good photos portrayed homelessness and "rags" as high-fashion glamourous.
so, while i commend tyra on trying to expose serious problems, i would question her methods of trying to make a difference.

  Lisa

March 6, 2008 at 10:40 PM

Anonymous,

Thanks so much for the context! I actually thought they were models! Even more interesting than I had realized.

  Anonymous

March 12, 2008 at 9:01 PM

haha, i just watched this episode because it sounded interesting, and i just love how tyra claims that homelessness is a cause very near and dear to her heart, because she played homeless for a day (for her talk show!) and gosh does she know what it's like not to know where she'll get her next meal or what she'll do when the snow starts falling!

just like she donned a fat suit for a date, and boy does she understand what it's like to be overweight.

sweetie, you're fierce as hell, and you're heart's in the right place, but i live with that fat suit everyday (and i've learned to love it), and i don't appreciate part of my identity being trivialized as an experience you had for a few hours and suddenly understand.

  dorotha

March 13, 2008 at 10:36 AM

Just to clarify - the women in the background of each shot are "homeless girls." The women in the front under brigther ligting are the contestants on the show.

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