Surprise, Surprise. It looks like the French have tucked their tails between their legs and run for cover. This time, Les Francais have surrendered to the anti-anorexia pushers. Okay, I’m obviously kidding. There was no way I could write a France focused entry without making a surrender reference. Now that I have that out of the way…
WELL DONE, THE FRENCH!
It appears French lawmakers have ok’d the first stage of a bill that would outlaw everyone, especially the fashion industry, from promoting extreme thinness. Good. Let’s keep in mind there are many social levels to this kind of legislation and even if it passes, it’s really tough to make a law about what is or isn’t “excessively thin.” (this is part of what will become the debate. I actually don’t think it’s that difficult. 
Me = not thin. Christian Bale from The Machinist = excessively thin. Not hard.) If the bill goes through senate (history suggests this is no guarantee. Not because the French senate will have a problem with the bill, but let’s be honest, France is really overdue for an invasion) then authorities will try to crack down on magazine promotion, adverstisers and websites. Apparently there are websites that promote thinness to the point that they offer tips on how to eat one apple a day? I did not know this (I wish I did…I really needed to fit into some cherry red velour tights over the Christmas break. Is google in French spelled with an accent aigu?). No matter what happens here, and forgetting the likely fact that the law will be close to impossible to enforce, I think it’s about time. Women and girls having unrealistic expectations aside, it’s no secret that both men and women do damage to their bodies in an effort to meet some unrealistic expectation. That an entire global industry blatantly encourages this is disgusting (this, of course, is my opinion. I guess some people really get turned on by the clearly evident “rib cage.” For all of you, may I suggest the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History. You think the model in the picture is sexy? Wait until you see the Stegosaur! Hmmm. Dee-Lish!) Put them all in jail, France!
BONUS CODE TRIVIA!!!
Well, as tempted as I am to come up with another slightly related history question that would compare the body of a typical Paris runway model to a long bow, I’ll resist. Just this once. But trust me, my convoluted comparison leading into a more confusing joke leading into our trivia question would have been hilarious (to me). So, we’ll go with another direction…
As you may have noticed, I did not do a running weblog of The Masters. Don’t be too disappointed. Today’s question is not “who won The Masters,” because I’ll tell you; Trevor Immelman. The question is, what country was Trevor Immelman born in? Even though it’s easy, I’ll still give you a clue. It’s the same country Steve Nash was born in.
