# data[].attributes.body
Usually when people think of China they imagine skinny petite women because that is what the media teaches us. But unfortunately that is not the case, China now has the largest overweight population in the world. "10.8% of men and 14.9% of women in a nation of 1.4 billion people – bumping the United States to second place", according to a study published in the Lancet Medical Journal. "That’s more than 43 million men and 46 million women classified as overweight."

https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jan/09/obesity-fat-problem-chinese-cities

# data[].attributes.body
Europeans have a strong sense of their identity, and how authentic Europe truly is. Fashion is a huge part of Europe and many famous fashion shows, fashion magazines and designers work out of Europe. Fashion and magazines are one of the main causes of how people see the unrealistic body image of models and it gives them the idea that they should too look like that. In other countries such as the US recently there has been a huge representation of plus size models, but in Europe it hasn't been so easy for plus size models to make their appearance.

# data[].attributes.headline
The underrepresentation of plus size models in Europe

# data[].attributes.subject
The underrepresentation of plus size models in Europe

# data[].attributes.body
The world of modelling and high fashion has not been so easy for these plus size models in Europe and many of them have experienced discriminatory practices from these companies. Europe likes to stick to the idea of small, skinny, white women because that is how Europe is strongly represented, there has even been issues with women of colour being allowed into the industry and the representation of women of colour has also been a huge issue. According to a Teenvouge article, plus size women were only represented for 1.13 percent of the casting for these Fashion shows. This is casting that has been done for the Spring 2018 shows. Plus size models have been made to feel like they are not included and in Europe they have been working harder and harder to make the fashion industry a more inclusive industry.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The fashion industry is undergoing a seismic and much-needed shift. In recent years, the conversation about representation in fashion has gained widespread momentum with a slew of influential people speaking out about the discriminatory practices of companies and legacy publications. As a result of their tireless work, more and more power players are helping to make fashion a more inclusive space that champions and supports a range of talent from all backgrounds. The times are truly changing for the better.

When it comes to the bi-annual fashion month circuit, particularly, fashion houses have been casting more models of color. According to The Fashion Spot, Spring 2018 was the most racially inclusive runway season in recent history with 30.8% models of color making an appearance, a slight improvement from the season prior. It was the first time in history across all of the fashion weeks from New York to London, Milan, and Paris that there were so many non-white models. But although these long-awaited improvements are cause for celebration, the fight for inclusivity is far from over.

On another front, the inclusion of plus-size models on the catwalk is lagging far behind. While Spring 2018 was a big moment for size diversity with names such as Christian Siriano, Eckhaus Latta, and Chromat showcasing different body type at their shows, by and large, plus women were still grossly underrepresented at fashion shows, especially in Europe. In stark terms, plus-size models accounted for only 1.13 percent of the casting across all four cities, The Fashion Spot reports. As more designers are becoming aware of the racial makeup of their model casts, one has to wonder why the same amount of attention isn't being paid to plus representation. As the numbers show, plus women are not afforded the the same opportunities as their straight size counterparts - but why?

Across the Atlantic, 25-year-old model and activist Hayley Hasselhoff has been tackling this issue head-on. This recent London Fashion Week, she staged a protest right outside of the central hub to bring attention to the issue of size diversity on the catwalks. In collaboration with mass retailer SimplyBe who had initially approached her about the idea, Hasselhoff - alongside fellow models Callie Thorpe and Sonny Turner - hit the streets clad in lingerie with signs saying "LFW - where are the curves?" and "curves shouldn't mean compromise," according to the Evening Standard. "My main goal of the protest was to empower body positivity while showcasing that confidence in oneself can make a difference in another. We want to give women everywhere the confidence to be who they are. This is only achieved by showing a wide variety of models, irrespective of size," Hasselhoff tells Teen Vogue. Since the protest, several people have reached out expressing their gratitude for her efforts as well as their frustration about the state of industry. "It raised a conversation that needed to be brought back up in the industry to say that we must take a stand to move forward with inclusivity in fashion."

Another person challenging the status quo is former model and Milk Management founder, Anna Shillinglaw. Since starting her own full-service agency in 2011, Anna has been working behind-the-scenes to change people's attitudes about working with full-figured women who are described in the U.K. as curve models. The category includes people who who larger than a sample size but not quite plus-size.

Last season, Anna successfully booked rising star Betsy Teske at the Alexander McQueen show, an opportunity that came about because of the connection Betsy had with the lead stylist. Alongside Betsy that year was Eline Lykke, a Norwegian curve model, who Anna now represents. The diverse lineup was a first for the house. Up until that point, they had never cast anyone even slightly curvy. The inclusive selections were highly praised by the media and the likes of blogger and writer Susanna Lau (aka Susie Bubble) who shared a photo from the show on her Instagram page with the caption, "When "bigger-than sample size" casting works so beautifully with the clothing. Sarah Burton 's @alexandermcqueen garden thrills/frills on @betsyteske."

That Alexander McQueen show aside, sizeism remains a big issue in Europe. "Every season we do a beautiful show package [a list of the models an agency represents] for Models.com, and every year we're like, come on, who's going to buy it?" Anna shared. European designers seem especially reluctant to showcase anyone above a size six. In a video recap of the Spring 2018 collections in London, Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour pointed out this alarming phenomenon. "The English designers still seem to very much in love with the idea of a very thin girl. And the idea that to be cool, you have to be thin," Dame Wintour notes. Such is the case with the other fashion capitals where seeing anyone above sample size is a rarity. "We're taking such big steps print wise, commercial wise, and editorially, but it's just like fashion shows are so behind still. It's really frustrating," Anna pointed out.

As purveyors of culture and what's considered cool, designers have to be more responsible in their casting. Fashion lovers of all sizes should be able to see themselves in chic clothing, which can only happen if there's a range of talent at fashion weeks across the world showcasing the endless possibilities of dressing different kinds of bodies. The world is diverse, and it's about time runways start to reflect it.

Related: Why Aren't There More Plus Size and Black People in Street Style Photos?
Check this out:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dear European Designers, Stop Acting Like Plus-Size Models Don't Exist

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The fashion industry is undergoing a seismic and much-needed shift. In recent years, the conversation about representation in fashion has gained widespread momentum with a slew of influential people speaking out about the discriminatory practices of companies and legacy publications.

# data[].attributes.headline
Fat Bodies in European Media and Television shows

# data[].attributes.subject
Fat Bodies in European Media and Television shows

# data[].attributes.body
There are many Television series all over the world that represent fat bodies in a negative way. For example in Canada and the U.S. there are many such as The Biggest Loser, Revenge body etc. Europe also has their own versions of these shows, and they can sometimes be a bit more harsh. For example there is a show called "Supersize v.s. SuperSkinny" where they take an extremely over weight person, and an extremely underweight person and these two people are stuck in a house together and they are forced to eat each others diets for breakfast, lunch, and supper for so many days. This show seemed harsh because it is not trying to teach them a healthy lifestyle but instead it is starving the overweight person. Although this show is directed to both overweight and underweight people it is extremely unhealthy, there were many cases where the overweight person would not have any actual food to eat and they would be starving, For example there was a man who was paired with a very underweight women who only drank coffee for breakfast, therefore the overweight man only had coffee and the underweight women had a plate fluff food that she picked over and she had the choice to stop eating or to continue eating, but this overweight man did not have anything of nutritional value. These people are clearly both going through their own struggles with their eating habits and instead of just teaching them ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle they used this harsh method to try to show them a lesson. They use these harsh practices as a way to show the extreme versus showing these people a healthy lifestyle. They show the extreme cases of people who have become overweight and did not fix their lifestyle. This show also has a version where they do this exact practice to children, although this show focuses of both extremes of overweight and underweight it mostly focuses on the overweight person and what will happen to them if they stay overweight. Being overweight is looked at much more negatively compared to someone who in underweight.

# data[].attributes.body
Korea has one of the lowest obesity rates in the world, partly due to the physical beauty standard that is ingrained into the Korean culture. Most Koreans strive for a "perfect" body image in order to keep up with the trending beauty standards. If the standards are not met by an individual, it's common for them to be body shamed by their family and peers. It's socially acceptable for people to comment, "you're fat" or "you used to be skinny, what happened?" The Korean culture has become so fixated on the desired body image that they've created a sizing chart for people to follow.

# data[].attributes.body
"how can you be this fat?" is a popular saying amongst Chinese women. Mothers often will say this to their daughter(s) but, they don't consider asking you child how can you be this fat rude... it is just "tough love". In the Chinese culture it is believed that you should know that you are overweight. A stranger won't stop you on the street, but people who you are close to will body shame you because you need to know the truth which is that you're fat. The ideology of tough love is viewed as valuable, because people should know that they don't have the "ideal" body type in order for them to fix themselves and be accepted and not judged by society (i.e, be skinny)

https://www.stylist.co.uk/beauty/the-harshest-fat-shamers-china-weight-overweight-cultural-diet-social-stigma/137025

# data[].attributes.body
North America has a very high obesity rate, which is followed by an extremely negative attitude and stigma. In the United States of America alone, 2/3 adults are overweight, which is equivalent to 69% of the adult population. If this trend in the United States continues, it is estimated that half of all women and men will be obese by the year 2030. Although obesity rates may not be as high in Canada, they are still very high.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In 1996, South Korea was deemed to be a man's world. At this time compared to almost any other country in the world, South Korea had fewer female politicians or business executives. Numerous changes have taken place since 1996, primarily that the current president, is a woman, yet questions remain how sexist South Korea really is?
Women in South Korea are judged on a number of aspects, however one of the most important is often their appearance. To be successful in South Korea, looking aesthetically attractive often means more than experience or education as it is what most people judge females on.

The Atlantic reported that due to three decades of powerful Korean consumer culture, Korean women equate beauty with professional and economic success. Take for example the case of job applications, where women are required to include a photo, and often blood type, height and weight.

This breeds negative body images amongst young women and is detrimental to women's empowerment.

How does this affect regular Korean women?

The Typewriter undertook two interviews with female workers between the twenty to thirty year old age range. In these interviews, both TK and MJ depicted their experiences of sexism whilst working in South Korean companies. TK, a 28-year-old designer confirmed how important physical looks are.

"Male friends annoyed me to lose weight... people always care about what I look like"

In South Korea, the physical standards women are encouraged to obtain and sustain are literally an impossible feat. In 2009, it was reported that Koreans are the thinnest people in the OECD, and Korean women hold the worst body image views.

The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons found that 20% of women have had some form of cosmetic work, compared to the 5% of women in America.

The stigma and pressure to look like the ideal type fuels an unsustainable image that all Korean women become subject to. Modern popular culture has seen numerous terms created which depict different parts of the body / or body shapes that Korean women (and men) strive to work towards.

Such terms include, 'S-line', 'V-line', 'W-line' and also 'X-line'. It has been found that these terms are often false, take for example the 'X-line' where the company Amore Pacific digitally changed a Yoon Eun-hye's (윤은혜) body when her natural shape was perceived as inferior.

But what else can come about?

Another issue for women in South Korea is the " unspoken consensus " amongst significant South Korean men, who presume they can avoid punishment for sexual harassment which can include sexual comments.

An example is of the former President's spokesperson Yoon Chang-Jung. In 2013, Yoon was accused of unwanted sexual contact with a young intern at the South Korean Embassy in Washington. Yoon in his defence, blamed it on 'cultural differences' with the United States.

Does this mean that unwanted sexual contact or comments is to be accepted in the South Korean work environment? It appears that it could be, but sexism is present everywhere in every country. It could be said that South Korea itself lacks an awareness of sexism throughout the whole of Korean society. The misogyny which is encompassed in South Korean culture hurts both men and women, and is validated through the roles that both respective sexes play and maintain.

MJ, a 28-year-old graduate who has worked for various industries within South Korea explains this further.

She notes that

"...the bigger issue here is that women, who are the victims of the situation, are not very vocal to speak of the problem...".

So whats next?

How should South Koreans be more vocal, in an environment where they are held under such scrutiny that anything they say or do will be interpreted as something else? How should a female deal with sexual comments such as the one TK gave?

One of TK's male managers who was married for over twenty years, had the reputation among the women in her business for being unprofessional with his comments. She mentioned that he once made a lecherous comment towards a female co-worker, who implied that she should make one of his friends (whom were his age) her lover. It was laughed and brushed off, so how should South Koreans deal with this issue?

In all, sexism is everywhere yet it may be more pronounced in South Korea. Especially due to the history of the country, the traditional and modern roles that both men and women are expected to play.

To continue with women's empowerment in South Korea and to try and diminish sexism in the country, it is imperative that South Korean women are more vocal to any sexist actions they may receive. Moreover, it is important that the rest of the country - institutions and men alike - realise this issue also.

Photo Credit: The Economist, starcasm.net, https://hardmoshi.files.wordpress.com and http://www.allkpop.com.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sexism in South Korea is more serious than you might think

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 1996, South Korea was deemed to be a man's world. At this time compared to almost any other country in the world, South Korea had fewer female politicians or business executives. Numerous changes have taken place since 1996, primarily that the current president, is a woman, yet questions remain how sexist South Korea really is?

# data[].attributes.body
At a young age, children are taught to eat small, healthy portions in order to maintain a desired size. Adults also stick to a strict diet to keep up with the standards, however some consider not eating to be a part of dieting. For Example:

An American went to Korea to teach for a couple years and wrote about her experience. When she would ask her colleagues to have such with her, some replied with "I had a BBQ dinner last night, so I'm taking a rest from eating." Another replied, "I just eat one avocado on work days so I don't get fat."

# data[].attributes.body
The push for dieting has formed into eating disorders for a large number of teens. According to the Korean Food and Drug Administration in 2010, approximately 5,000 teens were suffering from eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, purging disorder, etc. Between 2008-2-13, 1,796 Koreans sought out medical treatment for bulimia.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
New figures reveal China's obesity problems

# data[].attributes.headline
China's Economy Isn't the Only Thing Growing 

# data[].attributes.subject
China's Economy Isn't the Only Thing Growing 

# data[].attributes.body
In the United States it has become very clear that China's obesity epidemic has risen. In a CCTV news broadcast they state that "not only is China's economy growing but so are their waist lines" The interviews that the news captured are horrific to listen to, they view the "fat" Chinese people as more then fat. They capture some overweight Chinese people working out at the gym and rather then applauding them they listen to the interviewees call themselves "lazy, sick, and fat" The news blames food accessibility and the economy for the rise of obese people in China. Now that people have money, they are able to eat out, typically food that their bodies aren't adjusted/ used to eating like burgers, french fries and other greasy fast foods that America has brought to the Chinese culture.

# data[].attributes.body
American foods since being brought into China show a high correlation between fast food sales and obesity. China in a sense is learning fat culture from the worlds "fattest" country. "The intersection of China’s burgeoning middle class, Western fast food franchises hunting for growth markets, and an entirely new type of high sugar, cholesterol and trans-fat food for the Chinese consumer has added a very real strain on the country’s healthcare economy." It is the same reason that when we eat foods from different spots around the world we typically gain weight, that is because our bodies are partially adapted to western cultures foods, where as when we eat something like Chinese food we tend to gain more weight then when we go out for a burger and fries. It is just how our bodies were made. Though is we do eat too much fast food and such we will gain weight but not as much as someone who isn't used to it, like we see in the obesity epidemic in China.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/benjaminshobert/2017/01/22/chinas-growing-obesity-problem/#6524b9c06ecf

# data[].attributes.body
We will be viewing the fat culture and the ways places perceive the fat body in four different places around the world, North America, Europe, China, and Korea. Each have completely different ways of handling and viewing the fat body. Some cultures are much more shameful towards fat then others- as you will read further on. We have picked to further discuss the cultural representation of fat bodies because everyone has different outlooks and stereotypes surrounding the fat body in many cultures so to be able to gather further information was we felt a great idea, and a good way to get our ideas across and to educate people in the different ways cultures are impacted by fat.

# data[].attributes.body
The fat body is more accepted in some cultures, which is to be expected though we never thought that some cultures would be so negative as to say to someones face bluntly that they are fat.

In American culture obesity is very high, people are said to be more accepting but with stereotypes being marked on people due to their weight it is hard to ignore the stereotypes you find in television shows which are broadcasted daily. But we are slowly try to in North America to accept all body types through advertising, and clothing brands being more accepting and going up the few extra sizes so people who are considered fat are excluded from all of society.

In Europe plus size models are accepted and but it has been a slow process into the model industry. Modelling agencies go for what they feel will make them the most money, typically they feel the skinny blond will make them more money than the fat blond when they may both me equally as talented the fat model is discriminated against due to the size of her waist. Not to mention how television in Europe portrays the overweight  to the underweight. Overweight people don't receive the same coddling because of their ideology that "its their own fault" and "you could have done something to prevent becoming fat".

In China and Korean culture the fat body is shunned and shamed because they believe that people should be slim and petite and follow the "ideal body" stereotype. Unfortunately that ideology hasn't gone too far with China now being "fatter" than the United States. But it does indeed work in Korea, Korea has one of the lowest obesity rates but also has a very high eating disorder rate.

For all four of the countries we have chosen they are all very different, but also alike in many ways. Some cultures are more accepting, and we don't feel that anything we ever change about that. When you hear America, you instantly think of obesity because that is a stigma that American's carry because that is what media has taught us. The "fat body" is only a thing because people put emphasis on obesity. When realistically the fat body is the same as the skinny body.

# data[].attributes.body
Although there is a lot of overweight people in North America, there are still large amounts of negativite attitudes surrounding the issue of obesity. This causes a large amount of harmful stigma and stereotypes surrounding people who are obese.

Some of these stereotypes include sloppy, weak, lazy, unsuccessful, unintelligent, lack of self-disciple, poor willpower, etc. The stigma, prejudice, as well as the discrimination against obese people affects their everyday living, such as in the work place, educational centres, health care centres, mass media, etc.

An example of the stereotype of obesity being sloppy, messy, uneducated, lazy, etc., is shown in the American television show Family Guy, episode 2.1 "The Fat Strangler".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQmV6cKsYRY
This episode of Family guy emphasizes the typical stereotype of obese people, by making the characters constantly pass gas, interrupt Peter by eating noisy snacks, and heavy breathing. Family guy is known for mockery, and although some see this typical stereotype as being funny, it does emphasize that this stereotype is true of all obese people, which is not the case. It also shows that even though the doctor said Peter was obese but healthy, that being obese is perceived as being worse than unhealthy. This puts obese people at some sort of disadvantage, because this makes society question their mobility and ableness to do things.

The media in North America tends to make a mockery, or a "joke" of obese people in ads, television shows, movies etc. Another example of this is an Ashley Madison add, which in a sense is implying that obese women are scary, or frightening even, trying to encourage people who have obese partners to have an affair. It is almost as if obese women in North America are viewed as being less than, and almost dehumanized. Adds like this show that there is still a lot of insensitivity surrounding the issue of obesity that goes on around North America, and it is an issue that needs to be fixed sooner than later.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/13/health/adult-obesity-increase-study/index.html

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-trends/obesity-rates-worldwide/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQmV6cKsYRY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWdik29MTrE

https://sites.wp.odu.edu/bodylore/2018/03/01/exploring-fat-shaming-through-family-guy/

# data[].attributes.body
Brooke Chandler
Kelsey Brewer
Nicole Whooten