Warning, this image may be triggering for those recovering from an eating disorder.
The Danish magazine Cover has been forced to apologise after a huge backlash to its use of a shockingly thin model in one of its photoshoots.
The protruding bones of the models distressed readers of the magazine so much so that a social media backlash was started with Twitter and Facebook users implementing a hashtag, #covergate, to condemn the images. Even Danish politicians added to the debate with the Tax Minister Benny Englebrecht posting on Twitter: “I seriously thought that the fashion industry had understood that anorexia is a problem that should be taken seriously.”
Troede seriøst at modebranchen havde fattet at anoreksi er et problem der skal tages alvorligt #covergate #føj pic.twitter.com/HLqSgI79WF
The publisher of the magazine Malene Malling has apologised for the images in a post on the magazine’s Facebook page. The photos, she writes (translated from Danish), should never have been published.
Below is the apology in full:
Today is a sad day for me. On the Cover we have through the years printed in the tens of thousands of images, but the images of an all-too-thin model in Cover 103 shouldn’t be printed. I have not lived up to my responsibility as a Publisher, woman and mother and I am truly very sorry.
On the Cover we have in all the years worked to show an expanded beauty ideal. Show that you can be beautiful in various ages and various sizes. We have always sought to work with healthy girls. Just two months ago we had plus-size model Diana Graham on the front of the Cover, so it is certainly a subject we focus on.
I myself have daughters, and we have no weight at home. Just because I go up in that they need to be healthy in every way. So no one should think that this is a case I take lightly – and it comes not to be repeated.
I Beg Your Pardon.
Malene Malling
Ms Malling also told Danish TV,
“I’ve made magazines for more than 10 years and this time unfortunately I made a huge mistake, which I would like to apologize for.”
It’s a depressingly familiar story however.
Like how model scouts target anorexia clinics, or the endless skinny models controversy that crops up at fashion week time after time. It’s a conversation that we’ve had, but clearly when it comes to thin forever being ‘in’, there’s work to do.
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