Tyra Looks for “Real” Teens in Her Next Model Search

There it is again. That word. “Real.” I’ve seen it thrown around a lot lately, and I even admit to using it myself (wrongly) when referring to every woman that doesn’t meet the traditional, model standard of beauty. But what does “real” mean, anyway? Is a woman less real because she happens to be beautiful by society’s standards? Is she less real if she does so at the expense of her health? We have to realize that every woman is a real woman, but apparently Tyra didn’t get the memo because she is looking for “Fiercely real teens” in her latest model search.

In case you were wondering what a “fiercely real teen” is, apparently it is someone between the ages of 13-19 (ok, she got the teen part right), wears between a size 12-20 (ok, so ‘real’ means plus size in this case), and, wait for it … is 5′9″ to 6′1″. Seriously? How many teens do you know between 5′9″ and 6′1″? I can tell you in round figures how many I know. ZERO. Ok, wait. I take that back. I do know of one girl — a supermarket cashier — that looks to be in her teens and is probably six feet tall. But she’s very thin (seemingly naturally) so I guess that means she’s not fiercely real.

It seems to me that if the word “real” is going to be used, than it should at least represent a portion of the population that one might actually be acquainted with. In this case it appears that Tyra is using the word “real” as a (unnecessary) euphemism for plus-size while still seeking a very narrow standard of runway beauty. And yet, Tyra is quoted in US magazine as saying “I’ve always felt it was my mission to expand the narrow perceptions of beauty” and then added that she tried to “challenge industry and universal standards” by “celebrating non-traditional beauty” and “stressing the importance of inner beauty.” I’m not sure how doing a model search that requires the entrants fit the typical standard height for models is challenging the industry. With all the talk she has done about self esteem and body love, fighting against the stereotypes she herself has been held accountable to, she still manages to propogate industry standards, with the only difference being a slightly wider girth.

Don’t get me wrong. I think Tyra is full of great intentions. She tell US magazine “Adolescence is such an impressionable time in a young woman’s life, and I hope this contest helps teen girls discover their own beauty from the inside out.” But as we know, good intentions do not always lead to the best of actions, and in this case, by focusing on such a tiny percentage of the teen population, I wonder how a 5′5″ plus-size teen is going to discover her beauty based on Tyra’s criteria.