Britain's Missing Top Model (BBC3)

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Markgway
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Britain's Missing Top Model (BBC3)

Post by Markgway »

Anyone watched this?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/missingmodel/

I found it quite interesting and thought-provoking.

It takes a similar format to all those vapid model shows (ie. group of girls apply to be a model, are put throught their paces, judged by an expert panel, and one gets eliminated each week) except with one major difference: They're all disabled.

That's what made me curious. Could a disabled girl be a model? The questions raised are important ones: do 'we' prefer disabled people to be out of sight (out of mind)? Is it possible to be sexually attracted to a disabled person? For them to serve the same purpose as a model that an able-bodied girl does?

I heard about this show on the radio and I'm glad I gave it a chance. You hardly ever see disabled girls on TV as the main focus and treated as real people rather than "the handicapped one".

The disabilities vary - from deafness to paraplegia - but you have to respect all the girls for accepting the challenge and standing for something they believe in.

Any comments?
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Post by bradavon »

Except for shows specifically intended for disabled people and Eldorado (I cannot believe I can remember it) I cannot think of any disabled people on TV.

I imagine being death wouldn't hinder you too much or rather it shouldn't but being physically disabled does put you at a major disadvantage in modelling. no I'm not saying it should (before anyone jumps to conclusions) just that it does.

Were there any conclusions? I saw it advertised.
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Re: Britain's Missing Top Model (BBC3)

Post by Godzooki »

Markgway wrote:Anyone watched this?

Could a disabled girl be a model? The questions raised are important ones: do 'we' prefer disabled people to be out of sight (out of mind)? Is it possible to be sexually attracted to a disabled person?
Me and the Mrs watched this & to answer honestly, Yes, Yes and Yes, although i fail to see why and where sexual attractiveness should even come into it, its high end fashion Mark, not glamour modelling!! :lol:

Being suitable for a certain type of modelling all however depends on the individual model and individual brief, as as you pointed out before, the disabilities vary.
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Post by Shen »

its nice they are finally showing disabled peopel to be human...becuase we are! being disabled often puts you at a disadvantage in many areas, i have had many experiences myself when i've been out in my wheelchair or using my crutches, people treat you like your stupid, and some are down right rude, one has actually said that disabled people shouldnt be allowed out because bascially they get in the way. I've found it hard being young and disabled, people assume that disability is related to older people and that if there isnt anything outwardly visable then there cant be any reason for you to be using a wheelchair, or on crutches. I've had people telling me that im attention seeking and that "i'll get over it" becuae to look at me i seem normal, never mind the fact that internally my body is very weak. Its good that BBC3 are showing disabled peopel as people.
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Post by Markgway »

bradavon wrote:I imagine being death wouldn't hinder you too much
The Grim Reaper is a model??
Were there any conclusions?
Not finished yet.
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Re: Britain's Missing Top Model (BBC3)

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Tigercage wrote:Me and the Mrs watched this & to answer honestly, Yes, Yes and Yes
Isn't that somewhat contradictory? You think they are attractive, you think think they could be models, but you'd rather not see them? Confused.
although i fail to see why and where sexual attractiveness should even come into it, its high end fashion Mark, not glamour modelling!! :lol:
Tigger, have you let Grim control your posts? Are you naive? Sex sells everything! They didn't pick these models because they were ugly. Fashion is all about sexual appeal. If it wasn't Michelle McManus would be fronting Topshop! In advertising girls are chosen that women will want to emulate and guys will want to fuck. It's always been that way. My quesiton was can disabled models fill that agenda? Besides I never mentioned glamour modelling did I? I believe there will be a nude shoot in a later episode though.
Being suitable for a certain type of modelling all however depends on the individual model and individual brief, as as you pointed out before, the disabilities vary.
Being deaf obviously has its drawbacks - inability to hear direction or music, but I sympathise with paraplegic Sophie who reckons she has it worst being stuck in a wheelchair. That's something in your face that you can't disguise.
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Post by Markgway »

Shen wrote:its nice they are finally showing disabled peopel to be human...becuase we are! being disabled often puts you at a disadvantage in many areas, i have had many experiences myself when i've been out in my wheelchair or using my crutches, people treat you like your stupid, and some are down right rude, one has actually said that disabled people shouldnt be allowed out because bascially they get in the way. I've found it hard being young and disabled, people assume that disability is related to older people and that if there isnt anything outwardly visable then there cant be any reason for you to be using a wheelchair, or on crutches. I've had people telling me that im attention seeking and that "i'll get over it" becuae to look at me i seem normal, never mind the fact that internally my body is very weak. Its good that BBC3 are showing disabled peopel as people.
That's it isn't it? Disabled people have one flaw but rather than concentrate on all the positives 'we' concentrate on the flaw. I think the show has opened my eyes a bit - not that I was ever discriminatory in bad way - and is a positive step in the acceptance of disabled people in the public eye. Whether it will lead to anything is hard to say, but I'd like to think it will. Obviously there are some extreme mental disabilites that are unsuitable, and that's tragic, but for persons who are crippled, but otherwise healthy, this may open some doors.

So Shen... you applying for series two? ;)
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Post by bradavon »

That's sad to hear Shen but sadly not surprising. Some people can be so pig ignorant and lacking in any feelings.

When I was a kid my school teachers thought I was lazy. It later turned out my lenses were literally wobbling around in their eye sockets and I could barely see anything for the first 7 years of my life, plus I had educational problems being unseen to.

When they were addressed I progressed leaps and bounds. I was never very good at School though, my best GCSE was an E. Not that I care I made up for it at College.

God School sucked! I couldn't want to get out of there.
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Post by Shen »

I was always very good in school, top of the class for everything, i have a very high IQ so when i get treated and spoken too like im stupid, it really bugs me becuase i know that im probably more intelligent than the person speaking to me. my tutor at college treated me as though i was thick, talking down to me, and giving me such patronizing pity, just becuase my body doesnt work properly doenst mean that my mind doesnt. She acted all suprised when i got As in every exam of her subject, especially since i missed 80% of classes, never did the homework, and was the only one out of 30 to get the As....stupid woman.
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Post by grim_tales »

I havent seen the show but having disabilities shouldnt hinder the women from modelling or achieving what they want :)
Modelling should be for everyone including disabled folks. There have been famous disabled people in athletics/sport (Tanni Grey Thompson), music (Evelyn Glennie - sp?), why not modelling?
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Post by bradavon »

grim_tales wrote:Modelling should be for everyone including disabled folks. There have been famous disabled people in athletics/sport (Tanni Grey Thompson), music (Evelyn Glennie - sp?), why not modelling?
Do you really need that answered?
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Post by romerojpg »

:lol:
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Post by Markgway »

She acted all suprised when i got As in every exam of her subject, especially since i missed 80% of classes, never did the homework
Well that is surprising... :D

I doubt anyone else here could've passed under those circumstances, lol.
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Post by Shen »

never revised either, just bullshitted my way through the exams and essay paper... :D also i do have an IQ of around 150 so exams and stuff come easy to me, i have an almost photographic memory too so dates, facts etc are easy for me too.
Last edited by Shen on 19 Jul 2008, 23:51, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Markgway »

I tried that once... I got a 'D'. :cry:
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Post by bradavon »

Personally I don't put much stock in IQ levels. Having a high IQ doesn't mean you'll immediately be good at something.

It sounds like you're more just apt at educational exams. I really didn't get one with the school educational style of learning but got on fine with the BTEC style where you have no exams and it's all made up with course work.
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Post by Shen »

Whilst I agree with you to some extent about the IQ I do believe that it has some impact on your "real" intelligence. I am lucky, I have a natural aptitude for understanding and learning things, I pick things up very quickly. I find both exams and coursework easily becuase I can memorize dates, facts and information and regurgitate in a way to suit the system, even if I do not agree with the subject I am writing about. I much prefer to study in my own time on things that interest me, such as Meta and Quantum Physics, Politics, History, Psychology, Art, Philosophy etc. I am very annoying to my tutors becuase I will question them constantly with the information they are giving me with very annoying questions that they find hard to answer. Even in Highschool at 13 I was reading books that many adults find hard to understand, and trying to engage in conversation with my teachers, who were stiffs and insisted that I should only know the curriculum.
Basically I'm one of those annoying little bastards, you know the kind, theres one in every class, who rarely turns up, does the minimal amount of study, leaves things to the last minute and still gets the best grades. My Film and History coursework i did in the 2 days before it was due in and got As on both, much to the annoyance of my classmates...
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Post by bradavon »

Are there any online IQ tests? That aren't pages and pages long to complete :D.
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Post by Shen »

no idea, i took mine in school lol
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Post by bradavon »

I was never offered it, thankfully.

No offence but I'd rather see people's ability through actions and what comes out of their mouth, than a number.
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Post by Shen »

I agree completely, it is just a number and proof of your intellect is in your actions and words. and in many cases its not that your are intelligent its how you make use of it, its ok if you have an IQ of 150 but if you dont use it to your advantage then its useless.
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Post by bradavon »

Shen wrote:People are scared of intelligence, i dont really get why but..oh well
Most people are too lazy to learn and become more intelligent. They prefer being ignorant.

One of my best mates refuses to ever watch the News or read newspapers. He says it's always doom and gloom, if he bothered to watch it he'd realise that's bollocks. I find it frustrating as he's regularly clueless about things I like to talk about.

IMO every adult should have a basic general knowledge.
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Re: Britain's Missing Top Model (BBC3)

Post by Godzooki »

Markgway wrote:
Tigercage wrote:Me and the Mrs watched this & to answer honestly, Yes, Yes and Yes
Isn't that somewhat contradictory? You think they are attractive, you think think they could be models, but you'd rather not see them? Confused.
Mark, have you had bradavon read my post for you? :lol: You asked
"do 'we' prefer disabled people to be out of sight (out of mind)?" and my answer is yes, as a general public we do, i personally can also understand why these girls and other girls have not prev been considered to model high end fashion but with that being said i would welcome it.
although i fail to see why and where sexual attractiveness should even come into it, its high end fashion Mark, not glamour modelling!! :lol:
Tigger, have you let Grim control your posts? Are you naive? Sex sells everything! They didn't pick these models because they were ugly. Fashion is all about sexual appeal. If it wasn't Michelle McManus would be fronting Topshop! In advertising girls are chosen that women will want to emulate and guys will want to fuck. It's always been that way. My quesiton was can disabled models fill that agenda? Besides I never mentioned glamour modelling did I? I believe there will be a nude shoot in a later episode though.
Maybe you have spent too much time at the keyboard away but fashion modelling is not about sex, its simply about the fashion (the clothes, style, lifestyle). Sex certainly can be a "part" of Fashion depending on the brief but i think you are looking at it rather crudely and from one dimension.
Being suitable for a certain type of modelling all however depends on the individual model and individual brief, as as you pointed out before, the disabilities vary

Being deaf obviously has its drawbacks - inability to hear direction or music, but I sympathise with paraplegic Sophie who reckons she has it worst being stuck in a wheelchair. That's something in your face that you can't disguise.
I'd say for "catwalk" modelling the American girl had it worse, that was awfull to watch as was her constant flirting.
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Re: Britain's Missing Top Model (BBC3)

Post by Markgway »

Tigercage wrote:Mark, have you had bradavon read my post for you? :lol: You asked "do 'we' prefer disabled people to be out of sight (out of mind)?" and my answer is yes, as a general public we do, i personally can also understand why these girls and other girls have not prev been considered to model high end fashion but with that being said i would welcome it.
I asked for that. :oops:
Maybe you have spent too much time at the keyboard away but fashion modelling is not about sex, its simply about the fashion (the clothes, style, lifestyle). Sex certainly can be a "part" of Fashion depending on the brief but i think you are looking at it rather crudely and from one dimension.
I admit that as a heterosexual male I'm not into fashion, but even I know that sex is a big part of the business. The clothes are shit, stuff no one would wear; they're selling an image. If what you said was true they could dress me up and promote the clothes. They pick women who exude sexuality, whether it be a boyish kind (stick thin heroic chic) or a more glamourous feminine kind. But sex and fashion is intertwined. And as I said the show isn't exclusively about the catwalk, it's about magazine and print modelling too. Hence the lingerie and nude shoots.
I'd say for "catwalk" modelling the American girl had it worse, that was awfull to watch as was her constant flirting.
Agreed. Poor thing couldn't keep her balance. I felt bad for her. Yet Sophie took to it unexpectedly well after all her self-doubt. I get the feeling that Kelly (American) was probably quite flirtatious and out-going even before her accident, but maybe she has more toruble controlling herself?
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Post by grim_tales »

Be quiet Romero. At least I've contributed something to this thread.
Brad I'm just saying I would welcome disabled girls and those with 'unseen' disabilities to become models, why not? :) Wouldnt it create a more positive image? If theyre otherwise healthy I dont see a problem TBH.
And as I pointed out some disabled people have managed to succeed in their field despite lacking the use of, that sense which one would think would be vital for their success (eg Evelyn is a profoundly deaf musician/percussionist).
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