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What's Really Behind Miss England's Weight?

Posted: Friday, October 26, 2007 9:51 AM by Dan Fleschner
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This morning, Meredith interviewed Miss England, Georgia Horsley, who was told by pageant organizers that if she hopes to win the Miss World title, she'll have to put on a few pounds. WATCH VIDEO

There's been some confusion about this whole thing because Miss Horsley, while obviously thin, is not a "stick figure" and looks pretty healthy.

She's a size four (American) and has a self-described "athletic" build. The way this has been portrayed in the media is that this story is a reaction to the "size zero" phenomenon in which models have gotten dangerously skinny over the years.

But the way I see this is that it's not about body image or being a good role model for young girls. It's a calculated move by pageant organizers to say to her, "Your body type won't win this pageant. Let's make you more voluptuous to win the title!"

If people want to interpret this as a way to promote good eating habits for young girls, I'm all for it. But let's not confuse what's going on here -- this is about winning a beauty pageant, not striking a blow for good health and positive body images.

Should Miss England pack on the pounds? VOTE HERE

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Comments

This was a horrible, ridiculous segment.  First of all, who cares, is this really important news? No.  Secondly, this young woman who, as repeatadly described by Meredith, is NOT stick then, will not suffer any real negative health from gainging a few pounds; women who become obsessive over their weight due to our culture, with its wonderful little weight centered segments in which a size 4 is made to seem not that thin, however will suffer physically and mentally.  Thank you for supporting this trend. ;(

Concerned student, Bellingham, WA (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 10:45 AM)

I think she hit the nail-on-the-head when she
said they wanted her to be more busty; because
she is not too thin anywhere. And good
for her for not giving in to that kind of thinking!
She looks great! She's a natural, self-confident, fit beauty!

Linda Thien, St. Louis, Missouri (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 10:52 AM)

I couldn't care less what she does. But after seeing the swimsuit pic of her, she really doesn't have much shape.

Dave, Austin (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:00 AM)

Why don't they stop beating around the bush and just ask her to get a boob job.  That's what they really want.  Ridiculous.

Emma, Dayton, OH (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:10 AM)

I think she's perfectly fine, when I was her age, I was the same built, tall and slencer, and most girls would envy me I could eat whatever I want and not gain weight. By the end of my 20s I became curvier and now early 30s, I do have to watch a bit what I eat and do some crunches or I would get a belly, but I still have a great body. Girls like us are lucky! Women still envy me! You go Georgia!

Anne, Seattle, Washington (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:11 AM)

Will the next winner be asked to get breast implants? Lipo her thighs? Isn't this just another way to inforce the idea that a person is only as good as others judge their bodies to be?  How about encouraging people to learn more about current events, world history, or literature?  Bluk up on knowledge, ladies, and forget about cup size!  

Lisa, Denver, Colo (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:14 AM)

I think that if she is healthy and positive head on her shoulders then leave her a lone.  Life is hard enough then when people hit something that isn't that important.  It seems to me that the people who told her that haven't probably check the facts.  Is she healthy, is it just her body, but we have other things that are a lot more important than this story. I wish her luck and hope that what ever goals she makes for herself she does well in it.  Be your self and try and make it a healthy life.  

K HIll - Pocatello, ID (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:14 AM)

She looks fine, she appears to be at her natural, genetically predisposed weight, which, does,alas include a less than ample bust...Who cares,,,,she is pretty but maybe a beauty pageant isn't the place for her.  Maybe we should do away with all beauty pageants!  Mixed messages abound.....we want you look healthy and that means bigger boobs???

jonnie cleveland ohio (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:17 AM)

If swimsuits get any smaller contestants will be judged in the buff....and if weight is such an issue, do what the prizefighters do before each bout - have a weigh in before the press corps. Oh, for the days of the Jantzen one piece suits and the white evening gowns! Jan

Jan Bizjak, Birmingham, AL 35209 (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:18 AM)

St. Louis, you must be out of your mind to believe that a size 4 is not too thin on a woman that is 5'9".  That is even thin for some one that is 4'9".  We all need to step back and look at what we are presenting to women and girls...a realistic view or media's myopic view.

Jeri Bell, St. Louis, Missouri (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:18 AM)

Okay, to be completely honest...I think she should lose a little weight.

Rebecca, New York, NY (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:20 AM)

to get the kind of "shape" she's going to need to win that pageant, it'll mean adding 10-15 lbs (American) and total workout to get it to go where it needs to be.  Could be more that she's just not old enough yet; at 20 the female body is still developing / changing / shifting.  

This, however, presents the argument for these pageants to focus more on the body mass, not weight, and total silhouette that each one presents.  

ex-contestant and glad to out (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:20 AM)

WELL I THINK IF SHE WAS "THICK AND HEALTHY" NO ONE WOULD EMBRACE HER WEIGHT AND UNDERSTAND THAT WOMEN COM IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES.  THEY WOULD BE COMPLAINING THAT SHE WAS TOO HEAVY OR SAYING THAT SHE IS FAT.  EVERYONE IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SUPER THIN AND EVERYONE SHOULD STILL BE TREATED EQUALLY BUT WE ARE NOT.  IF YOU ARE NOT THIN AND FIT THEN YOU ARE NOT TREATED THE SAME.

AP (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:22 AM)

"if she puts on more weight;  then they'll say she is tooooo Fat.

geglesiasnepa (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:23 AM)

I support the idea of promoting a healthier body image for women instead of the size zero phenomenon, but some people are naturally thin.  I do find it ironic that she describes herself as athletic build. Based on her BMI, I would guess her as an ectomorph.  I don't consider ectomorph as an athletic build, this is the body type of most models.  For example in tennis probably the smallest player on the women's tour is Justine Henin she weighs the same as Miss England but is two inches shorter, most of the women on the tour are larger than Justine and look great.  I don't agree with them asking her to gain, but I also don't agree with her figure assesment as athletic.        

Sally Field, Nashville, TN (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:25 AM)

She needs to really not put on weight. It makes no sense. She has her own mind to think and is athletic.

concerned girl, muscat, Oman (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:29 AM)

Unbelievable!!  What a beautiful woman and a "wish to have figure".  Who knows what wierd judges are thinking?  Glad she has more character than those who suggested it.

Patrick Sheaffer, York, PA (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:32 AM)

I WOULD LOVE TO BE HER SIZE. SHE IS NOT TOO THIN. I DONT SEE ANY RIBS STICKING OUT OF HER SIDES IR BAGS UNDER HER EYES. LEAVE HER ALONE.

GINA MANTI UTAH (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:34 AM)

Unless there is evidence of an eating disorder, how much she weighs is no one's concern except hers and her doctor's.  Imbibing high-fat foods to gain weight as she is doing provides insurance that she will have difficulty with obesity and a lot of other medical ills later in life.

Victor L. Halsig, Garden Grove California (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:34 AM)

They probably want to her get breast augmentation.  Perhaps a butt implant.  Stay natural!!

karen dusenberry (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:40 AM)

This young woman is fit, trim, and pretty.  It sounds like the 'Miss World' people are a bunch of jealous, heavy old women.

I hope Miss England stays fit and trim.

MikeM

mikeym, Front Royal, va. (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:40 AM)

While this should not be news worthy nor a segment on The Today Show, the sad truth is that the pageant organizers want her to acquire more of a bust, which they sugar coated, no pun intended, by saying gain weight. Unfortunately they probably meant breast augmentation, since most of the women in that competition now have them.  Hopefully she will stay strong and proud of her natural body, despite their urgings.

Jess Doe (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:40 AM)

At least she is thinking healthy about how to do it and living healthy.  

I was naturally thin and without a super curvy  or busty body at age 20.   and even 10 years later when I have gained a few pounds (gotta love aging :) ), being healthy is the way to go.  

If only more people thought about the healthy aspect of weight and body image.  We are all built different but being healthy can apply to anyone.

I will take Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider (she got the body by working out and eating right) over Mary Kate Olson anorexic any day.

Stephanie, Dallas (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:42 AM)

"weight centered segments in which a size 4 is made to seem not that thin"...the whole idea that a size 4 is not THAT thin is such a TRAVESTY and continues the size/weight assault on women thru the media and entertainment industry.  I agree that Ms. England isn't sporting the heroin chic look but at 5'8" and 128 lbs., if you saw her in person, the first thing that would be impressed upon you is how VERY thin she is.  If she gained 20 lbs. she'd still be a beauty.

Again though, the problem here is the 24/7 ASSAULT we each face over size/weight (in case you're wondering, I wear a 6 Petite and have for most of my adult life, yet still find myself often feeling not thin enough)and the ramifications on our young girls' self-images especially.  We live in a society that values appearance over substance so instead of helping young women to value and develop themselves as PEOPLE, the bar is set at: What size are your jeans?

Donna Quixote (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:42 AM)

She looks fine, no need to gain weight.  As Carey Grant said "think thin".

Kenny Bartholomew (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:43 AM)

To all young women who wish their breasts were larger I say, be happy with what you have. I am in my mid sixties and had breast reduction last year.  I am very happy NOT to be in constant pain in my back, shoulders and chest from as my doctor says, the weight pulling on my muscles.

BB, Maryland (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:51 AM)

If she had the fake breast implants like most of the other contestants, actresses, models, etc. they would say she looked just fine. Our society is ridiculous the way they expect woman to look so plastic. She looks great the way she is.

Kathy Jensen, Andover, MN. (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:52 AM)

Should she gain weight? Well, there really isn't enough information here for me to answer that.  I don't know what her weight is; the story doesn't say how tall she is, how much she weighs or what her bmi is.  If she tries to become more curvy, gaining weight will probably add a curve to her belly; that's it.

Jane Smith, Kingston, ON (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:54 AM)

The women who are complaining about the size requirements of the beauty pageant on this blog are probably UGLY and FAT; they are just being the typical "catty" women you find everywhere.

Richard Simmons (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:55 AM)

Why doesn't she just stuff her top like everyone else?  I agree that she doesn't look too thin for Hollywood standards.

Jenna, Quincy, MA (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:55 AM)

As a nutritionist -I think this is strange? Her BMI = 19.16 in the normal range. I didn't see the entire show. Sounds like something else going on ?

Viv McGee, NY (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 11:57 AM)

Ladies, some men prefer heavy women for their voluptuousness.  I don't; I consider a woman who isn't very "busty" graceful and elegant.  And, through the miracle of genetics and the way opposites attract, graceful and elegant women tend to like me more than voluptuous women do.
If you take care of yourself and stay healthy, someone will prefer your type.  If you have an open mind and don't choose someone by what someone tells you that you SHOULD like, whether you are male or female, you'll get along fine.

Anthony Platt, Tulsa, Ok. (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:00 PM)

People would be protesting like crazy if they had asked this girl to lose weight. What people should be focusing on is not what size or weight you are but if you're healthy. I have always, as in from the time I was four, been what people would refer to as "stick skinny". I have always been a size zero. I have always eaten anything and everything I wanted and as much of it as I wanted. I've been to countless Dr's and they all tell me the same thing...I am perfectly healthy and shouldn't worry about it at all. I am just as healthy as someone who wears a size 6 but there are plenty of people who like to make ugly comments and say that people like me give girls an unhealthy body image. Talk about people judging a book by its cover. This girl should stand up for who she is and the fact that what she has and doesn't have is natural.

SS, Georgia (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:01 PM)

Are they kidding? She has a great shape.  The first thing that came to mind was the translation. Gaining more weight meaning getting breast implants. Breast implants are so trailer trash now anyway. These beauty pageants need to get with the times.

Susan St. Petersburgh, Florida (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:10 PM)

Um.....as a health teacher, she is at an unhealthy weight for her height!  She has absolutely NO muscle tone.  Aren't there enough negative body images for girls out there to see.  I'm dealing with girls at school daily who have eating disorders.

teacher (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:13 PM)

Miss England keeps saying she has an "Athletic" build, while I do not see this I am glad she is sticking to her guns and stating she is happy the way she is. As far as gaining weight in the "inappropriate" places... hey get use to it.. we are women and that is what happens.

CP, Locust Grove VA (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:14 PM)

Why are the pageant orginzers doling out advise to contestants?  Isn't it up to her and her handlers to determine what it takes to win?  She should play her best hand.  Maybe she will have something that sets her apart from the rest of the contestants.

Brian B, Gurnee, Illinois (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:18 PM)

5'9" and a size 4?  She's anorexic!  Please someone find her some help before she falls over dead.

Rachel, Columbus, Ohio (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:18 PM)

LOL
I love the "why doesn't she just stuff her top like everyone else" comment.  ^_^  Nice reality check!  But probably not possible in that bikini.

Rebecca - you think she could stand to *lose* weight?  Check yourself in with your doctor immediately for a mental check as I suspect you may be anorexic yourself.

Donna Quixote - absolutely.  I would be stunned to have a size 6 figure, but you are still confronted with the idea it's too large?  It's definitely a sick social image.

And to everyone going "what the heck is wrong with their standards that they would demand a beautiful woman change?"  Beauty pageants are the distilled essence of everything taken too far in our social expectation of women's figures.  As the Dove site shows a pretty model being made over, then photo-shopped into a creature of alien dimensions before she is "suitable" for a billboard, so do beauty pageants purely and entirely intend to push their participants through a meat-grinder and re-shape the resulting pap into the figure they prefer, the same unreal creation that advertisers can make electronically.  If a surreal level of beauty among contestants is not enough for a pageant industry demanding implants (and wouldn't they just love to demand the contestants get on a torture rack for a while to stretch their legs longer while they're at it) such that even these contestants are forced to be neurotic about whether their stunning beauty is "enough" then it's obvious the pageant industry is a surrealist cake of bizarre and mentally damaged expectations laced with a bit of "and what do you want to be when you grow up and do you love children and puppies" icing.  

To say with shock "oh, they're focused on the wrong thing" is naive when looking at an industry that is frankly purely based on shredding any values we have of a standard normal and healthy beauty to replace it with a silicon-based, plastic veneer, and reconstituted-maple-made-from-gasoline flavor.  Pageants are a showcase of everything mentally damaged about our view on women's beauty.

Becca, Denver CO (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:21 PM)

Trying to "manage" Miss England is yet another example of obsession with faults - criticizing the good in search of the perfect.

Mouse in New Market, VA (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:22 PM)

Why do we care that a superficial demand has been placed on a participant in a superficial competition? Face it-- If pageants aren't about perfection and ideal body types, why do they parade girls around in bikinis and slutty dresses?  It's unavoidable-- body scrutiny and beauty pageants go hand-in-hand (these girls are JUDGED mostly on their appearance for God's sake!).  If England really wants to send a message, they should withdraw from the stupid competition! How much would it impact society's attitude towards women if there were a highly publicized worldwide competition to honor young women for their intellect, values, character, accomplishments, and ambition-- not their sex appeal...?

SRD, Maryland (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:23 PM)

Good lord she's 126 lbs for crying out loud! And on mildly atheletic to non-athletic women that's mostly fat weight. So there's no way she's too thin people!! Look at the top of her thighs. If anything she should exercise and tone them up a bit(though I personally think she looks great as is). Pageant contestants should not look like the average woman. That's not the reason pagents or contests exist- they're for people with extra-ordinary appearance, talent and skills. What's the purpose of having pagents if all of the contestants look like they were just pulled off of the street? And another thing, I train people for a living and she does have a boyish, athletic build, just as she states.

JB (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:23 PM)

Maybe she should just get a swimsuit that better suits her body.  

Wendy (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:23 PM)

They just want her to hang out from all sides of her top as if it was a bandaid. She has a great shape and she should keep it that way.

smithscape, Blairsvile, Ga (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:25 PM)

I'm terribly confused by the people who use the excuse of "promoting a healthy body image" to criticize women who are perfectly fine. People come in different sizes and you can't expect everyone to fit any specific mold; to rail against one image in support of another doesn't HELP girls' esteem, it just moves the anxiety to a different group.

Terra, Arizona (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:28 PM)

Becca- loved your post!  Amen!

SRD, Maryland (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:30 PM)

I think she looks fine. If she gains any more weight she might just gain a bigger gut.

AA, NY (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:31 PM)

I'll bet the pageant officials meant more "shape" at the top, wanting her to get breast implants. She's fine the way she is.

Melinda Sacramento, Ca. (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:33 PM)

Some day, probably in the not too distant future, she will join other middle aged women on the diet rollercoaster. So, for now, let her ENJOY being thin. Besides, she's not scrawny! GEEZ!

S Trent, Morristown, TN (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:35 PM)

She looks fine and doesn't seem too thin to me. It seems like the contest is biased against girls with boyish figures and only want women with big breasts. Not all women are like that. Wish they could just learn to deal with it.

Lydia, Seattle, WA (Sent Friday, October 26, 2007 12:38 PM)



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