susan segal

I just finished watching Season 21, and I think there was a major mishandling of a situation and a missed opportunity for education. Anyone with a microgram of sensitivity should have realized that calling someone with a dark and light skin condition "panda" would be offensive. In fact, any name that the person on the receiving end finds offensive IS offensive, period. Not only was this handled poorly, but it plays into one of the problems I have with the show. I've learned a lot watching, and the main thing I have learned and come to appreciate is that modeling is hard work. And if modeling is hard work, then models are workers. And guess what? Workers have rights. They have the right to work in safe environments and to work in environments free from verbal or physical abuse and harassment. They have the right to respect. While there is a lot of lip service given to respect on the show, the emphasis is always on the need for the models to respect the photographers, designers. editors, etc. The picture painted of the industry comes across as more of a master/slave relationship than one of employer/empolyee, Respect should be a two way street.