Changing sizes, changing pressures?

In the news of the slightly weird or possibly very interesting and noteworthy (depending on how you look at it), the Spanish government recently made an agreement with several fashion designers to establish uniform sizing across brands. Aiming to promote a healthier body image for women, the Spanish Ministry of Health has created regulations banning stores from featuring clothes smaller than a U.S. size 8 in their window displays, and hopes that the uniform sizing will help alleviate the pressure women feel to lose weight to fit into clothing:

"The Health Ministry's program aims to end a situation in which a woman who buys a size 40 [European sizing] dress from one designer may not fit in a size 40 garment from another designer. The ministry said the differences sometimes lead women to feel compelled to lose weight."

While I admire their innovative approach to altering the norms for women and clothing, the level of government intervention kinda freaks me out. It will be interesting to see if any other countries follow suit, especially with the four recent anorexia-related deaths of Brazillian models.

P.S.: Tufts Feminist Alliance meeting TONIGHT in the Women's Center at 9pm! Come join us.