Megan McGill
Some of the lovely ladies here on FR also provide an elegant counterpoint to JK Rowling's statement as well.
Regards, Ivan
Posted on 04/15/2006 1:17:43 AM PDT by MadIvan
Modelling may not be brain surgery, as J K Rowling pointed out last week when she pilloried "empty-headed toothpicks", but it seems that brain surgeons can be models.
Megan McGill, a well-travelled American fashion model with a degree in neuroscience, yesterday defended her trade against the author's scathing criticism.
She said she was appalled by the confrontational nature of Miss Rowling's comments, adding: "You are the most loved woman by every child in the world, how can you be so bitter?"
Miss McGill, who is based in London but will move to New York in the autumn to study neurology at medical school, added: "Models do actually read newspapers, and they don't like being called dumb.
"Maybe most models don't have degrees, but the majority are multi-lingual, and I don't know anyone I would describe as vapid or emaciated."
Miss Rowling, the creator of Harry Potter, who is working on her seventh book, said photographs of an ultra-thin woman in a glossy magazine had prompted her "rant".
Writing on her website, she said that she did not want her daughters, Jessica, 12, and Mackenzie, one, to emulate women whose only function was to support the trade in "over-priced handbags and rat-sized dogs".
She described waif-like models as "empty-headed, self-obsessed, emaciated clones", and railed against a world that was "skinny obsessed".
Miss McGill read the author's comments in The Daily Telegraph and discussed them with other models during a tour of Britain and Ireland with a catwalk show for L'Oreal.
"The general comment was 'bollocks'," she said. "I'm six feet tall, thin, blonde-haired and blue eyed. But I also hold a degree in neuroscience with minors in chemistry and music from an Ivy League college (the University of Pennsylvania) from where I graduated magna cum laude in three years instead of four.
"And no, my greatest achievement is not un-chipped nail polish. This autumn I will start medical school in New York where I plan to study neurology to hopefully become a neuro-surgeon.
"I don't know anyone whose only function in the world appears to be supporting the trade in overpriced handbags.
"In fact, I'm quite sure Miss Rowling has more handbags than I do. I have lived in Japan, Italy and France and travelled all over the world.
"J K Rowling said she would rather her daughters grew up to be Hermiones [the scholarly heroine of the Harry Potter series], but I'm sure if Hermione was offered an opportunity to fly to Japan to work, she would take it.
"My mother is a professor of medicine and she was supportive when I said I had been offered a modelling contract. I would not like my 14-year-old daughter to become a model, but if you do it at the right time it can offer wonderful opportunities."
Miss McGill, 25, who is married to a professional musician, said she had only read the first two Potter novels.
"Some of the foreign girls read them to improve their English, they are very good for that."
She added: "J K Rowling has done very well for herself out of adverse circumstances.
"She has undoubtedly made a huge impact on children's lives. I admire her ability to make kids excited to read. She has contributed enormously to our community and holds a captive audience.
"But that is why I am so appalled by her insensitive remarks. Models are also just trying to do the best they can."
Megan McGill
Some of the lovely ladies here on FR also provide an elegant counterpoint to JK Rowling's statement as well.
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
That's attractive to someone?
To each his own, I guess.
Poor thing, you'd think models would pull enough in to afford a bra and a shirt that doesn't look like a nightie.
I wonder what percentage of her coworkers have achieved her level of education.
From what I've seen of modelling models are about as well educated as actors, although possibly slightly better educated.
Couldn't resist with a name like Megan McGill:
Her name was McGill
but she called herself Lill
But everyone knew her
...as Nancy
~Rocky Raccoon
Seems cute, but yeah, way too thin.
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