I recently suggested to a friend that her adult-age daughter should be a model because she is quite funky in her dress, even adds zap to pink hair and often sports that “I-just-returned-from-a-fabulous-cruise” look, complete with floppy hat and yellow-rimmed sunglasses. “Oh, no!” Mom protested. “She is too short to be a model!” Huh? What’s wrong with sweet and petite? Most of our models today look like Dracula in drag with black circles around the eyes, cadaver-looking skin and bright red lips that are so inflated that they could be used as a rescue raft.

So tell me why height and skin-draped bones are more appealing in the modeling world than a normal-height woman? What a slight to the 5’4” population! Even really, really large bodies have acceptance in the modeling business thanks to the entertainment world and hefty woman who like to flaunt their humongous bosoms, fat tummies and thighs and buttocks that look like balloons inflated with too much air in them.

They somehow imagine that all that blubber (yes, I said blubber) looks sexy. Hell, that doesn’t look good on Lady Gaga (yes, I said Lady Gaga) let alone Lizzo. Why do women like to wear their bra and thong-panties on stage? I can’t imagine Aretha Franklin belting out a song in just her undies and bra, garter belt or no. There’s a TV show called “Not Dead Yet.” It is a good description of most skinny, hollow-eyed models who walk as if they are constipated and incontinent at the same time.

It’s just wrong to present the current body types as desirable. What’s wrong with Jodie Foster (5’3”), Dorothy Hamill (5’4”) and the ever-adorable Marlo Thomas (5’4”)? Or my friend’s daughter?

Not only is my friend’s daughter rejected by the modeling world but her son also wanted to be a model, but was told he was too short. Blocking short people from modeling careers is to me the height of insult.

Jean Mlincek is a freelance writer who resides in St. Petersburg, Florida