Times have changed… or have they?
Last week, Paulina Porizkova — who appeared on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue from 1984-85 — spoke to Page Six at the Bloomberg 50 gala in NYC about the harassment models face in the fashion industry.
Related: Paulina Porizkova Talks About Her Struggles With Anxiety
Apparently, this behavior is so common, it was once seen as a “compliment.” The 52-year-old revealed:
“Here is the funny thing about sexual harassment with us as models: It was seen as a compliment.”
In fact, Porizkova says being harassed was a sign one was well-liked in the business.
“As a matter of fact, you almost got offended if you did not get harassed. Like, if this photographer is known for hitting on [models] ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ or goes for all the brunettes ├óΓé¼ΓÇ¥ and you show up at the studio and you are a brunette and he does not hit on you.. it is like, ‘What is wrong with me?’ So it is messed up. It makes you think that sexual harassment is what you need.”‘
This isn’t the first time the Czech-born Swedish runway star has spoken out about predatory behavior. In the 2012 HBO documentary About Face: Supermodels Then and Now, she said:
“If a 16-year-old is kind of flattered by a man pulling out his penis in front of her, that’s kind of noteworthy.”
So, so disturbing…
[Image via Rob Rich/WENN.]
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