“America’s Next Top Model” was an undeniable moment in reality competition history.
Recently, it’s come up that the show was pretty problematic in its heyday.
Banks herself has acknowledged the show hasn’t aged well.
“Looking back, those were some really off choices.
Appreciate your honest feedback and am sending so much love and virtual hugs.”
The 2005 cycle included a challenge that saw models competing for a “Got Milk?”
He talked about it with in an interview withVarietyin May 2020.
I was so, so, so uncomfortable with this," he recalled.
That swapped race was a layer added in.
It was supposed to be a different concept.
I remember that very, very clearly.
I was basically told that I had to execute the creative, and it made me very uncomfortable."
In cycle 4, models were asked to pose in open caskets in an 8-foot deep grave.
In cycle 8, Jael Strauss found out that her best friend had died of a drug overdose.
Strauss won the challenge despite how recently she’d had an unsettling experience with death.
They were insensitive to disabled models
In two different cycles, judges seemed insensitive to disabled models.
Cycle 3 featured Amanda Swafford, who was legally blind (perRevelist).
During a challenge, they were walking a dimly lit runway in the dark.
Swafford inquired about whether she could see the runway ahead of time to prepare herself.
She was shot down, saying it would give her an unfair advantage.
Luckily, glitter made it easier for her to navigate the situation.
A similar situation arose during cycle 22, when deaf model Nyle DiMarco had to model in the dark.
The models were posing outdoors with just flashlights to guide them.
