A female could make up to $52,000 for walking in a top show, but a male? Only $13,000.
The highest paid female model made almost $44 million in the last year for which there is available data, while the top male made just $1.5 million.
“The top 10 female models all make millions. Only the top three male models make over a million,” according to Elizabeth Rose, male model manager at Premier.
“I think it’s the only industry where men get paid less than women. It’s unfair for men. I wouldn’t say it’s female empowerment at all.”
“[One] reason why women get paid more is that they say women spend more money on female products, but I think it’s one of those things that’s changing. More and more, male models are being used for grooming products.
“Men are taking a lot more care of themselves generally in the 2000s. It’s fine to take a long time doing your hair. It’s fine to use moisturizer. It’s encouraged to wear make-up.”
Rose advocates for the male models she thinks are being discriminated against: “The first thing is I’ll go, ‘Can you bring up the budget to more like the women’s?’ and the client will probably say, ‘Yes, we can give you this much for the men,’ but it’ll never be quite as much.
“I had a brief today that came in and it was ‘male model, [pay] £1,500’, and the female model was £5,000, for the same usage.”
“The more models are made aware of it, the more you can try and help change it, because the more agents that say, ‘No, we’re not accepting this,’ that’s the only way it’ll ever change. And models standing up and saying, ‘I’m not going to do this unless I’m paid the same as the woman.'”
Source: BBC