This woman has worn a corset all day, every day for the past 3 years.

By SYLVIA FREEDMAN

Michèle Köbke believes that having her waist sinched within an inch of its life (literally) makes her more beautiful, graceful and womanly.

Despite the fact that her waist is now smaller than a two-year-old’s, (do two-year-old’s even have waists?) and she’s seriously compromising her health, Michèle says she will not stop constricting her organs and contorting her body until she beats the current world record of 15 inches for the world’s tiniest waist.

To date, she has shrunk her miniscule waist from 25 inches down to a sickening 16 inches. How has she achieved this? By wearing a corset around the clock, every single day for the past three years. The only time Michèle removes her corset is to shower.

She sleeps in it. She eats in it… despite the fact that her stomach is so restricted that she is incapable of eating a normal sized meal and instead she must eat 10 ant-sized meals per day. She can barely breathe in it. Michèle often complains that she has difficulty breathing while wearing the corset, yet can’t stand up straight without it.

“I find it difficult to get up without my corset on and sometimes it can be difficult moving around. It does make me a bit slower. Sometimes I find it quite strenuous and I have to lean on something but I’m used to this.”

As the muscles in her midsection rapidly deteriorate, doctors have warned Michèle that if she continues to punish her organs and crush her body with corsets, the day will come when she will be unable to move at all without wearing the garment. Let me just repeat that. NOT. AT. ALL.That’s basically a disability wish, if not a death wish.

Michèle has said, “People are dumbfounded when they pass me on the street and almost do a double take. I get lots of different reactions from men in particular.

Some find my shape really attractive, while some are shocked but still find me beautiful. There are also a few who say it’s too extreme. I don’t really care what they think. Everyone’s got their own opinions.”

The retail assistant (not sure how comfortable I’d be getting fashion advice from this girl) hopes that in two years she’ll lose at least another inch off her waist – putting her in equal place with American Cathie Jung, whose 15-inch waist is the same size as a  jar of mayonnaise.

It is extremely concerning and incredibly sad that some women’s perceptions of beauty are so warped that they strive for their waists to be so small, you could get a grip on it like you’re wrapping your fingers around a condiment jar.

This is scary stuff.