I've always thought anorexia and bulimia were such interesting diseases. Not in an "I WANT IT" sort of way, just curious. Human coping mechanisms and conditioning are so strange and always changing. Of course, every girl has her "fat days," days where, no matter what, she just feels lumpy, ugly, too much whatever. As Natalie Perkins of Definatalie says, "a case of the not-good-enoughs."
Why is it that, as women, we think the only path to beauty is through a size two? Or six? I mean, I'm a sixteen and I feel very comfortable most days. I'm also a vegetarian and I love yoga, bicycling, hiking and hoop-dancing. I want to learn to roller skate. My weight/size do not reflect my total lack of healthy habits so much as they reflect my body's natural shape and mass. Of course I could lose weight and be smaller if I truly wanted to, but as much as I hate the struggle of finding jeans at regular shops, I don't mind my size. I love that my hips are a woman's and not a young girl's. I love the round bits, my breasts, having a booty, my shape. The wiggly bits aren't as appealing, of course, but I love them too! In fact, I feed them every day ;)
PrettyThin is a website where girls can go (I imagine guys can too) for "Thinspiration." I'm sure, since we all know how to use the internet these days, that you know what thinspiration means. This is a community site, like Facebook or Myspace, where girls can share stories, tips, photos, etc., all about anorexia. Does anyone else find this alarming? I understand that everyone going through a disease needs a support system, but not in support of their disease!The girl on the right of this photo is someone we might see in a fashion, home & garden or fitness magazine on stands today. The girl on the left is someone we immediately view as too thin, sickly, unhealthy, underweight, or whatever you want to call it. Now, understand I am not saying the girl on the right is unhealthy, I am simply saying: how long until the girl on the left is considered "normal?" If we are putting these ads anywhere, we are normalizing them and making them more and more common. Anorexia is a disease. Bulimia is a disease. It is not a way of life or living- it is a fast track to death.
I remember when I was sixteen or so and I was going to a dance club every weekend. I would get ready for a while, go downtown, hang out with friends, dance for hours then go home at 5am and crash- all without eating. Eating became less important and I suddenly noticed I had lost weight! Suddenly, I realized that the less I ate, the smaller I became, and that was intoxicating.
At first, I just skipped a meal a day, and loved that empty feeling in my stomach, but over a short period of time, I stopped eating except once a day, and I made sure it was in front of my mother so she knew I was eating, and at different times of day. I lost weight, of course. After a few weeks, I realized what I was doing. I was heading into a lifestyle I didn't want, and as low as my self esteem was at sixteen, I knew that being overweight was a better option than dying of starvation. I began eating again, normally, and have ever since.
At first, I just skipped a meal a day, and loved that empty feeling in my stomach, but over a short period of time, I stopped eating except once a day, and I made sure it was in front of my mother so she knew I was eating, and at different times of day. I lost weight, of course. After a few weeks, I realized what I was doing. I was heading into a lifestyle I didn't want, and as low as my self esteem was at sixteen, I knew that being overweight was a better option than dying of starvation. I began eating again, normally, and have ever since.
Lastly, telling someone with anorexia that they need to "eat a cheeseburger" is very unproductive. Absolutely no one needs a cheeseburger. What we all need is more confidence, less stress on our weight and some healthy, delicious food to fill our bellies.
(That last line was a little pro-vegetarian, I'll admit, but seriously, hamburger is gross)
In the top photo, neither of those women are anything close to a healthy weight.
ReplyDeleteThe girl on the left looks great. Every girl doesn't need to be that slim, and I'm certainly not, but I did post an interesting link on my blog today (under Sunday Link Love) that mentions the correlation between women with a waist above 32" and their chances for diabetes and heart disease.
And a locally grown cow fed grass with no hormones and eventually ground into beef without byproducts is not gross. It's likely much better for you than a pre-packed vegetarian meal that was made in another part of the country and is stuffed with preservatives. (Not saying you eat that crap, but pointing out that there are bigger problems than meat, and there are OK ways to consume beef, etc.)
I don't mean that MEAT is gross. I mean, hamburger, TO ME (and this is a more personal blog than editorial), any processed beef/meat, is gross.
ReplyDeleteI didn't stop eating meat because I didn't like it- I stopped eating it because heart disease runs in my family, because I felt bad for contributing to an industry that is LITERALLY murder, and because it's simply healthier to eat more vegetables.
Granted, many vegetarians do not eat a balanced diet. Yes, many, in fact, do eat processed foods that are horrible for them. I eat many locally produced tofu meat replacements, but I live in an area where tofu is extremely profitable and the vegetarian lifestyle is supported. I understand that some people aren't in areas where those locally produced products are available.
Secondly, the girl on the left is definitely not healthy. I'm not saying she is unattractive, but there's no way that someone can be that underweight without some effort. Being that underweight can cause things such as hair and tooth loss, your menstruation can stop and eventually lead to infertility, body hair growth to warm the body, and many other undesirable effects like heart failure, coma, stroke, and much more. Death.
Yes, being overweight can indeed lead to heart disease, failure, diabetes, etc., but that also depends on a person's lifestyle, eating habits, family history, everything.
I'm glad you brought that up though, because I certainly don't support mistreating your body. The one thing I wasn't a fan of in that photo was the candy. I am all for loving one's body and treating it well, being confident in it no matter what size, but I hate the representation of the "Fat" girl.
Sincerely, I appreciate your comments because the juxtaposition of our two view points creates a better painting of our culture's view on body weight, health and size.
@ Janine
ReplyDeleteNot all fat people get type 2 diabetes. It's largely a genetic condition. This is one of the fallacies about fatness and the omgbesity epidemic. (I have type 1 diabetes, and you could say I have picked up a bit of knowledge on the matter!)
Generally...
I think the first step towards enhanced body image within society is to normalise the body. We should talk about the fun bits and the weird bits and start a conversation where we realise that our bits aren't so ugly or odd after all - they belong to the system that is you or me.
I'm not a fan of pre-packaged meals but it will NOT help to demonise them. Often they are cheap and quick nourishment for people. Socio-economic considerations factor into this BIG time, and it's unfair to discuss health without considering it. I'm lucky that I have access to fresh fruit and vegetables, and that I have the time and skills needed to cook with them. Similarly, exercise and movement can be severely curtailed for fat people and not just because of physical reasons. When fat people exercise on the street they are subject to abuse which leads to anxiety that prevents them from going back out there. Gym memberships are expensive and often the machines can not even accommodate fat people!!! Exercise clothes are VERY VERY scant in plus sizes - just another thing that feeds into the cycle of shame regarding body image and fatness.
Anorexia and bulimia do not always lead to weight loss. In most people it leads to short term weight loss which is then put back on, plus some. This forms part of the yo-yo dieting cycle, which actually poses more of a health threat than being fat in the first place!
Anyway, body image is something that is part of a bigger discussion about health, but it should never be framed in a way that sets up boundaries on health. For example - saying that the first image of a fat woman (a manipulation I find a little condescending... why not use an actual fat woman?) is an unacceptable level of fat is ridiculous. You can't read a person's full health story by knowing their weight or looking at them and evaluating their fatness. Likewise for naturally very slender people.
The most important thing is to encourage people to love and respect themselves. Without any boundaries.
Natalie, you always make me think in different ways.
ReplyDeleteI agree that normalizing the body in all of its forms is important and helps to aid the fatphobia that is plaguing our culture, and that prepared meals, though maybe not the top choice, aren't totally void of nutrition and are certainly not the work of the devil.
I love the woman on the top photo. Her body is rockin'.
I also agree that by looking at someone you can't know their health factors, but I sincerely feel that the woman on the left of the second photo is seriously ill. I can't imagine she is a healthy weight. I have absolutely no problem with slender/thin/skinny people, but when a girl looks like a skeleton wearing cellophane, I do think she is most likely the victim of an eating disorder.
The scary part about 'eating disorders' is that they are so varied and SO many people suffer from them.
ReplyDeleteJust because someone is a size 8 doesn't mean they don't abuse laxatives to 'feel empty' or someone who is a size 4 may eat normally and may not have thrown up in her life... but may obsessively think about food to the point of being unable to function normally.
As long as someone is healthy they should be accepted at any size. The sad part is, most of us refuse to accept ourselves.