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Society and women's views on body image
Scholarly essays about the connection between women's body image and societal pressures
Society and women's views on body image
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Marya Hornbacher was only nine when she developed bulimia and fifteen years old when she developed anorexia. During the time period her autobiography Wasted was written, magazines were one of the most popular forms of media and entertainment for a teenager. In these magazines, there would be pages of ultra-skinny models in glamorous outfits strutting down runways seemingly happy. This inspired young girls to want to be exactly like those models since that is what society and the media portrayed as beauty to them. Hornbacher addressed the fact that she had no idea at the time that the behaviors she had developed were unhealthy, she saw it as normal because it was mainstream but now questions why these disorders were so prevalent and rhetorically …show more content…
asks if anorexia is “some freak of nature that has turned women against their own bodies with a virulence unmatched in history, all of a sudden, with no cause?” (Hornbacher) This may be a question that many sufferers have asked themselves dating from prior decades to the present. Not only do the sufferers today have to deal with their eating disorder but also the dangers of individuals supporting and promoting these behaviors on the internet. Those magazines of the late 1990’s were equally as harmful and influential as the Pro anorexia websites of modern society. Pro-Ana sites are websites that promote anorexia and are set up by individuals with eating disorders seeking to validate their illness as a lifestyle choice and to gain support from fellow victims to endure their eating disorder. Ana sites include galleries of obscenely skinny women, dieting regimens and daily workout routines. Pro Anorexia sites are one of the key contributors to the widespread community of individuals pursuing and maintaining the eating disorder and they should be banned by the United States government. These sites use unethical methods to provoke Pro Ana members to gain a mindset of the illusion of invulnerability. They exploit vulnerable individuals which makes recovery more difficult because they contradict anything individuals may have been be told about the benefits of recovery and the downsides of eating disorders. Exploiting individuals with a mental illness such as anorexia is not only immoral but also illegal and action is necessary to formulate legislations against Pro Anorexia sites. Similarly to the warning labels on cigarette boxes, Pro Ana sites have warning signs on the very end of the site explaining that anorexia nervosa is a dangerous eating disorder and claims that they are not encouraging harmful behaviors which the content of the site contradicts. Therefore, the creator of the site knows of the harmful effects of anorexia but still choose to give advice to assist victims in their prolonged suicide. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder which is also acknowledge to be a mental illness that causes people to obsess about weight and what they eat, it is often characterized by a distorted body image, abnormally low body weight, compulsive exercise and an unwarranted fear of being overweight. According to the Mayo Clinic website, a mental illness is described as a disorder that affects the mood, thinking and behavior. An illness that distorts the way someone thinks can definitely cause them to either ignore the signs or rebel against them. The act of rebelling against risky behavior can be due to the illusion of invulnerability, which is a mindset that one cannot be harmed by anything or anyone. Pro Ana sites distorts individual’s minds by allowing members to feel a false sense of security with the mirage of support from unknown individuals to help starve themselves. In December of 2015, French members of parliament adopted a bill aimed at banning the use of fashion models deemed to be "excessively thin." According to the British Broadcasting Commission, the bill “allows doctors to decide whether a model is too thin by taking into account their weight, age, and body shape. It also states that digitally altered images making a model's silhouette "narrower or wider" should be labelled as a retouched photograph (“France Passes Bill”). France is a leading country in the fashion design industry and they took initiative to regulate what the public views as a representation of a healthy individual and a role model to many. France has implemented a fine for creating a pro-Ana site set at 30,000 Euros and two years in prison, and an estimate of 45,000 Euros and three years in prison if there is a death of a provoked member. Therefore, the United States should also implement internet censorship legislations against pro eating disorder sites such as “Pro Ana” to eliminate the influence on mentally ill individuals and ultimately reduce the mortality rate in the community. Opposition may argue that banning pro anorexia sites would also raise the question within the society about other harmful sites on the internet, and this would create a type of bias. However, presenting the dangers of one type harmful site is at least a start to the process of eradication. It can also be said that eliminating pro eating disorder websites will not eliminate eating disorders. Pro anorexia sites could be useful in the sense that it is the source and a community of individuals who need help and it is an easy way for healthcare professionals to locate and offer treatment. Medical treatment may be needed to restore normal weight. Talk therapy can help with these individual’s self-esteem and behavior changes (NEDA). Members also view pro Ana sites as an escape from the judgmental world, a safe haven, therefore it would be a difficult task to eliminate the community as they see other members as their true friends. Pro Anorexia sites are influential and also misleading to the members of the subculture; they include much stricter policies such as Ana rules, commandments, psalms, and a creed which gives their members a strong sense of community and common identity. Pro Ana site creator, L, creates a post in search of an “Ana buddy” which allows members to view her as a friend: “Dear lovely ladies, I’m looking for an Ana buddy. I want someone that will motivate me as I motivate her. Someone I can talk to when I’m about to binge or I feel really down. If this sounds like something you’re interested in please fill in the application and leave it in the comments below. Deadline: Friday May 1st.” (“The Pro Ana Lifestyle Forever”) The author refers to the members as “lovely ladies” which is an appeal used to gain their attention and also to make them feel they are more beautiful for being a part of the Ana community.
The creator herself is suffering from the disorder as she stated that she needed someone to speak to when she binged; therefore Pro Ana sites are filled with advice to mentally ill people from a mentally ill person. She instructs the Ana members to leave a comment to be considered for the position of her personal Ana buddy, there were hundreds of comments which shows that there were many sufferers who were in need of a friend, to comfort them. L also stated that sometimes she “feels down” which could be a symptom of depression. Anorexia and depression are often intertwined. Both are serious mental disorders that can take a toll on a person’s physical and emotional health. The nutritional deficiencies caused by self-starvation may lead to a depressed emotional state, which increases the risk of social withdrawal, self-injury and suicide (WebMD). These sites are highly unsafe as they are all leading each other to destroying their bodies internally. It is not uncommon that Ana members feel as if they are alone when battling their eating disorder hence why they reached out on the internet to find others who are also struggling. Similarly, Hornbacher speaks of the emotions she felt when she accepted the fact that she was battling her eating
disorder: “I have an eating disorder, no question about it. It and I live in an uncomfortable state of mutual antagonism. That is, to me, a far cry better than once upon a time, when it and I shared a bed, a brain, a body, when my sense of worth was entirely contingent upon my ability to starve. A strange equation, and an altogether too-common belief: One's worth is exponentially increased with one's incremental disappearance.” (Hornbacher 8) Hornbacher describes the disorder as a “mutual antagonism”, this is a relationship by which two species has a reciprocal negative effect on each other. The author personifies the eating disorder portraying that not only is the illness bad for her, it also causes friction between her mind and body. Similarly to pro anorexia websites, blog creators personify anorexia as the role model called Ana. “When it and I shared a bed, a brain, a body…” the author states that the disorder overpowered her, it was now a part of her being. An eating disorder like anorexia is based on control, the power to force oneself to starve even when the body yearns for food is most desired to achieve the goal of being thin and beautiful in their eyes. Hornbacher’s quote ends with the phrase that suggestively contemplates suicide stating “One’s worth is exponentially increased with one's incremental disappearance”, which is to say that when a person dies, they seem more valuable. Those suicidal thoughts could be due the state of depression that anorexics and Ana
The book I choose for the book talk is “Dead and gone” written by Norah McClintock, this book talks about a murder mystery of Tricey Howard. The main character of the story is Mike, an orphan whose parents got killed in a car crash. He lives with his foster father named John Riel, who was once a police officer. During a swim meet, Mike see Mr.Henderson is staring at a girl name Emily without stopping. Then he informs Emily about what happened in the community center. However, as return Emily blackmails Mike to investigate Mr. Henderson. During the investigation, Mike finds nothing suspicious, but realize Emily is the daughter of Tricey Howard. Tricey Howard was murdered years ago, but the police still haven’t find the real killer. At the meantime,
However, these views don’t take social process into consideration. Therefore, they organized a self-help group for bulimics and anorexics known as BANISH in order to determine what societal aspects cause these disorders. The author’s group consisted mostly of college age females which is significant because this is group primarily affected by these disorders. Interestingly, the backgrounds of the women in the BANISH group are strikingly similar in that they are excellent students, good children who have very close parental relationships, from “functional” families - all having been brought up with an emphasis on thin physical appearance. The authors also allude to the fact that in today’s society, slimness is considered attractive and most worthy, while being overweight is viewed as both morally and physically wrong. Society labels heavy people as “lazy, obscene, and unhealthy”. (244) It is noted that when members of the group lost weight, they reported feeling more accepted and
“ The Hunger Artist” helps us to see how far Anas, otherwise known as anorexics, are willing to go to stay isolated from a community
Marya Hornbacher was born on April 4th, 1974, her parents were well-known actors and directors in Walnut Creek, California. She led a chaotic childhood, consisting of a major move to Minnesota, an anxiety disorder, and most of all, perfectionism everywhere she turned, “I always felt there was an expectation that I would do one of two things: be great at something, or go crazy and become a total failure. There is no middle ground where I come from,” (Hornbacher, 281). Marya developed bulimia when she was nine years old, and when she moved away to attending boarding school at fifteen, she became anorexic. Her parents saw it as a phase and Marya did not go into treatment for another seven years, since then, she has had several relapses. Marya wrote her ...
The author’s intended audience is most likely to people who are experiencing the disorder or are interested in knowing more about eating disorders. When Lia was admitted to New Seasons, her rehabilitation facility, she relates her experience to someone who has gone through the struggles in that kind of facility. Lia was expected to be “a good girl [by not poking holes] or write depressing poetry and [eat and eat]” (Anderson 18). Her struggles in the facility allowed the audience who experienced this disorder to relate their experiences. In addition, people who choose to starve...
When I had my eating disorder I would have agreed more with Galynker. Her feelings of compassion and pity would have made me feel better about myself. Today I agree more with Udovitch. She is anti pro-ana and tells the story how it needs to be told. Eating disorders are dangerous and they need to be addressed by someone. Whether it is a family member or a close friend, someone needs to tell those girls how their living conditions can affect them, and how their lives could be so much better if they found another hobby. I don’t believe everyone can be cured the way I was, but I believe that everyone can be cured, they just need the desire.
All Eating Disorders lead to various health complications and may ultimately result in the death of the sufferer. For instance, Anorexia Nervosa has the highest mortality rate of all psychiatric disorders, as 5 to 9% of Anorexics will die from it (Nolen-Hoeksema, Susan. (2013). Abnormal psychology (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.). Anorexia Nervosa and Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS) in its restrictive/subtreshold Anorexia subtype may cause severe organ dysfunction due to extreme malnourishment. These problems include, but are not limited to, cardiac, hepatic, renal, and neurological failure.
Eating disorders are one of society’s most debilitating physical and psychological problems faced today. In the 1950s Marilyn Monroe was society’s role model, but would now be considered a plus-sized model and somewhat unattractive in society’s eyes (Steinem 5). Now in 2013, Demi Lovato, a pop singer, plays a huge role as a role model for young people, but has recently told the media that she suffers from anorexia nervosa and embraces it, ultimately showing adolescents that eating disorders are socially acceptable and even often encouraged (Cotliar 80). The psychological effects that eating disorders have on a patient can be very detrimental to themselves and often push the patient farther into the disorder than she could ever have imagined ("Prevalence vs. Funding" 3). The physical effects that an eating disorder can have on the body could be as minor as feeling faint to something as major as an organ shut down, or even resulting in death (“Physical Dangers” 2). Eating disorders affect a wide variety of people, particularly adolescent girls, and may ultimately lead to many destructive physical and psychological results.
Paragraph 1- Girls can become victims of eating disorders because of society's promotion of an ideal thin female body. Models and stars shown in the fashion industry, magazines, movies, and other forms of media often appear very thin. These models are not a true reflection of the average female. Many are unnaturally thin, unhealthy or airbrushed. One former Victoria Secret model was shocked by the waiflike models that were shown on the runway during designer shows. A study referenced in the the article “Do Thin Models Warp Girls Body Image” describes how studies of girls as young as first grade think the culture is telling them to model themselves after celebrities who are svelte and beautiful. The same studies showed girls exposed to fashion magazines were most likely to suffer from poor body images. Psychologist and eating disorder experts agree the fashion industry has gone too far in showing dangerously thin images that women and young girls may try to emulate. The use of super slim models and stars, is sending the wrong message to young impressionable girls. These harsh influences lead us to think that thin is ideal body size. Seeing super thin models in the media plays a role in anorexia. Society’s promotion of a thin female body contributes to eating disorders for females striving to achieve this ideal bod...
Eating disorders are described as an illness involving eating habits that are irregular and an extreme concern with body image or weight. Eating disorders tend to appear during teenage years, but can develop at any age. Although more common in women, eating disorders can affect any age, gender or race. In the United States, over 20 million women and 10 million men are personally affected by eating disorders. There are many different causes of eating disorders such as low self esteem, societal pressures, sexual abuse and the victims perception of food. Eating disorders are unique to the sufferer and often, their perception of themselves is so skewed, they may not be aware they have an eating disorder. Media, for quite some time now, has played a significant part in eating disorders. Magazines with headlines ‘Summer Body’, or ‘Drop LB’s Fast!’ attract the attention of girls who may be insecure with themselves. Television productions such as the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show or American’s Next Top Model, show airbrushed and photoshopped women who have body types that may be unachievable. Those who are suffering from eating disorders can suffer dangerous consequences, and it is important to seek help.
Today, America is plagued with eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Compulsive Eating Disorders. Each has its own characteristics that distinguish the illness yet there are some similarities that they also share. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, as with most mental illnesses, eating disorders are not caused by just one factor but by a combination of behavioral, biological, emotional, psychological, interpersonal and social factors. Shockingly, they also report that in the United States, there are as many as 10 million females and 1 million males that are battling with eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia. Additionally, another 25 million are struggling with binge eating disorders (www.NationalEatingDisorders.org). Typically, psychological factors such as depression and low self-esteem contribute to eating disorders...
In 1978, Brunch called anorexia nervosa a 'new disease' and noted that the condition seemed to overtake ?the daughters of the well-to-do, educated and successful families.? Today it is acknowledged and accepted that anorexia affects more than just one gender or socio-economic class; however, much of the current research is focused on the female gender. ?Anorexia nervosa is characterized by extreme dieting, intense fear of gaining weight, and obsessive exercising. The weight loss eventually produces a variety of physical symptoms associated with starvation: sleep disturbance, cessation of menstruation, insensitivity to pain, loss of hair on the head, low blood pressure, a variety of cardiovascular problems and reduced body temperature. Between 10% and 15% of anorexics literally starve themselves to death; others die because of some type of cardiovascular dysfunction (Bee and Boyd, 2001).?
“If you took these threads and attempted to follow them back even a few days you could never unravel the wisdom behind this strange connection.” (Dulaney) In the last passage of “Worthless Days” the author Margret Dulaney explores the complex idea of fate and the delicate balance of cause and effect. I was first drawn to this essay by the sole fact that it was about a dog. However as I started my closes analysis I realized there is a much deeper meaning to this essay, specifically in the last passage.
Out of all mental illnesses found throughout the world, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate. Anorexia nervosa is one of the more common eating disorders found in society, along with bulimia nervosa. Despite having many definitions, anorexia nervosa is simply defined as the refusal to maintain a normal body weight (Michel, 2003). Anorexia nervosa is derived from two Latin words meaning “nervous inability to eat” (Frey, 2002). Although anorexics, those suffering from anorexia, have this “nervous inability to eat,” it does not mean that they do not have an appetite—anorexics literally starve themselves. They feel that they cannot trust or believe their perceptions of hunger and satiation (Abraham, 2008). Anorexics lose at least 15 percent of normal weight for height (Michel, 2003). This amount of weight loss is significant enough to cause malnutrition with impairment of normal bodily functions and rational thinking (Lucas, 2004). Anorexics have an unrealistic view of their bodies—they believe that they are overweight, even if the mirror and friends or family say otherwise. They often weigh themselves because they possess an irrational fear of gaining weight or becoming obese (Abraham, 2008). Many anorexics derive their own self-esteem and self-worth from body weight, size, and shape (“Body Image and Disordered Eating,” 2000). Obsession with becoming increasingly thinner and limiting food intake compromises the health of individuals suffering from anorexia. No matter the amount of weight they lose or how much their health is in jeopardy, anorexics will never be satisfied with their body and will continue to lose more weight.
A tall, glamorous runway model is every girl’s dream. Long beautiful legs, lean body, and beautiful shiny hair is what an average young woman views as an ideal image for a female. If you don’t resemble the images of those stunning Victoria Secret models and Fashion Week models, you suddenly become ashamed of your own body. It is a great life to have with the high pay, fame, drinking champagne on a yacht with famous celebrities and even being on the Vogue cover page. Fashion Modeling Industry has been the most influential source in our young women’s lives. Young girls and young women are seen eating as little as they can, even starving themselves at times to resemble those models. What they don’t realize is that they are contributing to the 2.7 percentage of 13- 18 year olds suffering from anorexia and bulimia. Susan Albers, a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic said exposure to thin models is a great trigger in maintaining an eating disorder. When watching America’s Next Top Model or flipping through a Fashion magazine, these young women don’t apprehend that those models are either naturally slim or they are suffering from an eating disorder themselves, in other words, hostages in the dark hell hid behind those runway curtains. The growing number of young anorexia and bulimia patients, and the number of websites such as thinspiration, where girls put up pictures of their thin bodies clearly suggest that the fashion modeling industry do not at all bear any responsibility in providing healthy, realistic physical role models for young women.