Eating Disorder ProAna Blogger Focused on Body Image and Self Esteem

I heard the news of this commercial Yoplait commercial that was pulled after receiving pressure from the National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) from several people and finally had a chance to see it this morning.

My reaction;

1) No shit this is triggering.

2) The second woman who grabs the yogurt, the one who inspires the first to make her decision on what to eat, looks gaunt, pale, and way thin…nice casting.

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Not all — but a large population of today’s eating disorders stem from our societies focus on body image and weight.

Let’s face it — our society is nuts.

We accept the fact that “Plus-Sized” models are now size 8-16. We accept the fact that magazines airbrush the living crap out of every single image of women within their pages yet we hold ourselves up to that standard. We accept the fact that kids as young as 4 are dieting (yes that is a f-o-u-r). We accept the fact that more lives are lost because of eating disorders than any other mental illness but God forbid we fork over the $ to treat sufferers. We accept the fact that Pro-Anorexia is a lifestyle that has infiltrated every corner of the web and our solution is to “Shut down those sites!” We accept the fact that dieting moms push their issues on their daughters. We accept the fact that sports require restricting food and water for weight requirements and pure vanity. We accept the fact that fat chat is a daily event that takes place in front of our children with listening ears.

But then we sit and wonder;

What’s wrong with our children? Why are they not happy? Why are they cutting? Why is there so much bullying? Why did that child commit suicide?

It all comes as a shock when you don’t open your eyes and walk around this insane planet for one day and notice how totally destructive our society is to our self image and body image.

Do it — I double dare you. Watch prime-time TV tonight. Google the word “thinspiration.” Open a fashion magazine, pick one, anyone and see the walking dead who are hailed the closest thing to perfect that we’ve ever seen. Browse this list of dead women consumed by their disease. Look at the athletes lost who were more dedicated to their sport than their lives. Take a stroll into Victoria Secret at the mall (actually you don’t even need to step inside since the massive promotional images on the outside of the store include a woman’s ass in a lace thong which is so appropriate).

Then go about your lovely little day. Concerned about your lovely little problems. While your children stick their fingers down their throats within earshot while you pretend to not notice. A burden you say. A frickin burden.

mamaV

XOXOXOXOX

**Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, psychiatrist, therapist or counselor. I am however a woman who has recovered (fully) from her eating disorder and I have been blogging on this topic since 2006 which stands for something. Qualified to make these statements? No. Making them anyway? Yes. Ranking like a lunatic? Absolutely.

Thanks to SS for keeping me abreast of this story over the past week. I contemplated writing about this dude, but didn’t because I figured it was a waste of breath, and less publicity would make him go away faster. But todays turn of events just made this story worth my time.

Kenneth Tong, wearing what appears to be a Rosary around his neck (either that or a pearl necklace which may be a fashion statement) spent the last week firing up the Twitter-sphere with a “hoax” pro-anorexia site or as he likes to call it ‘managed anorexia.”

Tong claims the site was simply a bet. A bet with a friend to try and become a “trending topic” on Twitter in less than a week (because he loves a challenge!) Tong figured the topic “pro-anorexia” would do the trick, so he started tweeting deranged commentary that unfortunately most of us are quite used to such as;

“”To be thinner, skip dinner. Anorexia is not evil, it is an often mismanaged blessing. Yadda, yadda, yadda”

Sorry gang, but in my world, what is the big deal? Proanorexia sites are EVERYWHERE. I have been screaming this from the rooftops for, let’s see, 5 years now and for some reason this dude awoke the masses to this topic. I guess I need to make it a joke for anyone to pay attention. In a sense, I guess I am glad this is happening because maybe some parents will start googling proana and thinspo to get a seriously painful reality check.

Ok, now I am fired up.

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It seems “eating less” is cool these days according to Urban Outfitters. I guess it’s their hip and trendy response to the whole “obesity crisis” but perhaps they should ponder the repercussions of placing this shirt in their stores modeled by a pale skinny chick (that kind of looks stoned).

Irresponsible as hell.

On their web site, this is how they describe the product;

“Eat less or more or however much you’d like in this seriously soft knit tee cut long and topped with a v-neck.” Perhaps they should have printed all of that on there.

Whatever.

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Hi Guys, no time to post commentary, will do so in the comments, please go here to reach the story.

Lane Bryant Skelton Commercial Is Unfricken Real

UPDATE: 5/26/10

I am told I have been foiled (along with Huffington Post and MediaPost). This is a fake ad some knob created pretending to be Lane Bryant. Thank goodness, practically gave me a heart attack)

When Lady Gaga was recently asked by the magazine if there’s anything special she does to maintain her figure, other than dancing a lot and possibly hitting the gym as well every once in a while,  Gaga’s answer was as blunt as it is potentially upsetting for the fans who look up to her.

“It’s all about starvation! Pop stars don’t eat.”

Now coming from Lady Gaga, I figure her comment was a “joke,” but we all know that eating disorders are no joke, so this really ticks me off. Further, commentary from celebrity sites stating “she’s not exactly a size zero” adds fuel to the fire, again since one does not need to be thin to have an eating disorder.

Grrrrr!

Since the lame-o coment, Lady Gaga has dismissed rumours she’s suffering from an eating disorder – putting her recent weight loss down to her busy schedule.

The singer has sparked fears for her health in recent months after a string of problems during her Monster Ball tour, including passing out on stage in New Zealand and cancelling shows after she was diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat in January.

And Gaga’s increasingly slender frame led to concerns she is in the grip of an eating disorder, but the Poker Face hitmaker is adamant she doesn’t have a problem with food – she just can’t find time to sit down for proper meals.

She tells Britain’s The Times, “My schedule is such that I don’t get very much time to eat. But I certainly don’t have an eating problem.”

Tipsters informed us of the location of Oprah’s Inside Rehab program, Shades of Hope Treatment Center in Buffalo Gap, Texas. This treatment facility is where the program “Ruby” was filmed, shown at left with Oprah herself. Read more about it here.

Shades of Hope will be featured on Dr. Oz this Friday during the segment on food addiction. And they are twittering away about it today, so I am thinking they aren’t planning on keeping their involvement a secret.

Here’s what I am wondering, why would a treatment center want to participate in a Reality TV show? If you are so inclined, feel free to contact Shades of Hope and share your feelings. However, I ask that you do NOT go ballistic on these people.

Tell them your feelings in a mature, professional manner so we are viewed as the serious eating disorder community that we are, a group that truly cares and wants to make sure patients are not exploited in any way, shape or form. I understand this is a highly emotional topic, but we really do need to be respectful in order to be heard.

Ok, breathe…..here’s the contact info:

Phone Number: 1-800-588-4673
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 639, Buffalo Gap, TX 79508
Physical Address: 402-A Mulberry Street, Buffalo Gap, TX 79508

Email: Contact Us Form

Here is a video of the owner talking about why she got into this field of work;

Have you been interviewed for the show? If you would like to share your experience email mamavision@gmail.com

Join our FB group working hard to gain the attention of Oprah’s publicity team to let them know our concerns.

Join the discussion on Facebook here

Have you been contacted by the producers and/or casting agents of Oprah’s Inside Rehab, E! What’s Eating You, or The Biggest Loser’s producers yet to be named show? If yes, I would like to talk to you, email me direct at mamavision@gmail.com

Thank you tipster Candice for this story from East London where the Department of Advertising Correction is in full pursuit. A white utility van emblazoned with the logo of the “Shoreditch Department of Advertising Correction” has been taking over political billboards in East London, changing Conservative Party ads to poetic or sometimes political ends.