Eating Disorder ProAna Blogger Focused on Body Image and Self Esteem

Saw this one coming a mile away. Particularly since Kate, The Dutchess of Cambridge, seems to be shrinking by the day (let’s hope its stress).  Turns our the Pro-anas are all over the sisters, glomming on to them as their fresh new “thinspo” material (at least that is what the media is shrieking).

How grand.

Odd thing is I searched for 15 minutes before writing this post for a video, proana site, or thinspo crap channel and I could not find ONE thing stated, noted, or expressed about Kate and Pippa.

So is this one hype or the typical situation of the media planting seeds for our dear proana community to glom on to? Either way, does it even matter at this point? Does anyone even care that there are MILLIONS of girls out there touting “Anorexia as a lifestyle.”

I found that answer many, many years ago – five to be exact, and the answer is a big fat NO. This culture is instead very interested in sensationalizing the whole thing, or of course banding together to “SHUT THE PRO ANA SITES DOWN.” Oh, yeah, that’s gonna do it. It takes what…five minutes to put up a new site or Facebook page?

We need to face this head on. We need to face the fact that every woman on the planet would like to be as thin as Kate and Pippa. Most actually spend the vast majority of their time longing to look like a waif. This is nothing new, and its no where near getting better, so what to do?

For me, I just need to rant about it a bit and get it out of my system, then I can move on with my day. How about you?

mV

A dear friend of mine sent me this song that you need to hear. This singer has struggled our struggles and she no doubt expresses it in this tune “Control.”

If only we could let it go, you know? It’s like we can gain glimpses of it, but then we slip back into our patterns of incessant worry over all the things that might happen, could be happening, will occur (even when 99% of it never does).

This is why I believe it is essential to surround yourself with people, music, images, and family who “get it” and who make you feel optimistic about yourself and life.

Have a listen, or two, or twenty — and keep your head screwed on straight today.

Lyrics: CONTROL
words and music by Dave and JJ Heller

The cut is deep, but never deep enough for me
It doesn’t hurt enough to make me forget
One moment of relief is never long enough
To keep the voices in my head
From stealing my peace

(more…)

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.

WARNING: THIS POST ABOUT TRIGGER MAY BE A TRIGGER.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0-MGTaPs58]

SITE STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION…YOU MAY SEE WACKED OUT PAGES

A poster of a second impossibly thin Ralph Lauren model has emerged in Sydney, landing the exclusive fashion house in more hot water.

See first disaster here.

The blogging website Photoshop Disasters posted an image today of an unknown model with a tiny waist posing in a Ralph Lauren advertisement.

(more…)

 

Former Ralph Lauren model Flippa Hamilton dumped for being too fat. Fake Flippa left, Real Flippa right

UPDATE: 10/15  Another incriminating photo exposes Laurens idiocy –more here 

Not such a Happy 70th Birthday for you today,  huh Ralph-ie?

Earlier this week, Lauren’s freaky-science-fiction like ad campaign featuring an oddly altered image of model Flippa Hamilton surfaced. BoingBoing said it best stating Hamilton’s “head is bigger than her pelvis (dude).”

Now the model herself has come forward to say she was fired for being “too fat.”

  (more…)

We have about 150 votes on the poll posted on the right side of the blog. If you click on the "comments" link at the bottom of the poll you can view this map which I found quite interesting. Kind of odd how the central part of the U.S does not have many voters, I wonder why?

I thought was pretty cool be be able to visualize where readers are coming from in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. We also have many friends in the 74 countries including the UK, Australia, Europe and even Kazakhstan as shown below on this Google Analytics map;

Isn't technology mind-boggling? For those of you who don't know I am a tech-geek. I live for this stuff. The thought that I can communicate with others all across the world just fascinates me. It keeps me up at night, thinking about the possibilities.

A blog is such a unique form of expression too. I would have absolutely NO interest in this if it was a one way conversation. Posting my viewpoint out there with no feedback is boring- I want to hear YOU. I am always excited to read comments, differing points of view, and get into great debates.

Thank you for being a part of my life girls! 

-mamaV

PS Please post your ideas for a new poll, what are you curious to ask this community?

I was recently interviewed by the Toronto Star regarding my viewpoint the ProAnorexia movement and web community. 

When I stated I encourage and educate parents on how to check the history of their childrens computer activity, I was asked about privacy.

Privacy.

When it comes to Proanorexia, there is no privacy. I will stop at nothing to expose you and I don’t look back. We are dealing with life and death here.

Girls from all over the world reach out to me for help,  I am not an eating disorder expert or authority. No one else is listening. Why has this blog become a gathering place for those who are suffering?

It kills me to hear from 15 year old girls who think their lives are “over” because they hate their bodies, themselves, and have no where to turn.

It appalls me to hear stories from anorexics being told by doctors to ”go home and eat a bagel,” after landing themselves in the hospital for malnutrition.

I am stunned when I hear the desperate cries from girls who have already gone to their mom for help, revealed their disordered eating habits, only to be patted on the head and told “Honey, you’ll get over it.”

I will ring the neck of the next mother who blatantly wines about her own body image to her girlfriends, totally oblivious to the fact that their 8 year old daughter is clinging to her every word in the next room. 

Our girls post their skeletal frames on proana sites, yet they are outraged when their images are re-posted elsewhere for all to see. “You have no right!” they pout, and shout, and stomp. I pay no mind, intentions are good.

I am sick of death.

I am sick of my heart racing when I check my email for update on a blog friend who collapsed, yet again, while innocently playing softball, her organs destroyed by years of purging and starvation.

I am dumbfounded when parents sit and watch their 90 pound daughter read Teen Vogue and don’t put 2 & 2 together. 

I am sick of smart ass girls who make avatars featuring their beloved Nicole pasted with pathetic statements “bones are beautiful”

I am sick of arrogant fashion designers snubbing their noses at the anorexia epidemic while they obsessively stitch together their size zero collection for the next show.

I am sick of models who say “I was born this way” when they know damn well that nearly everyone of their model friends are starving or purging.

I can’t watch this kind of world go round, and stay silent.

So, to the question of privacy?

Here goes:

Ahhhh. Ok, got that out. I feel better.

Have a good one,

mamaV 

PS NEED MORE?

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