The book breaks down the stereotype of what an eating disorder really is. In today’s society having an eating disorder means that you have some kind of “psychological frailty or illness” (1). When thinking about those that have eating disorders typically it is “young, middle to upper class, heterosexual white women” comes to mind (1). Their motivation is to take on the unrealistic appearance of models and reach the “standards created by advertisers and clothing designers” (1). The author in no regards is trying to down play women that have eating disorders because of the pressure of the media but is showing that there are other people and reasons for having eating disorders. This image that we currently have leaves out “women of color, working class women and lesbians” (1).
The majority of these women develop eating disorders as a result of, “racism, sexism, homophobia, classism, the stress of acculturation, and emotional, physical and sexual abuse” (2). Many of the women in this book have been raped, discriminated against and lived in violent households where they witnessed the father beating the mother. On average “one in every thousand women die from anorexia each year” (3). The main reason for this is, “heart and multiple organ failure” (3). The author uses the life of eighteen women from different backgrounds to explain how they began having eating disorders.
The book is separated by six sections. It starts off with stereotypes of eating disease orders, to how these eating disorders began then develops to how these women are dealing with this problem now.
The first three sections go straight to the topic but the last sections goes deeper. I am certain that the author’s purpose for her organization of the book, is to pro...
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...eir later years. Even though, this book is interesting is fails to give hope of a better future for other women.
Even the women that go to meetings for their eating disorder are often discriminated against. Some even find to programs too unforgiving and judgmental which leads to a decrease in meeting attendance and sometimes relapse. I would recommend this book if someone wanted to know the personal stories of minority women with eating disorders. It would not serve as a good source of information if someone wanted to know the signs, statistical information or wanted to seek help. However, Ms. Thompson did make a good point when she stated that there some form of “change in the social conditions that support violence and injustice” (127), Personally, I did enjoy reading about the lives of these women but feel like this book does not serve them justice.
“Eating disorders are ‘about’: yes, control, and history, philosophy, society, personal strangeness, family fuck-ups, autoerotics, myth, mirrors, love and death and S&M, magazines and religion, the individual’s blindfolded stumble-walk through an ever-stranger world.” (Hornbacher, 4)
The documentary Thin focuses on women who suffer from eating disorders in a treatment facility. Currently not many women are educated on the problems they may face when they have an eating disorder. Not only do women themselves understand what is happening to them, the people around them fail to understand why they may have these problems. Throughout the film we are able to focus closely on some of the patients more closely. The patients the film allows us to see closely are Polly, Alisa, Shelly and Brittany. These ladies are all of different ages and are all at different points in treatment.
Anorexia Nervosa has been a problematic disease many women suffer from. The article “The Slender Trap” was composed by Trina Rys who is a stay at home mother with a husband and one daughter. Rys writes the main reasons a woman may develop anorexia from. She states that the psychological pressures, expectations of friends and family and influences of the media all are factors when a woman is inflicted with the disease. I strongly agree with Rys persuading argument that anorexia could be caused by an unknown identity and the overall main focus of the ideal image of a woman. Although, I believe Rys requires a stronger argument on whether food restrictions executed by parents are a major step to developing the harmful illness. She seems to put emphasize on mainly women but does not shine any light on men.
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...
Eating disorders are becoming a prominent illness in our society. More and more cases have been recorded every year since 1930, as reported by the National Eating Disorder Association or NEDA. The NEDA also reports that in 2011 there was 20 million women and 10 million men have by diagnosed with, dealing with, or recovering from an eating disorder. This is becoming more and more relevant to modern day society. Themes related to this illness are present in the books The Art of Racing in The Rain by Garth Stein and Still Alice by Lisa Genova. These themes are how illnesses affect personal relationships, how society does not know how to react to being diagnosed or just dealing with an illness, and how support groups impact recovery.
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.
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness; 24 million people of all ages and genders suffer from eating disorders and only 1 in 10 of those 24 million are treated (ANAD). Eating disorders do not discriminate; all ages, genders, ethnicities and races can be victim to this mental illness. It’s important to be aware of the impact eating disorders have on societies across the globe and how the media plays a role if we want to fight the source and promote prevention and/or rehabilitation. I’ve known many people in my life who have some sort of eating disorder, whether it’s anorexia(not eating enough), binge eating(eating large amounts of food rapidly), bulimia (throwing up their food) or just struggling with an unsatisfying self-image. Becoming aware of eating disorders and how they are developed is important to me because in a perfect world, I would like to see this illness become less common or diminished completely among those that I love and anyone else in today’s society. Eating disorders hit home for many people, including myself. Raising awareness may decrease the rate of eating disorders by informing the population of the harm this illness causes and hopefully promote prevention and/or rehabilitation. With the 3 theoretical approaches used by sociologists, Eating disorders can be understood which will better inform society on how to raise awareness, prevent this illness and help those who suffer from eating disorders.
Christine. “How Eating Disorders Start to Grow.” Phoenix Revolution. Word Press, 2014. Web. 6 Feb 2014.
Warbick, Caroline. Just the Facts: Eating Disorders. Reed Educational and Professional Publishing, Chicago, IL. 2003.
In this report I want to primarily focus on teens with eating disorders and why they have resorted to this way of life. There are a lot of unclear reasoning of why people are inflicting pain, in a sense, upon themselves, but it mostly has to do with these teens self image and confidence, and the dire need to like one of those magazine models. To them thin=pretty+happiness.
Eating disorders affect a variety of individuals. This is due, in part, to what we believe beauty is. Mass media has an influence on these eating disorders. Girls believe that they should look like the super models that they see on television or in fashion magazines. This encourages them to take dangerous measures that will make them lose weight in unhealthy ways. This is a huge problem in our society and it needs to be addressed. According to Naomi Wolf, “ In her book The beauty myth” beauty today is not, about makeup. It’s the disempowering, backlash of propaganda that suggests that feminism makes women ugly, or forces women to choose between beauty and liberation.” (Wolf 2)
Yancey, Diane. Eating Disorders. Brookfield, Connecticut: Twenty-First Century Books A Division of The Millbrook Press, Inc., 1999.
What was once classified as a physical medical condition is now diagnosed as a psychological mental disorder. Eating disorders distort the perception of the human body causing the person to obsess with the idea of losing weight and body image. This not only causes serious physical harm, but mental and emotional harm as well. Many teenage girls develop eating disorders due to their idea of skinny being the equivalent to beauty and being strong. The novel, Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson, demonstrates the life and struggle of a girl dealing from the conditions of an eating disorder. Eating disorders affect a person's physical appearance, and control the thoughts and actions of a person.
(Thesis Statement)Eating disorders are something that are very common among all people. However, they are not often talked about or understood and this is something we need to fix as a society.
In the last 50 years, eating disorders have become more and more prevalent in the United States. Society is starting to realize that they do not just affect teenage women, but men and children as well (Caralat, Camargo & Herzog, 1997; Lask, 2000). Solitaire is a novel originally published by Aimee Liu was she 25 years old. It was considered America's first memoir of anorexia, with Liu describing her battle with anorexia as a teenager in the sixties. Gaining is the sequel to this groundbreaking novel, following Liu as she talks with her fellow (former) eating disorder sufferers. In Gaining, Liu talks with one specific person who is my main focus; Hannah Winters. This essay can be considered a case study of Hannah, looking specifically at her life, symptoms, diagnoses, and comparing them to the research that has been done on similar topics. From her story, Hannah could be considered a poster child of eating disorders; following very closely to the diagnosis of anorexia given in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (APA, 2000) and dealing with many of the typical issues that those who have eating disorders deal with.