Eating Disorders Aren't Adjectives
All I have in this extraordinary era of social media is The Avocado and Me and a Pinterest account, which at the moment, are plenty. But I do read the news. So I'm not entirely oblivious to what goes down in the world of Likes and Followers.
Today, I pulled up the news app on my old iPhone, hurriedly scrolled through information on what the, um, struggling, Trump administration is up to, passed the Food Network recipes, and... BAM. A headline caught my attention. It was from Health, and was titled: "Kim Kardashian Is Being Praised for Her New 'Anorexic' Looks - and That's Triggering and Dangerous."
Now, another problem I have with social media is that people post things mindlessly, without thinking. This isn't true solely for Kim Kardashian-West. As a very popular celebrity, however, her mistakes are bound to be highlighted and emphasized more so than the typical Instagram-lover. Some errors are more serious than others, however. Today's belongs in the "very serious" category.
Mrs. Kardashian-West posted several videos of her sisters Kendall Jenner and Khloé Kardashian praising her for her appearance. In one such video, Kendall states jokingly: "No, I'm like really concerned, I don't think you're eating. Like, you look so skinny," to which Kim gushed, "What, oh my God, thank you!" Khloé also compliments her sister for having an "anorexic" waist.
Wow.
Mistakes happen, everyone. But this was a big mistake. Eating disorders are not a joke. Eating disorders are not to be applauded. Eating disorders are not adjectives. One of the biggest misconceptions in my mind about eating disorders is that they are choices. That they are pleas for attention, and that they are lifestyles. On the contrary, anorexia, bulimia, BED, and others are severe mental disorders that should never be taken lightly. They can kill you, control your life, and manipulate your thoughts. In my experience with disordered eating, a need for attention wasn't even a contributing factor. Instead, eating less gave me a sense of control in my stressful life of homework, playing the lead in the school musical, an intense Mock Trial, All-State Choir, physical aliments, and fragile friendships. Even if I couldn't count on a relaxed evening's sleep or a rewarding rehearsal, I could always manage what I ate and how much of it. Until after my recovery, I hadn't even realized that the way I was eating and exercising wasn't normal. That it wasn't right to be freezing cold all the time, swear off all carbohydrates, or be uncomfortable in bed because my bones jutted out. Eventually, my body thought it was entering menopause, I developed osteoporosis, and I was dangerously underweight. With these terrifying realizations, I set out to undo the damage that I had done.
Abstaining from food is not the secret to happiness and beauty, and an "anorexic" waist isn't a good thing. Both are dangerous, and comments such as these are damaging to people who have suffered from eating disorders. Many people also look up to Kardashian-Jenner clan. Social media posts like these may promote the idea of anorexia in the minds of their Followers - ProAna statements should never be encouraged, particularly if these statements are viewed by millions of people. I'm sure that Kim Kardashian and her sisters, although they are not exactly advocates for body positivity, regret saying and posting such things. They likely did not intend to hurt or offend anyone. But in the future, they, and everyone else in the world, would do well to consider the possible consequences of their words.
"Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it." - Albus Dumbledore
Remember to love yourself unconditionally.
- Maya
Comments
Post a Comment