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There has been a firestorm of discussion and emotion since the release of Black Swan that has me rereading Lauri Apple’s poignant article back at JEZEBEL and rethinking. once again, the subtle but profound impact that media, culture, social; and familial arenas play and interact into our consciousness, whether they are actualized physically-mentally or not.
Since my daughter has suffered from Anorexia Nervosa and was a classically trained ballet student-dancer since the age of seven, as parents you may, unfortunately, get to see the side of ‘cygne noir’ – black swan that is layered within the walls of the dance studio. When eight year old girls are talking about having stomach surgery or that they are ‘fat’, or when you realize you are in the bathroom and a dancer in the adjacent stall, is intentionally inducing vomiting, it can become more than a bit disturbing.
While I don’t ‘blame’ the media, advertisers, etc. as the sole ’cause’ in perpetuating Eating Disorders , I find it simultaneously an act of denial to disregard the power and pull these mediums have and do carry, some more than others; and of course, within varying degrees for individuals and their set of environments, circumstances, genetic traits-pre-determinants, towards tipping a scale (no pun intended) sometimes in dangerous directions.
While I’m happy my daughter chimes in that she would rather see ‘True Grit’ vs ‘Black Swan’ I do believe the conversation happening is one worth continuing and deepening.
What are your thoughts and feedback? Please feel free to share…
If you are in NYC December 4-5th you won’t want to miss this seminar along with a free showing of America The Beautiful followed by Q&A with Mr Roberts:
Beauty In Every Body …You’re looking in the dressing room mirror at your backside, wondering where the air brushers are when you really need them. But it’s not your body that needs air brushing, it’s your brain. We’ve all been brainwashed by messages that undermine our self-esteem and ability to make healthy choices. What will it take to look in the mirror and accept what you see–to cherish the physical form that embodies the true beauty of who you are? This seminar will address the media images and messages that diminish our self-esteem and will offer strategies to nurture body-acceptance and health.
Sol Stone, The Nutrition Clinic, and Ophelia’s Place present: The 9th Annual Erin Leah Robarge Memorial Seminar December 5th, 2008Radisson Hotel, Corning, NY
click here for registration form and brochure
for more information, please call The Nutrition Clinic at 607-732-5646
APF/Getty Images Bertrand Guay
There is quite a bit of debate heating up lately, even over at ATDT parents are sharing their thoughts on this topic, regarding recent legistlation created by France lawmaker Valerie Boyer that France is passing towards imposing strict fines, even imprisonment against the proliferation and promotion of “pro-ana/mia” within websites, media images, the fashion industry and beyond that continue to hightlight clearly unhealthy anorexic/ED’d-looking, emaciated ultra-thin bodies– “legislating body weight” some are finger-waging.
The reviews and feedback are certainly mixed, some downright misinformed- stiil -and so sorely one-sided which to me only illuminates just how complex these issues are; and more importantly how much more of this conversation and dialogue needs to keep happening and developing.
I haven’t delved into a full exploration of my opinions on this yet, but I do think while we can’t police every site, ban every image, twisted ideal there certainly is something that we are all responding and reacting to when we see someone who looks so severely malnourished, skeletal and unwell.
As a mother of a daughter who suffers from Anorexia Nerovsa I do have an immediate heartwrenching reaction to this issue, and do believe there is not just a “personal” responsiblity but public and social conscience we all need to be connected to and address at some basic level without turning a blind-eye and pretending none of this has any impact on society whatsoever– clearly it does.
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