thinness

Calye

Blog Topic 2

9-29-11

 

Thinness

 

There are three theoretical models that are used to explain and treat eating disorders. It is clear to me that the best theoretical model to explain eating disorders is offered by the feminists. The feminists suggest that eating problems are more existent in woman. Although men may have this problem as well, the majority is women. This model explains that thinness is an enforced requirement for the female body, which may lead them to the eating disorders such as anorexia, nervosa and bulimia. The feminists also discuss key concepts for eating disorders such as racism and class. Whereas the biomedical model ignores many cultural factors and social factors that influence women’s eating patterns. This model focuses on the psychological reasons for the eating disorders, as opposed to social aspects. The biomedical model also adopts many forms of treatment strategies that disempower women.  The last model is psychological. The psychological model explains that eating disorders are  “multidimensional disorders.”  While it gives successful therapeutic ways to treating theses disorders it is much like the biomedical model. Meaning it tends to neglect lesbians, women of color and working class women.

Eating disorders and sexual abuse are linked in many ways. Studies have shown that a majority of women said that sexual abuse was the main cause of their eating disorders. One way the two are linked is with binging. “Binging helped women, (numb out) or anesthetize their feelings.” Meaning they would use food to comfort them when they had anxiety attacks or loneliness.  Other disorders that are linked to sexual abuse are extensive dieting and bulimia. Some women believed that the reason they were sexually abused was because they were chubby. They believed that men liked that aspect of them, and that if they were thin they would not have been sexually abused. This reasoning is an important aspect that led them to anorexia or bulimia.

Racism and class standing are big contributors to eating disorders. “For some of the Latinas and African American women, racism coupled with the stress resulting from class mobility related to the onset of their eating problems.” Many women of different race received mixed messages throughout their childhoods about eating and weight. For example, a black woman named Jocelyn told her story. Jocelyn was continuously picked on by her white grandmother. Her grandmother told her that she was ugly because she was not white or thin. Jocelyn knew there was nothing she could do about not being white but she could control her weight. Which is where her eating disorder began. Jocelyn’s father made her feel that she was fat and that it was her fault their family was not as good as the other white families. Now that they were part of the middle class he felt it was important to have “thin and elegant daughters.” Jocelyn’s story is very similar to other women’s stories. Racism and class standing greatly contribute to eating disorders.

BY Calye