Thinness

Posted on by
Reply

Approximately seven million women and one million men, aged from ten to early twenties, suffer from eating disorders. One or two out of every one hundred students will develop an eating disorder. The two most common are anorexia nervosa and bulimia.

There are three models used to explain eating disorders, they are the biomedical, psychological, and the feminist model. The biomedical model displays important information about physiological cause of eating problems and the dangers of starvation and purging. But the medical treatments done can be traumatizing to women.

The second model used is the psychological model, influenced by biological, psychological, and cultural factors. This model like the biomedical one, may neglect women of color, working class women, and lesbians.

The third model is the feminist model; eating problems are believed to be gendered. Women being thin is required by society and enforced. Most people who have an eating disorder are women.

Sexual abuse is one of the main causes for women to begin with eating disorders. Between one third and two thirds of women with eating disorders have been abused. Binging was the most common of these women. Eating was a sense of comfort to them, and their only escape.

Racism and class standings also can contribute to eating disorders. For example, an African American father wanted his wife and his daughter to lose weight as their class standing began to change. “If you were a truly well-to-do family, then your family was slim and elegant.” African American and Latina women are known to be curvier than white women. If being white and slim is associated with being wealthy, why wouldn’t they want to be portrayed the same way since they can’t change their skin color they change their weight.

I believe times are changing a lot. I can see the eating disorder rates decreasing over time. Nowadays everyone wants to look like Nicki Minaj or Kim Kardashian. Skinny is out, it’s all about being thick and curvy.

By Gabrielle

Thiness

Posted on by
Reply
When discussing eating disorders there are three main models used to explain the Epidemology, Etiology and treatment of eating problems.
The first model is referred to as the biomedical model and is used to give scientific reasons for the psychological aspects of the eating disorders. Unfortunately it often ignores the cultural, social, and historical reasons that contribute to the disorders. In some cases because of the focus being on the more scientific aspect it often makes women feel less empowered.
The psychological model views  eating disorders as multidimensional and believe it is are often influenced by genetics, cultural and psychological elements. This model while considered very valuable in the use of providing proper therapeutical treatments yet in contrast tends to ignore many of the social and cultural aspects of its women.
Lastly the Cultural thinness model says that thinness is culturally and socially required in today’s society and is often attributed to a woman’s worth and beauty. Thus many women are often subject to frequent dieting cycles and eating disorders to appease and meet society’s expectations.
Examples of the cultural thinness model are rampant throughout today’s society. When one looks at the Fashion Industry and Entertainment world we see numerous protrayals of what society viewed as the perfect body or the perfect woman. Everywhere you turn there are  posters, commercials, movies ect displaying ultra thin, attractive women. Although these  industries cannot be blamed for the disorders they definitely have contributed in a way to the social pressures and expectations women are faced with.
Yet there are still more intimate and painful factors that contribute to eating disorders. Sexual abuse and eating disorders have been shown to be directly  connected. Studies show that one third- out of  two- thirds of women who suffer from eating disorders have been abused. Of the 61 percent of women interviewed most of them made direct connections to sexual abuse and eating problems. These women often turned to food and binge eating to comfort and make them feel safe. Numbing their emotional and psychological pain the food was used to help them survive.
In the case of one woman,  Antonia( who’s sexually abuse began at 4 years old) she describes how after having nightmares and anxiety attacks she would go to the cabinet and eat anything she could find. The food served as a sedative in her cause helping her to go back to sleep thus for a short time allowing her to escape the confusion and pain resulting from the abuse. She later shared that one of the reasons she binged at instead of dieting was because she equated thinness with the good girls and due to her abuse she no longer felt worthy to be called a good girl.
In contrast another woman explained having the opposite experience and believed her chubbiness was the cause of her being targeted for abuse. She had even heard her family say that the perverts like the chubby girls best. Thus her desire to be thin and thus no longer be a victim led her to hate her body and the fat. Adding to that fact of the extra pressure she endured from her parents who viewed as a embarrassment because of her chubbiness. Her father often referred to her body as a “shot to hell.
Another aspect of eating disorders is the sensitive subject of racism and class.
As seen in the text Joselyn and African American described remembering how her Caucasian  grandmother would often tell her she would never be pretty because she was not light like her other cousins. She was often subject to humiliation and called fat, thus began the journey into the dark channels of eating disorders. Coming from a family that was slowly evolving along with history the once acceptable scene of a happy plump family was replaced by the expectation of a thin looking family. Instead of plumpness being viewed as a sign of success and wealth it became a thing to be abhorred in her family especially as her father began doing more business with their Caucasian neighbors. Her father in a desire to portray the new picture of success placed Joseyln on numerous diets in a effort to appear successful. Yet in the end the cause for Joesyln’s eating disorder was not properly addressed and led to greater problems in the future.
When discussing eating disorders there are three main models used to explain the Epidemology, Etiology and treatment of eating problems.
The first model is referred to as the biomedical model and is used to give scientific reasons for the psychological aspects of the eating disorders. Unfortunately it often ignores the cultural, social, and historical reasons that contribute to the disorders. In some cases because of the focus being on the more scientific aspect it often makes women feel less empowered.
The psychological model views  eating disorders as multidimensional and believe it is are often influenced by genetics, cultural and psychological elements. This model while considered very valuable in the use of providing proper therapeutical treatments yet in contrast tends to ignore many of the social and cultural aspects of its women.
Lastly the Cultural thinness model says that thinness is culturally and socially required in today’s society and is often attributed to a woman’s worth and beauty. Thus many women are often subject to frequent dieting cycles and eating disorders to appease and meet society’s expectations.
Examples of the cultural thinness model are rampant throughout today’s society. When one looks at the Fashion Industry and Entertainment world we see numerous protrayals of what society viewed as the perfect body or the perfect woman. Everywhere you turn there are  posters, commercials, movies ect displaying ultra thin, attractive women. Although these  industries cannot be blamed for the disorders they definitely have contributed in a way to the social pressures and expectations women are faced with.
Yet there are still more intimate and painful factors that contribute to eating disorders. Sexual abuse and eating disorders have been shown to be directly  connected. Studies show that one third- out of  two- thirds of women who suffer from eating disorders have been abused. Of the 61 percent of women interviewed most of them made direct connections to sexual abuse and eating problems. These women often turned to food and binge eating to comfort and make them feel safe. Numbing their emotional and psychological pain the food was used to help them survive.
In the case of one woman,  Antonia( who’s sexually abuse began at 4 years old) she describes how after having nightmares and anxiety attacks she would go to the cabinet and eat anything she could find. The food served as a sedative in her cause helping her to go back to sleep thus for a short time allowing her to escape the confusion and pain resulting from the abuse. She later shared that one of the reasons she binged at instead of dieting was because she equated thinness with the good girls and due to her abuse she no longer felt worthy to be called a good girl.
In contrast another woman explained having the opposite experience and believed her chubbiness was the cause of her being targeted for abuse. She had even heard her family say that the perverts like the chubby girls best. Thus her desire to be thin and thus no longer be a victim led her to hate her body and the fat. Adding to that fact of the extra pressure she endured from her parents who viewed as a embarrassment because of her chubbiness. Her father often referred to her body as a “shot to hell.
Another aspect of eating disorders is the sensitive subject of racism and class.
As seen in the text Joselyn and African American described remembering how her Caucasian  grandmother would often tell her she would never be pretty because she was not light like her other cousins. She was often subject to humiliation and called fat, thus began the journey into the dark channels of eating disorders. Coming from a family that was slowly evolving along with history the once acceptable scene of a happy plump family was replaced by the expectation of a thin looking family. Instead of plumpness being viewed as a sign of success and wealth it became a thing to be abhorred in her family especially as her father began doing more business with their Caucasian neighbors. Her father in a desire to portray the new picture of success placed Joseyln on numerous diets in a effort to appear successful. Yet in the end the cause for Joesyln’s eating disorder was not properly addressed and led to greater problems in the future.
Tais

Thinness

Posted on by
Reply

The three theoretical models used to explain and treat eating disorders are biomedical model, psychological model and the feminist model. The biomedical model focuses on scientific research, while ignoring many social, historical and cultural factors that influence eating patterns. The psychological model states that eating problems are “multidimensional disorders” that are influenced by biological, psychological and cultural factors. The biomedical model as well as the psychological model tends to neglect women of different ethnicities, lesbians and working class woman, which is where the feminist model comes into play. The feminist model explains why woman have the highest level of eating disorders and how sexism may relate.
Sexual abuse has been shown to have a direct correlation with eating disorders. This is because they did not have control of their bodies, so eating becomes an anesthetic that calms them. They turn to food the way others turn to drugs or alcohol. This is also because they try to make themselves “unattractive” in a means to prevent this from happening in the future; especially in the case of incest.
Racism and class can contribute to eating disorders as well. Some cultures dictate you must be thin, while others believe is a more curvy body. Many cultures have strong ties to eating, and are centered around food. You also have conflicting messages, where your family may think you need to gain or lose weight, while people at school may say the opposite. When you watch a movie or look in a magazine there are so many bodies to compare your own too. A simple diet with minimal weight loss resulting in positive comments may lead to obsessive dieting leading to an eating disorder. While those who live in poverty often over eat as food is easily accessible and inexpensive.
With this being said it would be impossible to try and treat someone with an eating disorder with only one approach. You would need to treat mind, body and soul to fully treat someone with an eating disorder. A combination of all three models, as well as supportive family and friends would be required.

Invisible Privilege

Posted on by
Reply
Privilege is often invisible because you cant always see if someone is living well or not, like if someone was driving a two thousand eleven mustang GT around you would know that, that person is privileged. If you just saw someone in a supermarket shopping you most likely wouldn’t know if there privileged or not by looking at someone. Black, and Hispanic people or lower class people are more likely to be aware of privilege because there the ones that are generally effected by it.  Andréa was so uncomfortable in jewels house because she was not use to the conditions they were living in such as the darkness of the apartment or the conditions of there bathroom. This frightened her because she grew up differently and this is simply an effect of race, gender, and class. It is difficult to over come such social differences but a lot of it truly in my opinion depends on what type of person you are inside, and if you can be understanding and accepting tp surroundings your not adjusted to. Funding for schools can be seen as an invisible privilege because in most towns the selection of students is based on there taxes and whether or not they live on the town of the school. People with more money generally get first choice in everything.

Privilege is often invisible because you cant always see if someone is living well or not, like if someone was driving a two thousand eleven mustang GT around you would know that, that person is privileged. If you just saw someone in a supermarket shopping you most likely wouldn’t know if there privileged or not by looking at someone. Black, and Hispanic people or lower class people are more likely to be aware of privilege because there the ones that are generally effected by it.  Andréa was so uncomfortable in jewels house because she was not use to the conditions they were living in such as the darkness of the apartment or the conditions of there bathroom. This frightened her because she grew up differently and this is simply an effect of race, gender, and class. It is difficult to over come such social differences but a lot of it truly in my opinion depends on what type of person you are inside, and if you can be understanding and accepting tp surroundings your not adjusted to. Funding for schools can be seen as an invisible privilege because in most towns the selection of students is based on there taxes and whether or not they live on the town of the school. People with more money generally get first choice in everything.

-samantha

Invisible Privilege

Posted on by
Reply

Privilege is often invisible, in my thoughts, because in everyday society privilege is not usually discussed. It is not “normal” to sit around the dinner table and discuss whether it is a privilege to have the ability to go out and buy a new coach purse or to have electricity to run lights and keep food fresh in the refigerator. Many people do not look at that as being a privilege. Many people look to having electricity as something that is a nessecity, or common to have, although there are many people that do not have the privilege to have electricity in the United States.

I believe that the people of society who are most likely to be aware of privilege are those of a lower class.  The middle to upper class are accustomed to having what they need; rather than being aware of what they need and worring about how to get just that. 

I would describe Andreas being uncomfortable in Jewel’s home as being a culture shock.  Paula S. Rothenburg, author of “Invisible Privilege”, used Jewel’s “second” bathroom as a comparison to Andrea’s bathroom. Andrea had a second bathroom that would be consider normal. On the other side Rothernburg described Jewel’s bathroon as being almost unfit to be used. Andrea was used to her “Middle-Class” norms where for Jewel’s norm for “Middle-Class” are or were set differently.

In a perfect world I would hope that people would be able to overcome social difference such as the ones decribed in this reading. But in reality I do think that it is not going to happen anytime soon. Our world is not a perfect world. Although there have been many changes throughout the years, there are still many that are need. Inequality is unfair and we as people of society each have to do our part in changing the way we think and act.

Funding for schools could be an “invisible privilege” by where the money comes from and where the money goes. If a school has funding from a person or a personal organization, that funding in return goes to school of that persons choice. If it may be a school for children from a place where being “Upper-class” is norm, then the schools in surrounding areas that are not upper-class have the disadvantage. I think that it would be more like of a person to donate funding to a place where they grew up and attended schools.

I personally live in a small toen and our school system is not very large. This year they had to lay off a kindergarten teacher due to the fact that there were not enough students enrolled to fill the two class rooms. Due to this, the school informed us parents that they would not be accepting request for school choice from students and parents from other districts. Do I think this is fair? Yes. The students that live in the community or town should have first choice in the towns school system.

Women and the Birth of Sociology

Posted on by
Reply

In this reading, Patricia Madoo and Jill Niebrugge-Brantley talk about how woman had been “written out” of sociology. The term “written out” does not mean totally erased. At the time, as I understand in the reading, women were acknowledged. They were public figures. But later their achievements were not. Women were not seen as authority figures. They were not as important as men. But the women’s information and studies were just as accurate and good as the men. Men and women did work together though. But women were not taken seriously. Several of them researched the problem of race and inequality. This is known as the social conflict approach. These woman published books and theories. this reading proves that woman are just as equal as men. Honestly, it must of sucked.There should have never been an issue with sexism or racism. Everyone is capable of anything, men or women.

BY Kendra

Desire for Thinness— What causes eating disorders?

Posted on by
Reply

The three existing theoretical models used to explain eating disorders are the biomedical model, psychological model, and a third model, which looks at them in a more sociological sense. The biomedical model explains disorders as purely physiological, and does not pay attention to possible sociological causes. The psychological asserts that eating disorders are caused by a wider range of issues, such as some cultural ones, but is still fairly narrow in scope. Feminists have given us a third model for study, which takes into account many cultural, historical, and such sociological factors. The key point of this model, though, is the claim that eating disorders are specifically related to gender, NOT to race.

Sociologists first began looking into the connection between sexual abuse and eating problems in the 1980s. There certainly IS a connection: studies indicate that between one and two thirds of women with eating disorders have been abused. Abuse often results in binge eating; food is the most readily available “drug” to numb the horror of abuse. Sexual abuse also sometimes results in excessive dieting and bulimia.  This happens when women believe that their (over)weight is the cause of the abuse.  However, this can eventually also lead to binge eating and oscillating weight.

Racism and classism are also sometimes causes of eating disorders. Racial minorities may see being thin as the only way to become prettier: If white girls are thin, then it becomes essential for racial minorities to be thin as well. Classism makes things even more confusing. For lower working class people, chubbier children will be seen as well fed and healthier. But in higher class families, people are expected to have a certain degree of thinness. If one’s class fluctuates –and this applies mainly to racial minorities—then one is more likely to develop eating disorders, as one tries to compensate for the out-of-whack expectations that change as one’s class does.

BY ROY

PS: A special “thank you” is due to Professor Adams for sorting out all my technical issues. Your help was most appreciated!

Thinness

Posted on by
Reply

               The three theoretical models used to explain eating disorders are the biomedical, physchological, and the feminist models.  The biomedical model looks at the physiological causes and dangers of eating disorders, whilst ignoring the social and emotional factors that may influence an individual. Its focus is on the treatment, rather than the prevention.

       The psychological models says that biological, psychological, and the cultural factors are the reasons why their are eating disorders. It does not acknowledge the other half. This half being woman, woman of color, lesbians, and or working class woman.

       The last being the feminist approach which says that eating problems are gendered. The most people with this disorder are women.  Sexism and other enforcers are the contributing reason to a society that portrays women as only one way, thin and pretty.

       Sexual abuse is the most common reason women develop eating disorders. Most woman were young when they were abused and found food as a way to numb the pain; similar to how an alcoholic leaves it in the bottle. Being young, food was familiar and a easily attainable. It was also something that could be done at any time or anywhere without to much notice. Eating and binging was also a way to become thinner, which was thought of as a reason of why the abuse happened. The abuse wouldn’t happen if they were thin and pretty was the mindset.

       Even though sexual abuse is the main contributing factor for these  disorders; racism and class standing also play a factor. The body image that is seen by different cultures be-it, black-white, white-black, latina-chinese, etc, plays a role society wise how people are seen. Just as important is, if you are up and coming and everyone around you has a different body image or expectations of how body image should be, it puts extreme pressure to be one of the “in crowd”.

        The models to prevent and treat this work, but don’t work at the same time. We need a hybrid approach, lets say Bio-psycho-femino model. This like any disorder or disease needs to be treated as a whole, otherwise it is like giving motrin to a cancer patient as their only form of treatment.

Zach

THINNESS

Posted on by
Reply

There are so many people struggling with weight issues in today’s society. These people are faced with so many different body image disturbances for example, magazines and advertisements are falsely advertising what the perfect body type should be which, leads people to believe that that is why women are stuggling with weight issues but, what these people don’t realize is that there are more underlining reasons to why women struggle with these weight issues.

Three theoretical models have been designed to give people a better understanding as to what contributes to these eating disorders.(1) The biomedical model. this model gives “important scientific research about the possible physiological causes of eating problems and the physiological dangers of purging and starvation” further more, this model has come up with “medical treatment strategies that may disempower and traumatize women”. unforunatly this model ignores important factors that could influence eating patterns which are “social, historical, and cultural factors”. (2) The psychological model. this model labeld eating problems as “multidimensional disorders” which are “influenced by biological, psychological, and cultural factors”. this model is useful in its exploration of effective treatments however, like the biomedical model ignoring important factors, this one tends to neglect working class women, women of color, and lesbians. (3) The culture of thinness model. This model, designed by feminists, offers information on why “the vast majority of people with eating problems are women, how gender socialization and sexism could relate, and how masculine models of psychological development have shaped theoretical interpretations”. This model is offered as a main reason to why eating problems acure among women rather than men. According to this model, thinness is a “culturally, socially, and economically enforced requirement for female beauty”, which brings on the vulnerability of dieting, weight loss, and subsequent weight gain, resulting in anorexia nervosa and bulimia. After reviewing the feminists model Thomas silber says that “many well-trained professionals have either misdiagnosed or delayed their diagnoses of eating problems among African American and latin women due to stereotypical thinking that these problems are restricted to white women”, which has lead to “being more severe due to extended processes of starvation prior to intervention”. The feminists and sociological research has developed a larger agenda in finding out better ways to “understand how race, class, gender, nationality, and sexuality” plays part in women’s eating problems.

In the eighteen interviews that Becky w. Thompson conducted, “61 percent were survivors of sexual abuse”. eating problems associate with sexual abuse because after being abused these women develop eating problems as a way of coping. Binging helped women “numb out” their feelings. food was seen as something that could be trusted and would always be there when needed which gave women the comfort and security that they needed.

As well as sexual abuse, racism and class standing also played a part in women’s eating problems. African American and Latin families who were working class and interacting with the white community thought that “if you were a truly well-to-do family, then your family was slim and elegant”, which lead the men to pressure their wives and daughters to be thin, resulting in these women developing eating problems.

By Tara

Thinness

Posted on by
Reply

          According to psychology there are three theoretical models used to explain thinness or eating disorder; biomedical, physiological, and feminist models. Mrs. Thompson conducted a study including eighteen African American, Latina, and White women. She interviewed, questioned, and concluded the roots of their eating disorders. She found most lead back to traumas such as: sexual abuse, racism, poverty, sexism, emotional or physical abuse, heterosexism, class injuries, and acculturation. All three examples reference back to suggesting that beauty is the main cause of thinness in women and their obsession with looking fit or thin. Most women loose weight because it can be as a positive influence on their life. There is nothing wrong with this if it is done in a healthy and educated manner. However these women in her study lost weight because of depression that was rooted back to a traumatizing experience.

     Biomedical, physiological and feminist treatment are three very positive ways to help a struggling women with an eating disorder. Biomedical and physiological treatment combine effective problem solving techniques with scientific tactics; while the feminist model looks at the social side of things. Together they create a general and well-rounded understanding of this sad illness in women.

     11 of the 18 women interviewed by Thompson were sexually abused and surprisingly binge eating was the most frequent approach to their coping. But extensive dieting and bulimia were common approaches as well. Thompson says “some women thought that the men had abused them because of their weight” and “they believed that if they were smaller, they might not have been abused.” Racism and Class standing is also a factor of thinness or eating disorders. The women interviewed in the study referred back to family members encouraging them to be slim because it looked better to the rich white business class. Both women were ethnic and their family members shamed them of their natural weight. Family is supposed to be where your support system lays, however in their cases this was were their biggest downfall laid.

 

-MEGHAN