Body Image and Our Role

In the proper honor of #NEDAW11 (National Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2011), I felt a post about body image would be appropriate.  How many of you know someone who is struggle with disordered eating or an eating disorder?  You all better raise your hands!  You might not be aware of it, but there is someone in your life (especially if your life involves college students) struggling daily with a battle that is classified as an addiction.
Since starting my position at the Center for Health and Wellness Promotion, I have personally met with six students who are living with either an eating disorder or disordered eating.  What's the difference, you ask? Eating disorders are diagnosed as Anorexia Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder (BED), Bulimia Nervosa, and Obesity and/or Overweight.  Disordered eating includes symptoms of any of these diseases, but not at such an extreme level.  Counting calories, over exercising, binging, skipping meals, etc are just some of the 'lesser' symptoms of someone struggling with disordered eating.  Basically, if what you're consuming (or not consuming) is a risk to your health, it's a problem.  Back to those six students I've encountered since being here-three of them have been hospitalized numerous times for their disorders.  Two of them show signs of disordered eating: stress causes them to eat more than they think they should, so they end up at the gym for several hours burning off those extra calories.  One student is battling her body image and losing.

While I think all of those disorders are super important to learn about, and that there are numerous and varied reasons why they began and grew in the first place, I believe they are the end result of a long struggle against an image of what is considered beautiful.  And that is where I write from today.

We, as Student Affairs Professionals, work with students on a daily basis: lots of students on some days.  And sometimes lots of other professionals.  We talk about the weather, the news, our departments, universities, etc.  We gossip about each other (don't even try to deny it!), celebrities, what's in and what's out.  The Oscar's are coming up and the Grammy's just passed.  The only way to be nominated for a 'best-dressed' award is to show some skin (and look good doing it).  Remember when Jennifer Hudson was...full figured?  Me neither.  But those incessant Jenny Craig commercial remind me that she must have been overweight once upon a time. How about Kelly Clarkson?  She was the small town girl trying to make it as a singer on the first American Idol (what number are they on now, by the way?)  The media is giving her a hard time because she's put weight on.  I think she looks good, but I might be alone on that. Or Carrie Underwood?  These are women who are supposed to be our idols and either they just keep losing weight, or they're under fire for putting some on.  Of course, I'm not against people losing weight for their health or because they want to feel more comfortable with themselves, but if the media continues to throw images of diet pills, Nutrisystem and cellulite cream in our faces, what are we expected to think?  'Umm....I'm fat.'  'I want to look like those people who have been dieting.'

That's a lot of unfair pressure to put on individuals.  And I know the focus is generally on women, but this affects men, too.  The media is unfair to them, as well.  Just walk into Abercrombie and Fitch and, male or female, you will feel insecure (and overdressed.).

This is where I believe Student Affairs Professionals can really make a difference.  We interact and meet with students constantly.  Our students look up to us to make a difference in their lives whether or not they know it.  Instead of, 'You look great today.'  we could say something positive about that student's personality.  We can also mirror this behavior with other staff members to encourage them to feel good about themselves.  We can denounce stereo-types about beauty by making sure all types of beauty are represented in our offices and waiting areas.  We can sit with students who are struggling and be that positive role model in multiple ways.  Instead of gossiping about who looks good or bad in what outfits, say kind things.  And this goes for you personally, too.  I know if I eat a few pieces of chocolate, I get down on myself.  It gets worse if I spend an entire day reading, watching television and playing on my computer.  I immediately jump to the conclusion that I'm fat and lazy.  Holding those images in my mind only encourage me to take that negative attitude into my work environment.  If I call myself fat for having eaten 'too much' around someone who might be physically larger than myself, how would he/she feel?  How would you feel?  How have you felt in that situation?

It's time to take body image to a positive and loving place where everyone can appreciate who they are.  As Lady Gaga says, 'I'm beautiful in my way cause God makes not mistakes.'