According
to Post Secret, this week is Eating Disorder Week! Or Eating Disorder Awareness
week? The second one makes more sense. I’m not really a big fan of “awareness”
weeks like rape awareness week or coming out week or things like that. Everyone
has their own cause, and proclaiming that yours should have a week dedicated to
it just seems to make you pompous, so it not only annoys everyone but also it
means they associate your cause with annoyance.
At the same
time, weeks like these are important. They highlight a problem and remind
everyone that people are still suffering that something needs to be done. I
think EDs in particular benefit from this, as they’re kind of invisible in this
society. Everyone knows someone that’s gay, or they would if they looked hard
enough. Rape discussions are becoming more and more integral to our culture.
These problems get lots and lots of media attention, and EDs just don’t. At
least not in terms of causes, how to spot one, and treatment options.
We are not
alone. We’re not a tiny population of mutants. People with eating disorders can
be found anywhere and everywhere, and they can be anyone. This week is the time
when ED people can come out of the cracks and poke their heads around a little
to find each other. And even if they don’t see anyone, a little media attention
is a good reminder there are others who can understand us out there.
awww, i liked this post:) I agree with the associating a cause with annoyance thing, but as soon as I get annoyed I feel like such a meanie=P
ReplyDeleteI get annoyed with "awareness" of certain things. This might sound horrible but really are we not all aware of breast cancer? Instead of awreness I would rather research. In my area people host a lot of walks for causes, which is great and all but they had a walk for asthma which made me laugh. I am evil.
ReplyDeleteEDs are invisible in society still, people will see the woman and know something is wrong but won't bring it up. People can do something completly disorder in front of them but unless the person says directly "I have an ED" no one will say anything it is too uncomfortable.
I didn't even know there was such a thing! I'm actually surprised about how many people dont know about eating disorders, and wish more knew.
ReplyDelete