Women are much more likely than men to develop an eating disorder. (Illustration by Jorge Balarezo, Creative Commons)

In light of French Supermodel Isabella Caro’s death on November 17th 2010, there has been a sudden surge in the media attention concerning anorexia and other eating disorders prevalent in the modeling industry for decades. Caro, whose death was only reported a few days ago, was considered the face of anorexia. The model had been been suffering from it since the age of 13. At the time of her campaign against anorexia, she weighed a total of 59 pounds and was 5’5. Many came out in support of her recovery and her attempt to warn other young girls that anorexia is not a beauty statement but rather a terrible disease. 

But that’s nothing new. The media, although it highly values beauty and outward appearances, is publicly against such dehumanizing diseases and is oftentimes in support of campaign in awareness for them. 

The danger isn’t in what the media is publicly supporting, but rather in the subtle, messages that permeates through our society.

Urban Outfitter’s recent controversy over pro-anorexia t-shirts that simply says “Eat Less” is a perfect example of society providing negative body image issues to impressionable teenagers who are desperately trying to fit in.

Many would make the argument that the t-shirt has its point. As whole, the American population is considered to be heavier and has more cases of people being overweight than other cultures. However, in light of Urban Outfitter’s projected audience, much of the shoppers in that realm falls into the category of young adults who have already been told their entire lives that they need to be skinny in order to be attractive.

But to publicly encourage people to starve themselves is not the way to help shape a healthier culture. Messages in fashion should not be about eating less but rather about the encouragement of seeking a healthy lifestyle that combines proper nutrition and exercise.

Because once you open the door to anorexia, it becomes such a dangerous path.

Considering how easy and accessible the Internet is to these same easily influenced young adults, once the door of eating disorders is open, there are hundreds of support sites for them that reinforce the idea that one has to be thin. 

Kate Moss, a highly recognized model, once said in an interview that she lives by the slogan, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” Many pro-anorexia websites have since adopted that slogan in their encouragement that beauty is determined by your weight. The notion is a person will feel good and happy once they are skinny, and anorexia is the way to accomplish this misguided sense of euphoria. That slogan has also been made into shirts and even pillows to consistently remind people we live in a culture that values and praises those who are skinny.

Its not about claims that state “zero is not a size” or that “beauty comes in all shapes and sizes,” its about people finding a healthy lifestyle. If someone is naturally small and is perfectly healthy being a size zero, there is nothing wrong with that. But the idea of starving oneself in order to accomplish this false sense of beauty is wrong. It’s an idea that will quickly become an obsession and, possibly, a tragic downfall.

Isabella Caro died. She died delivering the message that anorexia is a disease that will consume a person if they allow it to. The least we can do is to denounce offensive messages of starvation toward a warped idea of beauty. 

Contact Staff Writer Sammi Wong here.