Love Your Body Week not so inclusive

“Love your Body Week” is important because throughout the United States, millions of Americans suffer from eating disorders and are subject to false advertisements.  This means, the media has failed, once again, to target the American audience in an effective and positive way.  Many Americans are easily influenced by the ramblings of the media and their perception of what is considered to be beautiful.  This has created the social standard that stays as top priority in the minds of people who care to listen to it.  However, even though this unfortunate way of thinking has changed how others perceive beauty—by the American standards—it assumes that it only affects a small sector of the American population.  Its target: white females between the ages of 12-35.

So, it’s safe to say that when discussing body image and eating disorders, cultural relevance plays a significant part. When the average American thinks of eating disorders and issues with body image, they automatically assume that it’s about younger white women.  “Love your Body Week” at Towson University has demonstrated how cultural relevance is predominantly European centralized. Just like the media, Towson University has taken “Love your Body Week” and made it appealing to its target of younger white women instead making it inclusive for everyone, including transmen, trans women, cis women, cis men, and people of all colors. While many people may argue the opposite, “Love Your Body Week” was not appealing and open to everyone.  Having a single event, which sympathizes with women of color does not justify that the central idea behind “Love Your Body Week” is catered to predominately younger white women.

The central idea behind “Love Your Body Week” is influenced by what Americans see in the media. When looking at ads and commercials related to style or beauty, it most likely features a woman.  Minus Tyra Banks and Beyonce, it most likely features white women.  I’ve noticed that none of these events weigh in about men and how they view body image, or the trans population. Towson University does in fact have a decent population of men and tranpeople who struggle with body issues as well.  According to Carla Pfeffer in the Journal of Lesbian Studies, transgendered people deal with body image issues on a daily basis that goes unnoticed by the cis gendered community.  Transpeople are more likely to be self conscious about their biological body parts.  According to the book, The Adonis Complex: The Secret Crisis of Male Body Obsession men often suffer from what is called reverse anorexia or muscle dysmorphia.  However, since Towson University’s “Love your Body Week” failed to mention issues like this—other people who are not younger white women unfortunately did no benefit from it.

In the future, I suggest that the Counseling Center utilizes resources such as the LGBT Student Development Center, student cultural groups, and just plain Internet research to make important causes like this available and open to EVERYONE.

 

Comments

12 comments

Chelsea Genser

Tue Oct 27 2009 22:22

I completely disagree. I wholeheartedly believe that men as well as transgendered, lesbians, gays, etc. deal with body issues. While this is true, I also understand that programs about body image may be more eye catching to women rather than men. This DOES NOT mean, however, that the Love Your Body groups didn't do a fantastic job in educating and adertising to ALL diviersities. Another important note to consider-not a single one of the programs was solely dedicated to targeting women. I attended the 'Friends Don't Let Friends Fat Talk' program as well as the Yoga class. In both programs there was a wide, diverse handful of students and no vast mention of only white women. The point of the programs was to attract as many different people as possible and to spread the wealth of knowledge. Not to deny or target groups. Isn't it 'love your body week,' not 'target the women week?' I myself learned a vastly important lesson during that week-that assuming anything; either about statistics, women, men, body image, is not usually a smart idea. I suggest the author takes this into consideration as well.

Bill Zander

Tue Oct 27 2009 11:03

mmm baby

Heather Libdan

Tue Oct 27 2009 10:39

I appreciate you all for being objective. I am not defending nor saying that more diverse populations should not be included, it just means that we need to make more of an effort to make those that have felt excluded to feel included and it would be great to hear more from LGBT and possibly partner with them! We are not against that at all!! If any student group is interested in partnering with the counseling center we more than encourage this! After all, our objective is NOT to stereotype, nor discrimminate, but to encorporate EVERYONE we want to reach the ENTIRE campus, it's a large feat I will admit...but the purpose and mission of the counseling center is to help everyone have a better more positive relationship with their bodies, food and exercise. If this was misunderstood then we will just have to work that much harder, but there is a staff of dedicated men and women who are trying very hard to research ways to reach everyone, so instead of critizing the counseling center's efforts, perhaps those groups that have felt excluded could see how they could be proactive contribuiting members to where they see change is needed?

PS.

Tue Oct 27 2009 07:05

Having "different" people come to events that are targeted to a specific population does not justify the inclusiveness of love your body week. It does not change the fact that the central idea is still based on a cultural relative assumption that only a small sector of a population are affected. The counseling center should have went beyond the social standard and made it comfortable for people that do not fit into that targeted category. I understand that it's only one week, however the counseling center should have been more observant when choosing events for love your body week.

Sarah Hammel

Mon Oct 26 2009 23:08

after talking this over with various people.. i retract my statement. although i feel that transgender folk should be included in this week, i realize that not every single type of person can be included in only a week of events. i haven't attended any of the events in this week, so i shouldnt have jumped the gun on this one. sorry guys.

Cait Fultz

Mon Oct 26 2009 22:45

This unresearched opinion article is giving Love Your Body Week a poor image. It is undeserving as this week was created to open the conversation about our bodies and learn how we can embrace them. It is a sensitive issue for many, but if the author had attended the programs she would have seen a diverse turn out. I attended a good portion of them and there were men and women of all colors participating alike. The Friends Don't Let Friends Fat Talk program addressed men's as well as women's struggle with their bodies. The Mindful Eating program invited participants to examine their eating habits and offered new ideas about how to eat in a healthy way and enjoy food. Making assumptions without being more informed has only done a disservice to those who would benefit from events like these. Ms. Author, your article is false media. I hope readers can spot the airbrushing.

Matt Webster

Mon Oct 26 2009 22:36

I'd have to disagree. While I didn't attend many of the "Love Your Body Week" events the ones I did attend catered to a wide audience. I attended the Mindful Eating seminar and as i recall I was not siting in a room filled exclusively with white women but, a diverse sample of students, including other men like myself. The programs available helped me realize that being a man doesn't mean I'm the only one insecurities and made me more accepting of the body I have. That being said I felt this week didn't target any one group in particular but opened the floor any looking to improve their own self image and meet with those looking to do the same.

PS.

Mon Oct 26 2009 16:29

Going beyond the failures of the counseling center (which i would have hoped you guys would have actually understood) is the cultural relevance behind body image and eating disorders. You cannot deny that the central idea is based around white younger women...so, the programs you have mentioned to me still don't cater to everyone...I was mainly focusing on the trans population during love your body week. I would like for the counseling center to have a much broader view when planning important events such as love your body week.

Amber Dawkins

Mon Oct 26 2009 16:09

Ms. Author, have you ever met with or had a conversation with ANY of the Body Image Peer Educators that were responsible for the programs and activities during "Love Your Body Week"? Did you attend ANY of the programs? How about the free yoga class, or the "Introduction to Mindful Eating" program? Until you do any of these things, you cannot judge the efforts of the Counseling Center or Body Image Peer Eds to get women AND men to appreciate their bodies. It's sad that you couldn't even mention any evidence during the programs to support your point of view. I suggest you work on that. Also, take your issue up with the media. Thanks and God Bless.

heather libdan

Mon Oct 26 2009 15:29

dear author-
have you attended any of the love your body week programs?

Abby D.

Mon Oct 26 2009 10:25

Great point.

Sarah Hammel

Mon Oct 26 2009 00:40

i agree completely.

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