Purge by Sarah Darer Littman

This was my second time reading "Purge". I received a free, uncorrected proof from an independent book store that was closing. Since I'm too cheap to buy the finished product, I'm operating under the assumption that the corrected proof is functionally identical to the published version. (Even though there is a disclaimer inside telling me…

The Not-So Secret Formula of Eating Disorders in Fiction

I am going to be referencing it a lot, so I figured now is a good time to I lay out the basic formula for the majority of fictional books and movies that center around eating disorders. Includes spoilers for every book and movie about eating disorders. The bigger spoilers are in white text. If…

Disfigured (2008) Fat Acceptance and the Main Story

Lydia is a [fat] sales clerk in a trendy home furnishings store, nearing 30. Though she is a member of a Fat Acceptance Group... she is still struggling with complex feelings about her body and its place in the world. Darcy, a recovering-anorexic real estate agent in her mid-20s, is struggling with the same issues…

Not Otherwise Specified by Hannah Moskowitz

 "Etta is tired of dealing with all of the labels and categories that seem so important to everyone else in her small Nebraska hometown. Everywhere she turns, someone feels she's too fringe for the fringe. Not gay enough for the Dykes, her ex-clique, thanks to a recent relationship with a boy; not tiny and white…

Karl Lagerfeld

Today, we remember Karl Lagerfeld, and how much of an asshole he was. I am absolutely not saying that we should wish death on people, or dance on their graves. But I am not going to pretend he was a good man. My dislike of him stemmed primarily from his trivialization of eating disorders and…

Eating Disorder Media Project

One of my intentions for this blog is to discuss how eating disorders are depicted in various types of media. (Usually western media.)  Lately, I have been sticking primarily to YA adult novels because I own several of them, and I am able to read them during down time at my job. I realize consuming…

Eating Disorders, David’s Bridal, and My Unbridled Rage

There is a great deal of discussion about eating disorders, diet culture, and the wedding industry, specifically when it comes to brides. I haven't read so much about bridesmaids. During my last stint in treatment, I met three people who experienced a great deal of distress over fitting into their bridesmaid dresses. In these three…

“Insatiable and “Ravenous” by Eve Eliot

"Insatiable: The Compelling Story of Four Teens, Food, and It's Power", and it's sequel, "Ravenous: The Stirring Tale of Teen Love, Loss, and Courage" were both written by Eve Eliot. They are young adult novels, published in 2001 and 2002. The books follow characters that meet in eating disorder group therapy. I enjoyed these stories…

Throwback Thursday

Maybe I'm not in a position to be judging the skinny, pretty, white girl in the "fat free" hat. Because 8 years ago, this was me: I was only a bit chubby then. Maybe a "small fat". I had been through eating disorder treatment once, and I was definitely wearing this shirt "ironically." I was…

“Full Recovery” and Marginalized Bodies

A lot of people think you can’t fully recover from an eating disorder—that you’ll always be in a state of ‘recovery’ because recovery is a process, not a destination. However, I believe in full recovery. I no longer see the world through the lens of appearance, weight, and food. I see and value myself as…