One size does not fit all

(Photo illustration Danny Abriel)

My sister is recovering from an eating disorder. She struggles every day to combat her preoccupation with weight and food. She has just recently been able to walk our dog up the street, drive the car, and go out for more than 30 minutes at a time. She is 20 years old. Anorexia has stolen almost a year of her life.

Anorexia has not only affected my sister, it has devastated my parents and me. The anguish we have experienced over the past year is indescribable. To watch our beautiful, kind-hearted sister and daughter, with her sparkling personality, experience sheer torture, has been a painful personal and familial battle.

My sister is in the process of overcoming the adversity created by anorexia. She has started weekly yoga and cooking classes, and is hoping to return to Dalhousie in September—a far cry from her days spent in a hospital bed. She is an inspiration and has taught me that no obstacle is ever too big to overcome.

As Health Coordinator of the Dalhousie Women’s Centre, my sister’s experience prompted me to initiate Body Image Week presented by the Women’s Centre during Eating Disorder Awareness Week, February 2-5.

Body Image Week takes a holistic approach to the issues surrounding body image and body politics. It challenges you to think critically and to confront and defy social/cultural constructions and standards regarding body image. Through documentary screenings, discussions, workshops, and information sessions, we are raising awareness and sparking interest in these serious issues.

So, especially during early February, I encourage you to consider several ideas. First, celebrate the natural diversity associated with bodies. Second, recognize the severity of an eating disorder, and be careful not to use the term loosely, as it often is in the media. Finally, if you suffer from an eating disorder or know someone who does, please realize, you are not alone.