Believe it or not, this video was created by a sorority. It needs to be seen by as many women as possible. Please to watch:
You can sign the pledge to can the Fat Talk here, all part of the Fat Talk Free Week being promoted by the video's creators--yes, it's true--Delta Delta Delta and the Academy for Eating Disorders via a new program called Reflections, "the first peer-led, evidence-based eating disorders prevention program shown to truly work." The video and the Fat Talk Free campaign dovetails well with Love Your Body Day 2008, which just happens to be today. Here's another great inspiration to challenge yourself.
Sadly, I have noticed a steep decline in my ability to relate with other women since I informally pledged to myself a while back to stop trashing my body and that of other women. A staggering amount of female conversation centers around body loathing and its evil twin, dieting. Since I refuse to engage in either, I have noticed that my conversational options are fairly limited. That's sad. I hope this campaign gains a few converts. As usual, Kate Harding explains it all better than I can:
Reflections seeks to supplant the "thin ideal" with "the 'healthy ideal,' which looks different for every woman and focuses on health, not weight or size"... Not only is that a peachy idea for boosting self-esteem, but researchers like Linda Bacon -- whose new book, "Health at Every Size," details the philosophy of focusing on health without regard to weight -- have long argued that it leads to better physical health outcomes. A recent New York Times Magazine article noted that the only randomized control trial comparing a Health at Every Size approach with a traditional weight loss program (led by Bacon in 2005) found that after two years, the HAES group sustained lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while "the average dieter had regained all her lost weight, and the only measurement that dropped was one for self-esteem." Turns out putting the focus on health actually makes people healthier. Go figure.
Happy Love your Body Day, everyone!