Recently the web site returnofkings.com published an article titled “5 Reasons to Date a Girl with an Eating Disorder.” Since being posted about two weeks ago, it has circulated all over the Internet, infuriating readers, especially teenage girls, with its trivialization of the serious reality that women with eating disorders face. The article is one of the most disgusting things published on this website and the fact that there are men out there who believe the sentiments of the article is part of the reason why there are girls out there who have eating disorders.
To see how disgusting the article is, one need only read the first line. Here, the author establishes his credibility, or lack thereof, saying, “I’ve dated several girls with eating disorders — in various intensities — and all of these traits have applied to each of them.” The author then tacks on a footnote that reads, “While obesity is, in most cases, also an ‘eating disorder,’ this list doesn’t apply to emotional eaters, food addicts, and fatties with no self-control.” By referring to women in such a way, the author is promoting the body-image issues many women struggle with throughout their lives. Weight is an issue for many women. Encouraging anorexia while at the same time denouncing “fatties” only exacerbates the self-consciousness that women experience.
The article lists five reasons why men should date women with eating disorders. The first is that “her obsession over her body will improve her overall looks.” The author supports this claim by saying, “A girl who spends inordinate mental and physical energy on her looks is rarely fat … While they may have a ‘distorted body image’ on the inside, that usually means staying trim and fit on the outside.”
The author claims to know what he is talking about because of his past experience dating girls who suffer eating disorders. But his point makes no sense. Studies show that women with these sorts of mental disorders often have low self-esteem and are likely to be shy, thus unwilling to show off their bodies. They are often more inclined to hide underneath baggy clothing to not attract attention to themselves.
Another of his points is that “she’s fragile and vulnerable.” This, according to the author, means that women with eating disorders are “eager to please.” This point is incredibly offensive. Not only does it belittle girls suffering from eating disorders as nothing more than helpless creatures, it also calls girls who don’t suffer from the disorder “difficult and obnoxious.” This article is no different from many on this website, and the men writing for the website seem to believe the trash they spew.
The description on the website says, “Return Of Kings is a blog for heterosexual, masculine men. It’s meant for a small but vocal collection of men in America today who believe men should be masculine and women should be feminine.” Given the website’s motto, it’s unlikely that the author wrote the eating-disorder piece in a satiric manner. Also, the author has not retracted anything he said, despite the Internet firestorm against him. So it appears he stands by his abhorrent opinion. I say abhorrent because he most likely wrote it to seem cool, and probably to get a few laughs. Eating disorders are a real disease and should not be joked about in this manner. According to the to the National Association of Anorexia and Associated Disorders, approximately 90 to 95 percent of anorexia nervosa sufferers are girls and women, and 95 percent of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25.8, placing our demographic here at the University at the highest risk of suffering an eating disorder. What’s scarier is that anorexia nervosa has one of the highest death rates of any mental health condition. And even for patients whose eating disorders are not fatal, there are often severe medical complications including heart problems, bone disease, organ failure and infertility.
Eating disorders are not something to be taken lightly, and should especially not be glorified. This article fails in its attempt to be funny, clever or valid and instead is one of the worst, most offensive things circulating on the Internet right now. If you happen to read it, please take what I say under advisement and do not, for one second, consider the opinion of the author as anything but ignorant.
Meredith Berger is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. Her columns run Mondays.
Read More
EDITORIAL: Scapegoating students will not stop hazing
By Editorial Board | 19 hours agoInstead of retroactively responding to extreme hazing allegations, we, and especially the University, must begin asking more probing questions about the role of fraternal organizations on Grounds.
EDITORIAL: Celebrating and reflecting on The Cavalier Daily’s independence
By Editorial Board | 6 days agoOur independence grants us the ability to ask the hard questions and to say what University representatives cannot.
ARRAS: U.Va. must revise the Sexual Assault Prevention Training module
By Aoife Arras | April 17, 2024In addition to its failures in interactivity, the module lacks details specific to the University and discusses key concepts in universal terms.
