As A Child I Aspired To Be A Loser When I Grew Up

I remember when I was much younger- perhaps for a period of time in mid-elementary school, I used to watch the Biggest Loser. I would mostly binge watch it by myself,  but I would do so as well as with my immediate family, my parents, two younger sisters, and I. My father and I were the most invested and would make diet sugar free chocolate pudding to eat while watching together, especially for the occasion. My family life has long revolved around eating and television. Other family favorite shows included Heroes, American Idol, and Revolution. As I have come into burgeoning young adulthood, I have realized that these habits informed my world image, relationship to self, and, moreover, struggles with disordered eating.

From Daily Mail

Honestly, until a few weeks ago I had forgotten about the existence of the show. I understand now that the unlearning of fatphobia I have cultivated was largely informed by Biggest Loser. It was not until my roommate, Gene, reminded of the program by talking about a piece they did for their senior comprehensive project this semester (you can see it in the student show happening in Doane Gallery soon!). Their painting of which I am referring to is of an ex Biggest Loser host from the Australian version of the reality television show. She is shown fat, with lots of exposed skin, getting her's (if you know what i mean!! ;) ) on the beach- truly an incredible image. Since being on the show many past contestants, and others who were previously associated with the show have spoken out against the production. Biggest Loser practiced abuse and projected fatphobia on its contestants. There is no doubt in my mind that Cooper would is disgusted with the show. Today I am ashamed to have been so invested in the production, but I remember that at this time I was a child. I did not have the tools yet to question what I was seeing. Now I can participate in the discourse, and I feel taken advantage of; I feel brainwashed.

I stopped dieting about two years ago, but before that I had been dieting for as long as I could remember, and wanting to participate in diet culture much long before my parents allowed and encouraged me to do so. My first structured diet designed to help me lose weight was likely at age nine, although I could not say for sure. I had watched my parents diet before this, and eventually my whole family would begin to go on diets together. These diets were almost always a hybrid plan of nutrisystem boxed foods and the keto diet. Slowly but surely, I would always gain the weight back, as we all would, so we would go on and off as a family. Almost all contestants of Biggest Loser gained the weight back as well. This culture is not sustainable or healthy. An investigation was even started to find whether or not contestants were drugged.

Watching Biggest Loser as a child I saw these people push themselves to injury, vomiting after starving themselves, collapse, and break down to become "fit" and "thin"... I watched and thought that it must be exhausting and difficult, but in a rewarding way. The narrative of the production is that these people are so lucky to be there and given this chance to get "in shape". I aspired to that. Now that I have done so much unlearning and learning, I see the abuse and I see the fatphobia, and I am appalled. Fortunately the show has been cancelled, but only just last year. The psychological and physical violence that has been inflicted on the contestants is horrendous and as I have recently come to see in myself, damage beyond that, at a cultural level.

Biggest Loser did not only have influence over the fatphobia of American culture, but it reflects that fatphobia which was already prevalent. I would like to include a "to be sure" in this blog op-ed, but I really do not think there is anything redeemable about Biggest Loser. The program advocated for abuse and fat-shaming. It was an abhorrent program and I am glad that it has been cancelled. Healthism advocates surely not approve of the show's premise as it is objectively unhealthy, but they would likely support the general premise of the show, to encourage obese people to loose weight and exercise in order to become "healthy". Healthists should also know that of course fat people can be healthy, but might also be tempted to say that radical fat lesbian feminism that Cooper draws from, and I am inclined to appreciate, "glorifies obesity". There is some validity to this, being overweight can put health in jeopardy, and I have seen this first hand, however, I have also experienced fatphobia firsthand and ultimately I care more about advocating for radical fat acceptance.

You gotta know Fat to be Pro-Fat

"Fat People" - Cover photo of book by author Bill Schubart

Fat used to be positive, now it refers to negativity, why? In the western Victorian ora, fat was associated with wealth. The fat men were well-fed because they had enough money for themselves and their family to eat and have extra as well. There was a more positive cultural relativity back then when considering the term ‘fat’. In the present time, characters in books and on television shows are asking questions like “Does this shirt make me look fat?” If they got a response of yes, does that mean they need to take the shirt off? Why is the term ‘fat’ so negative now? We need to get to the bottom of this new cultural construct because I do not like it and enough people are being excluded and dehumanized. This needs to end, so let’s bring awareness to this idea now.

What is so bad about being fat? Similar to the olden days, the word ‘fat’ is being used as an identity marker. Charlotte Cooper, author of “Fat Activism: A Radical Social Movement”, lingers around this topic of a broken society where we are unable to freely think and have perspectives. Society is manipulating and has people thinking societal ideals are dominant and most accurate to the truth; people think societal ideals are the truth. We are unable to listen to the voices of fat people as a collective and include them in society because it is already put into place that fat people do not belong. How we think socially is flawed. Our thought process is like … on autopilot or default because we use societal thoughts as our own. We have to learn how to first unlearn to be able to think for ourselves and think with a little more empathy for that matter. Societal perspectives are inhumane.

A person wouldn’t be presumed to be wealthy and happy within this society, more like the opposite. If someone is fat today, they are selfish and greedy. They don’t know how to share, which is why they are fat after all right? They aren’t happy, how can they be happy when they have diabetes or some health issue. We are all of a sudden health experts and therapists without even asking a single question. What do people think they are honestly doing to help by telling someone they are fat? I am sure they are aware of their own body. Fat people can’t be free to live their lives with everyone staring at them. Of Course that fat person doesn’t look comfortable, they aren’t comfortable in their skin as long as society stares and points. Society is bullying fat people if you ask me. The only one who genuinely understand and know what a fat person may want for themselves is them, people who can speak on behalf of fat people are those who were in their shoes; other fat people.

Who should talk for fat people? Charlotte Cooper, author of “Fat Activism: A Radical Social Movement”, lingers around this topic of ‘who can speak for who’. It was suggested within the book that one needs to have experience within an issue before they can speak about or on behalf of people in the situation (pg 33 and 99). In other words, you can not try to make suggestions or opinionated ideas about or in regards to fat people unless you are fat yourself and have experienced what it is like to live within a bigger and differently structured and abled body. Speaking on behalf of someone you are ignorant to does not liberate them. We don’t speak for fat people, we speak for what we think fat people feel. That is not fair and is not getting any closer to inclusion and equality.

Fat people should always be included, they are people! Society should recognize the diversity within each community. There are complex variations of body size and structure. Labeling can become very exclusive when all body types aren't considered. The “one size fits all” label on clothes becomes disabling to a person whose body structure is incompatible with the material. This brings into question why their size is not included in ‘all sizes’, suggesting the body is abnormal, unideal, unnatural and continues the idea of hierarchies and inequality. BMI scales have even been suggested to be outdated and exclusive of various body types. We can’t let claims about our body, claims about bodies that society is unfamiliar with, change our own thoughts, actions and well-being. We should examine if these products are as advertised before we consider our physical appearances to be the flaw within society.

There are even studies suggesting the “fat gene” that causes larger body structures is also a “happy gene”. Fat people are less likely to get depressed --about an 8% reduction--. People should look to fat people for coping mechanisms or hobbies because there are people with horrible mental disorders and health issues that wish they were just fat. Fat is just as normal as any other body type. People get called ‘fat’ simply because they have the most pounds of the friend group. The terms currently associated with the word ‘fat’ are socially constructed in order to continue hierarchies. A specific body type is not more ideal or important than any other and physicalities should not be used as an identity marker. Give everyone a chance to show who they are without biased stereotypical ideas. Fat shouldn't be used as an identity marker because the term changes according to the context it is being used in.

Stop making us feel so bad about the size of our jeans

Is it just me or has shopping become one of the most dreaded experiences, especially as a woman? When I was younger I remember getting so excited to go shopping because I was always on the lookout for new clothes, everything fit me perfectly (for the most part), and I loved trying things on to model for my mom. I would ask to go to the mall every single weekend—I just absolutely loved it. But now as I’m getting older, I try to avoid the mall at every cost. Not only does it drain my bank account, but it also drains my self-esteem. Every year I go up another size with no explanation, and it affects the reflection I see in the fitting room mirror. The conversation I have with myself in the mirror sounds something like this:

Wow… I look really bad. Ugh do I really look like that? Do I look fat? Maybe I should start dieting. I need to start going to the gym.

And just like that, I end up leaving the store practically in tears. Honestly, there is nothing more frustrating than this feeling—and I know I’m not alone.

The first major problem with this is that every store sizes their clothing differently—especially their pants. In 2017, the picture to the left went viral—pictured is five pairs of jeans, all supposedly the “same size”. This alone is extremely frustrating because it means you have to try on multiple sizes at most of the stores you go to. When I’m shopping, I generally follow my size 8 norm. But alone at one store, I have fluctuated between a size 4 and a size 10 depending on the cut of the jeans…so I have all together given up shopping there. How is it that a size 6 could be considered a size 10? There is reason behind this, and this leads right into the next major problem.

The second major problem has to do with the illusion surrounding our weight. The body that is currently in style is the thin and fit body. Our society has made us believe that this is the most attractive body, and with this, fashion (including clothing size) follows the trend. Companies know that nobody enjoys going up a size because being “fat” is something that is looked down upon—so they make consumers believe that if they go up a size when they really did not, they will most likely believe they have gained weight and need to lose weight. This is the fashion industry’s way of telling women how their bodies should be proportioned, and they makes us feel like it’s our fault that our “normal” size doesn’t fit anymore. It all comes back to the constant surveillance of our bodies and our appearance.

I understand that some companies try to keep their sizes true to themselves—and this is a good thing. I am not here to preach that sizing shouldn’t be a thing because even though we may not like the number associated with our size, it does indeed help us find the correctly sized clothing that we need. And I’m not here to push universally sized clothing either because it goes back to the argument surrounding “one size fits all”—every body is different, and one size in fact does not fit all. However, a consistent measurement for sizes should be put in place because it becomes a problem when companies purposefully continue engraining the “ideal” body mindset in our society.

We can’t place 100% of the blame on our society as a whole and on the companies promoting this. It is partially our fault for giving in to the mindset of wanting to be skinny. Previous studies have showed that women have a preference for smaller sized clothes because it “boosts our confidence,” and I have definitely been guilty of thinking this way. We continue to subconsciously support the “ideal” body type by falling into this trap.

Instead of giving in to the consumerism that is consistently apparent in our culture, we need to understand that our bodies are not defined by the number on the back of our jeans. It’s of course a process learning to accept my body as it is, but even slowly being able to work through this barrier is rewarding. Even though your size might fluctuate, you have not changed—it’s all simply a mind trick.

The Fat Portrayal

Fat Amy from the movie Pitch Perfect

Fat Amy provided comic relief in the movie Pitch Perfect. This Is Us’s character, Kate, is constantly battling seen battling with her weight. The main character from Insatiable turns to revenge against those who fat-shamed her after achieving the ultimate ‘hot body’. Fatness in media, particularly through movies and shows, define their characters by their weight or weightless. Their weight remains a focus of the character and their respective development, or lack thereof throughout the story. Yet, why do these character’s weight need to define their storylines? Why are the characters shown to struggle with weight all female? Why are the characters and their stories all defined by their weight? 

Television and movies with an overweight character always seem to focus on the weight of the person. The media’s fatphobia is like a double edge sword  in that the portrayals of fat people, specifically women, not only is developed due to a fear of fat, but also continues to perpetuate the disapproval of fatness. Fat is always seen as a vice of a character. It is something they struggle to overcome yet feel pressure to overcome it. It is how they, specifically women, are defined. The constant fatphobic portrayals of fatness, specifically fat women, not only reflect the patriarchal view of beauty, but also cultural beliefs of fat women. 

Bridget Jones is a character looking for love and trying to turn her life around, through finding a boyfriend. While this may seem like a typical storyline, there are numerous comments about her weight throughout, posing her weight as an issue that must be overcome in her quest for happiness. Her concern about her weight is a tool the writers used to demonstrate her unhappiness in life and with herself. However, the implications of her bumbling efforts to improve her life imply that she needs to lose weight to be happy and accepted. Despite not actually being fat or overweight, the feeling that she needs to lose weight is a reflection of how many women in real life feel about their own weight. Being overweight is not considered beautiful and instills a sense of unworthiness as seen through the character. The fear of being considered or labeled as fat holds a lot power over how people perceive and accept themselves and others. 

Fat Monica from the television show Friends

The labeling of fat is evident in several media portrayals. For instance, in the show Friends, Monica is constantly teased for being fat growing up. Her fatness in adolescence is a running gag intended to elicit laughs in various episodes. The other characters within the show constantly insult and make jokes about ‘Fat Monica’. However, the storyline of Fat Monica is problematic for a number of reasons. For one, it defines and labels her character’s past self. It intends to make being fat something that is funny and to be laughed at. Also, it insinuates that her fatness was an issue and something that she had to change to overcome her laziness. Additionally, the label of Fat Monica puts her character in a box. It limits her character to simply being defined as fat and nothing else, while also carrying with it the negative associations we make in regards to the word fat. 

Labeling people as fat, diminishes their other qualities as a person and prevents people from looking at an individual, especially women, as a whole. People are more than simply fat; they have personalities and feelings that go beyond the number on a scale. However, when television or movies define their characters by their weight, it perpetuates people in real life doing the same to others. Simply limiting a person because of their size takes away their power to exist in the same manner a person of a ‘normal’ weight would. 

To advocate for fatness, it must be addressed  properly in the media. Television and movies are huge influences on its audiences. They hold the ability to revolutionize how we as a society approach fatness and fight fatphobia, but yet continue to perpetuate the cycle of it through its characters. Media must move past simply showing women struggling with their weight and using fatness as a means to elicit laughs. Fat acceptance must start by improving the portrayal of people in media and ensure they are given the same level of depth as other characters so that they can be seen as more than just their size. 

Images taken from:  

Fat-Amy-Pitch-Perfect--920x690.jpg 

fat-monica.jpg

Dangers of Weight Watchers’ new App for Children and Teens

Why hasn’t weight watchers failed yet when it only has a 6% success rate?  Just the opposite is happening— the company has launched a new app called Kurbo, which is geared towards children aged 8-17 that is “designed to help kids and teens reach a healthier weight”  You heard that right— children who are as young as 8 years old are in the target range for this app.  In our current society, which glorifies being thin and shames those who are fat, an app like this is the last thing we need.

The app claims that its goal is to promote health, but based on the testimonial page on the website, the main goal is definitely to lose weight; successful kids and teens are showcased on the page with a photo, their age, and a sentence listing how many pounds they’ve lost or how many points their BMI has decreased, both of which of problematic.  

BMI charts are known to be inaccurate, especially for taller or more muscular individuals, and those who are fat are not necessarily unhealthy.  In fact,  between one-third and three-quarters of fat people were metabolically healthy in terms of blood pressure, insulin resistance, and cholesterol levels.  In a study between unhealthy lean people and healthy obese people, the healthy obese group were less likely to be at risk for diabetes, coronary heart disease, strokes and mortality than the unhealthy lean people; “healthy” and “unhealthy” was determined by blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood lipids.  

But the Weight Watchers company has seemed to realize that weight loss or the act of “watching” weight isn’t the healthiest, recently deciding to shorten their name from Weight Watchers to just WW.  Maybe this can be seen as a step in the right direction, but there are still several issues with their Kurbo app and their diet cycle methodology.  

The app uses a system similar to a traffic light, gauging foods as either being in a red, yellow, or green group.  The app encourages users to track food intake and compensate for calories taken in with exercise, which places a huge burden on the child or teen using the app when, in reality, they may not have any control over the food is purchased in their house.  Many have pointed out that this type of categorization of “good” and “bad” foods and behaviors could lead to the development of unhealthy habits and potentially, even eating disorders, especially for children and teens who are still very impressionable. 

Additionally, this app could introduce kids and teens to the diet cycle of yo-yo dieting, which is harmful in the long turn and can cause individuals to fall into an unhealthy relationship with food.  This diet cycle involves restricting oneself of food, indulging in food, and then ultimately punishing oneself for doing so.  This process is one of the reasons that Weight Watchers and other dieting programs stay so successful and why two-thirds of dieters regain more weight that they lost in the first place. 

So what are parents supposed to do? First and foremost, stay away from the Kurbo app and the focus on dieting in general since it can be detrimental to health in the long term.  Second, parents should promote healthy habits in a way that doesn’t focus solely on weight because it is time to move away from the stereotype that fat individuals are automatically unhealthy. 

An Ally's Role

I want to talk about an article I have recently read by Drury and Kaiser (2014). In this article the authors write about the male role in confronting sexism, which the state “men may have viewed allies who confronted as more legitimate than women because confronting sexism seems not to directly benefit men” (643). This quote states that men can only educate other men because women are not seen as their equals, so women will not be taken seriously in the presence of men. To me the thought process of the authors is benevolent sexism where they are trying to make an argument for the importance of men in confronting sexism, but it really comes out as reinforcing sexism. This reminds me of Cooper’s thought on the importance of who is in the center of activism and those working alongside the center.

In the first chapter of FAT ACTIVISM, Cooper writes that at the center of fat activism needs to be those who identify as fat. However, there can be allies and supporters, but they need to not be in charge and speaking to an experience they have not had.  When I think of the Drury and Kaiser (2014) article their idea of activism seems to be ally centered instead of oppressed center, which is problematic in many ways.

The first issue I take with ally center is lack of experience that allies have being that they themselves do not face the same systematic issues as those who are being oppressed. For example, with fat activism is that people who have not been discriminated against for their weight don’t really know the impacts that it has on those who have been discriminated against for weight. In the case of confronting sexism. If males only confront males and women are not having that ability. The you learning about an experience second hand, so important information and authenticity is getting lost. This goes into the second issue of ally centered activism, which is losing individual voice.

Usually allies are people that have more power than members of the activist group, so people who are see as having a “normal weight” is seen as having more power than someone who is fat or labeled obese, people who are heterosexual have more power in society than someone who is gay, and men have more power than women. By a group being allied center you lose the voice of those that the group is for and it allows for outsiders to overlook those that are trying to speak out against the prejudice and oppression they have faced. This also allows for power structures and social hierarchies to stay the same, so that the change the activist group seeks doesn’t happen.

It is easy to talk about ways in which allies hinder activism. However, I think it is important to note that allies are necessary for supporting groups. Especially, since they are the ones that do have more power in society, but it depends on how they use their power. It needs to be noted that allies should work alongside group members not on behalf of them, and not speaking for them. There are ways to be a positive ally that consist of education, support, and listening.

When I say education I don’t mean educating, but instead being educated. In the case of sexism listen to the experience of women in a male driven society to hear the issues they must go through every day. In another article, Richmond (2014) writes about education being done through different mediums, such as, discussion groups and literature. By holding discussion groups this gives a space for people to talk and ask questions. While literature allows for another experience and perspective of the activist group.    

The different educational tools are also ways to show support for a group. By introducing people to activist work may be in writing, music, art, or presentations you ultimately getting people engaged in the conversation no matter their opinion. In activism engagement is all you can ask for because no matter if you agree or disagree you will walk away with something. Maybe a conversation, thought, or emotion that will influence you in some way.

Another way to show support or positive ally ship is by giving an activist space to speak again that can be an actual space or by just engaging in their work and listening to what they have to say. As I said before allies tend to hold more power than group members, so if allies do not give activists place to speak then why would anyone else. For change to happen there needs to be listening and as an ally when you listen you are being and setting an example to those who aren’t apart of the group or are unfamiliar with the group. I can’t stress the idea of setting an example enough. I do think Drury and Kaiser (2014) were right when talking about taking people seriously. It is the unfortunate fact that the oppressed are take less serious than their counterparts. That is why allies are very important activism to be the example of taking the issue of oppression seriously and sharing their power with the oppressed.

--->The Fatphobia Stops Here<---

Some days I wake up, get dressed, and take several moments to look at myself in the mirror.

"I'm fat."

This is something I say to myself or some rendition of it, and other days it hurts more than others. Some days it's a call to something I wish I wasn't. Other days, it's just me observing the space I occupy.

         I often times make these comments around my friends. "Brittany, don't say that! You're not fat!"
But, what if I am? What would be wrong with that? What is wrong with using that word?

         I call this interaction fatphobia. Fatphobia is defined as the pathological fear of fatness often manifested as negative attitude and stereotypes about fat people. Fatphobia is essentially stitched into our American culture, has become so embedded into our lives that it has become hard to recognize when we are even exhibiting fatphobia, much like my personal example before. Currently, Michigan is the only state that currently has a law in place that forbids employers from penalizing fat people in the work place, which  means the other 49 states have the ability to fire, deny promotions, or pay their fatter workers less. A 2017 survey found that many hiring managers tend to associate fatness with laziness, and are therefore less likely to hire a fat individual over their thin counterpart. Additionally, a separate survey done by primary care physicians found that they often view obese patients as awkward, unattractive, and noncompliant. Doctor Lilia Graue reported, "Doctors often fail to provide adequate and timely diagnosis and treatment due to obese and overweight assumptions."
          This assumption almost lost one individual their life. In 2018, Rebecca Hiles came forth and told her story of how she had coughing fits for years to the point it caused severe muscle spasms. Doctors repeated told her her symptoms would disappear if she lost weight, until one day her coughs were so severe she ended up in the ER diagnosed with a tumor on her bronchial tube resulting in the removal of an entire lung. If doctors hadn't focused so much on her weight, maybe this could have been preventable. This is a prime example why fatphobia needs to end, and instead should be transitioned into something more accepting of all body types.

          Body positivity has become quite a mainstream term across social media. Many body posts now a days will feature the hashtag #bodypositivity. Many individuals have confirmed that this movement has indeed changed body outlooks, which is great! It's creating a change in a society that puts a lot of pressure on how bodies are meant to look. Dove even launched an all inclusive body positivity ad, featuring bodies of all sizes and shapes with the message that real beauty is all beauty. This was a great movement, that was until people began to call out this movement for being too exclusive. Body positivity only seemed to go so far, far enough to only include three very distinct body types: thin, white, and cis. Very rarely would you see bigger bodies trending on these platforms under this tag. This is the issue, and the consistency to remain fatphobic, the lack of inclusivity of those who don't fit into the box, and this is where it needs to end.

How can we make body positivity, a rather exclusive movement, more like fat acceptance, where we acknowledge that it's okay to be a larger size? Author Virgie Tovar gave some examples of how the body positivity movement can move towards a more fat acceptance movement. One example is to have clearer demands for the body positivity movement, as it sits it leaves little of what it demands to come of supporting it, which is what may be leading to a rather exclusive environment. Another example is to change the face of the movement, stray away from simply highlighting the thin and white girls, for when bigger people are represented the empowerment increases. In a country where roughly 67% of women are considered plus size, the need for a movement more accepting and inclusive of fat. Seeing representation of yourself in the media as a fat individual, self esteem does increase and leaves longer lasting impacts. Fat is still seen a negative term, but if the movement body positivity became fat acceptance, then maybe we wouldn't see fat as bad anymore.

           In 2017, it was recorded that more than one third of adults in the United States were obese. It is medically proven that obesity is linked to more than 60 chronic diseases. If this is the case, why should we be promoting a positive outlook to the idea of fat? Believe it or not, medical doctors have recently called the BMI chart out as being a sham, and being no real indication of obesity. The BMI chart most often times than not, tends to label muscular athletic people as being overweight or even obese, so it clearly is not the scale to be using. So maybe it is okay to embrace your size, given that our most used scale to determine obesity is basically a sham? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Doctor William Johnson in the UK said, "There are clear differences between individuals in the extent to which obesity is bad." SO maybe we shouldn't assume the worst fo someone just because they appear fat? The aim is not to glorify obesity, it is instead aiming to create a space where others can live a life with dignity and not be shamed for being who they are. 

I am fat. I recognize that. I am bigger than the girl I sit next to in any of my classes. But being fat doesn't prevent me from being a leader, a dancer, a scholar, and many more. I am just as capable as someone who isn't fat, and I hope they can recognize that too, because being fat doesn't mean I incapable, it just makes me, me.

College Athletes and Body Image

Howard Schatz's images of the best female athletes in the world. Huffington Post.

On a daily basis, the average college woman will most likely knit-pick their body image apart when they look into a mirror.  Unrealistic beauty ideals have been glorified through marketing schemes and Hollywood productions to set a high, yet surreal, standard.  Female collegiate athletes in particular, however, experience pressure from their sport to look and feel a certain way.  In a recent survey completed by ESPN, 201 DI female, student-athletes were asked thirteen pertinent questions about how their body image has been affected by athletics.  Some of these questions included: Have you ever or currently have an eating disorder? How many hours/week do you devote strictly to physical condition of your body? How many concussions have you been diagnosed with? Do you feel pressure to be pretty? Do you lie about your weight? Are you afraid of becoming to muscular? Have you ever had a coach call you fat? I found these questions to be indirect for the study that they were completing and that the study did not receive the accurate results it deserved. The survey should pertain to body image and what the female athletes perceive as body image. For example, an rower does not have the same body type as a softball player, and both will have different opinions on their ideal body images. Asking questions such as “Do you feel pressure to be pretty?” only makes the athlete being surveyed wonder if they are currently pretty enough. The phrasing of the thirteen questions makes it seem that female athletes competing at a high level are secure in their body image, but when the ESPN survey is compared to other studies this statement is denied.

ESPN survey question. ESPN Women.

Female collegiate athletes have the perpetual risk of developing eating disorders and behavioral patterns due to the aesthetic and high demands of their sports. According to a study completed by Stanford University and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), college athletes are more likely to have or develop eating disorders than the average college student.  Females, both collegiate athletes and non-athletes, have a 10% higher risk for developing eating disorders while in college than their male counterpart.  This study suggests that body image pressure is linked to gender, the correlation between weight and performance, athletic body stereotypes, and the type of sport. An additional study surveyed female NCAA DI, II, and III athletes in basketball, softball, track, cross country, volleyball, soccer, tennis, swim and dive, and ice hockey.  The study’s results found that 49.2% of DI and 40% of DIII athletes had eating disorders; 24% of DI and 30% of DIII athletes reported personal body dissatisfaction; an DIII athletes reported higher bulimia behaviors and preoccupations with weight.  DIII athletes might have reported these statistics due to the lack of team nutritionists, athletic trainers, health programs.  Although DI athletes have greater access to these privileges, female athletes at this high level continue to experience body image pressure and the demand to maintain a team’s specific image.  For example, sports, such as gymnastics, running and diving, are judged on body leanness, thus more emphasis is placed on body image and female athletes experience higher incidence of eating disorders. 

ESPN survey question. ESPN Women.

Female athletes face the contradictory challenge of building muscle to be dominant and powerful in their sport, yet abide by the social expectations of femininity.  In turn, this causes female athletes to be at a high risk of eating and behavioral disorders.  In the studies listed as examples above, females have shown to have a tendency toward perfectionism, which relate to the psychological attitudes.  The pressure to succeed both in their sport and maintain societal expectations has the ability to create anxiety in female athletes about their body image.  Therefore, female collegiate athletes with often struggle with body image more than the average college student, due to the pressures in tied to their athletic performance.  Female athletes need better support from coaching and athletic staffs to combat these risks before they consume the life of the athlete.

Simone Biles, the best female gymnast in the United States and arguably the world, has been criticized for lacking femininity.  She has been criticized for having a seemingly masculine body image, as shown by her incredibly toned muscles, especially in her legs. Flogymnastics.