Manorexia

I have always wondered why the fellas never seemed to suffer from anorexia. Body image issues perhaps are not as important to men as they are for women.

However, I did not matter whether you were a boy or a girl when you were at school the overweight kids always got plenty of stick for being fat. I was a fat kid and I am a fat adult.

So, I can speak with relative authority about getting plenty of stick at school for being overweight.

I was also pretty sporty and played lots of sports. So, I guess this kept the weight in check a little.

That said, I wonder whether I go to the gym now because I have body issues or just because I want to keep a little fit so that I can live long enough to see the Kid grow into a man. I think it is because I wanna see the Kid grow into a man. If it was a body issue thing then I would be eating to a different pattern. I eat fairly clean.

Anyways, I was scanning through the Sydney Morning Herald the other day and came across this article on "manorexia" which is a term coined to describe anorexia in men. It is estimated that more than 7 million Australians are overweight or obese. Yes, this is somewhere around one-third of the population is heavier than it should be according to current guidelines.

In NSW it is estimated that 1 in 10 adults and 1 in 4 children that are suffering from anorexia are male. This means that the vast majority of those suffering from anorexia remain women, at least in cases that are being reported. Apparently, photos like the one above encourage eating disorders in boys as they strive to look like a male model.

Postscript:

This post has been modified slightly from the original post. The figures regarding anorexia in the original post were mistyped. This has been rectified.

Exploitation and the Sexualization of Children

Nah, who decides here what is in the best interests of the child in a case where that child can be commercially exploited whether that be in the fashion world or on TV or anywhere else for that matter. This issue has come to a head in Australia when a 14 year old Polish model, Monika Jagaciak, was invited to be a part of Fashion Week.

What should be the minimum age for models to work in the industry. In a technical sense anyone under the age of 18 is a child and therefore the legal capacity to enter into contracts and the like is restricted. The legal functions are normally fulfilled by a parent or guardian of age who can make these legal decisions on behalf of the child. So, in this case, if a 14 year old Polish model has the permission and support of her parents and all things are above board then what is the problem?

If we are going to institute a minimum age for certain professions then this is a slippery slope. What should the minimum age for a child actor be? Let's face it, child actors are exploited in much greater numbers than children working as models. Child labor is a serious issue and one that must be addressed on a global scale and in a comprehensive manner because there is child labor and then there is "child labor". This is not a case of a young girl being forced into work breaking stones or stitching shoes to make ends meet for a family living below the poverty line.

Once again assuming that everything is above board and that she is earning what she deserves for the work she is doing in comparison to other models, then who should make the decision on whether this is in the best interests of the child?

Yet, the real issue here might not be the exploitation or the sexualization of children (although this is a serious problem in its own right) but rather the peer pressure that teens, particularly teenage girls, are under with regards to body image. It is often cited that these body image pressures lead to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.

For me though the issue is one that where kids start working at a young age they miss out on being kids. They do not get to enjoy life like other kids and it is these experiences in these formative years that colour your views of the world in your adult life!

This particular issue blew-up because there is also a provocative picture of the then 13 year old Monika Jagaciak in a swimsuit being hosed down. Once again though if the standard is that a photograph that may be used in an ad campaign of a child in a swimsuit is exploitation of the child then who should make this determination? The parents? A guardian? The Government?