Like many of us, I have a Facebook account, and use it to keep in touch with friends and family. Three weeks ago, I (boldly) included my blog on my profile, with the knowledge that anyone could take a look — part of my desire to live authentically.
Maybe I’m naïve, but I didn’t know what else Facebook was being used for until I came across this article in Newsweek titled “Pro-Anorexia Groups Spread to Facebook”.
Having just read Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters and having just met MamaV, who works to raise awareness about these online communities, I was particularly intrigued at what is happening in the social media sphere.
Intrigued and saddened, I should note.
I’ve gone to a few of these pro-ana and pro-mia sites since our Chicago jaunt where I learned what they were. And truthfully, I had to ‘X’ out of each page, each time.
I just felt so sad, so sick to my stomach reading those words, unable to comprehend what is going through these womens’ heads … and fearing what it must be like to feel this way.
For all my body issues, for all my disordered eating behaviors, I simply cannot fathom the idea of starving myself … or of sharing tips with others for how to do it.
But the sites are out there, and now they’re on Facebook (even if they’re private).
All I’ll say about this article … It’s sseriously a scary new world out there.
How about you? As a society, what do you think we should do about these sites, if anything?
Like many of us, I have a Facebook account, and use it to keep in touch with friends and family. Three weeks ago, I (boldly) included my blog on my profile, with the knowledge that anyone could take a look — part of my desire to live authentically.
Maybe I’m naïve, but I didn’t know what else Facebook was being used for until I came across this article in Newsweek titled “Pro-Anorexia Groups Spread to Facebook”.
Having just read Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters and having just met MamaV, who works to raise awareness about these online communities, I was particularly intrigued at what is happening in the social media sphere.
Intrigued and saddened, I should note.
I’ve gone to a few of these pro-ana and pro-mia sites since our Chicago jaunt where I learned what they were. And truthfully, I had to ‘X’ out of each page, each time.
I just felt so sad, so sick to my stomach reading those words, unable to comprehend what is going through these womens’ heads … and fearing what it must be like to feel this way.
For all my body issues, for all my disordered eating behaviors, I simply cannot fathom the idea of starving myself … or of sharing tips with others for how to do it.
But the sites are out there, and now they’re on Facebook (even if they’re private).
All I’ll say about this article … It’s sseriously a scary new world out there.
How about you? As a society, what do you think we should do about these sites, if anything?