THINSPORATION

In a world besieged by photo shopped, air brushed, and starving models (both male and female), it’s not unexpected to see the surge of eating disorders, self harm, and low self esteem sweeping the nation. Cropping up between glossy tabloid photos and the Kardashian sister’s diet pill commercial is an especially disturbing token of it. “Thinsporation”, also known as “Thinspo” blogs have taken the internet by storm over the past five years. Most commonly on Tumblr and Pinterest, they are twisted spin offs of Health and Fitness pages with a darker side. Most commonly, they showcase a variety of photos; “Victoria’s Secret” models tossing perfectly styled tresses, black and white photos of petite girls showing of thigh gaps, emaciated hip bones, and the occasional runner sporting a skimpy sports bra and a dazzling white grin. Not only do they include tips on how to suppress one’s appetite and hide such disorders, they glorify it insist the nearly skeletal people portrayed as truly beautiful, healthy and to be emulated. With all the controversy surrounding these “Pro-Ana” “Pro-Mia” blogs, the quickest and most effective way to stop the starving is to shut such pages down. Why? These blogs send out the harmful message that men exclusively adore the scarily skinny, starvation is equitable to a glamorous lifestyle, and fasting is an acceptable and health form of weight loss.



Not true. Actually, boys attest to being attracted to women of all shapes, sizes, and colors. So a girl’s chances at impressing her crush in Spanish class or keeping her husband interested have little to nothing to do with the number on the scale. Really, anyone who considers someone’s BMI a prime factor as to whom they are smooching is a loser. Additionaly, many boys(and ladies) attest that girls with the spindly body types featured are more frightening than pretty. In reverse, many people claim that overly muscular, steriod chic boys pumping iron is more grotesque than gorgeous. This negative, fault ridden assumption that an eight pack or a prominent collarbone is necessary to attract anyone is a very real, very accepted threat thinspo blogs are spreading with every click, download and share.


From Harpers Bazaar to People, every periodical these days is brimming with flawless photographs of slim, glamourous people going about their glamourous lives. And who doesn’t want to emmulate that? Rather than a serious disease, eating disorders are protrayed as some Vogue statement as to a posh lifestyle. Starvation is an easy path to a classier and grander exsistence, or so “pro ana” and “pro mia” sites proclaim. In reality, self inflicted food depravation is a serious medical issue, though many victims feel immense pride in their fasting, and view it as a talent. Allowing these sites to remain up just encourages these false ideals on beauty and sophistication, rather than promoting healthy lifestyles.


As anyone can tell you who is dieting, weight loss is a challenge that does not occur over night. Months of hard work, calorie counting and sweat go into to dropping a jean size or two. A healthy diet of six small, balanced meals a day and a well executed fitness plan are essential to safe weightloss. Many bloggers however, disagree, and revolt against medical guide lines by starving themselves, binging and/or purging, or excessively excersising-and encouring their followers to do the same. With the barrage of stick thin celebreties parading down red carpets, its not unexpected many teens are impatient to have a desirable figure NOW and forgo healthy weight control in favor of fast working and health harming methods. And with such easy access to such advice, it is no wonder that thinspo blogs are exponentially growing.

Not only for the physical, but for the mental health of thousands of teens across the country, blogging sites need to start tracking who and what is being posted on their forums. Not only will it clean up their sites repuatation, it could be the start of big changes for many struggling women and men grappling with low self esteems. The only way to stop the tsunami of body dismorphia caused by pop culture today is to stop condoning it, and eliminating thinspo blogs would be an easy and excellent way to start. Major sites monitoring such activitiy would be a fast and effective way to shut it down. And following the shut down, hopefully many can begin rebuilding their self esteem and healthy lifestyle.