Did you recieve a note and piece of chocoalte on your door on Sunday? Notice a bunch of interesting statistics about body image posted around campus? Stories on tables at Commons and McEwen? It’s all because this week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, or “NEDAW.”
Eating disorders and body image issues are a widespread problem on college campuses, and Hamilton is not an exception. This week, NEDAW at Hamitlon hopes to raise awareness about eating disorders and to allow students feel more comfortable talking about them. They also hope to inform students about the resources available to help address these problems. They will be hosting a week-long series of events in order to accomplish these goals.
The theme for this year’s week is “Love Every Body,” which embodies the respect Hamilton students can show each other, and themselves, when thinking about eating disorders and body issues.
On Monday, there will be a “Speak Out,” in the Sadove living room at 7. The event will provide a safe environment for students to talk about how campus culture may contribute to students’ problematic conception of body image. At this event, students can listen to their peers speak about eating disorders, body image issues, and exercise habits.
Tuesday, Active Minds guest speaker Maggie Bertram will be speaking in the Chapel at 7pm about her personal battle with eating disorders. She will talk about how these issues were the manifestation of the stress and anxiety she hid for many years. Maggie will also talk about how she was able to move past these struggles and create a healthy, positive lifestyle.
On Wednesday at 8pm in G027, there will be screening of “Miss Representation,” a documentary about how the media portrays women. The film’s writer and director, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, argues that disparaging representations of women in the media perpetuate a culture that prevents women from achieving positions of power and influence. Ms. Newson says that these kinds of misrepresentation make women feel like they can’t empower themselves.
Thursday, Hamilton is hosting a “Body Positive” Workshop, where students can get a better understanding of how their peers feel about themselves and their bodies. This workshop with facilitate conversations about the ways students think and talk about their bodies, without anyone feeling obligated to share personal information. There will be group activities that will inform student about how their peers’ negative comments about their bodies can impact their sense of self and change the way those around them feel.
Friday, the week will end on a positive note with a poster project in KJ and SCCT. This will give people the opportunity to communicate what they like about their bodies and themselves. The goal of the event is to spark a discussion that has evolved from “What do I need to fix?” to “What parts of myself can I appreciate?”
By the end of the week, the campus will hopefully feel more educated about eating disorders and body image issues. If everyone can pay closer attention to the words they say and the how they affect each other, we can make this campus an easier place to love “every body”.