Thinspiration?

As I was browsing for new work out inspirations, one of the first websites that popped up in my google search was “Ana’s Thinspiration.” Being curious, I clicked on the link thinking it would be something similar to women’s health just in a blog form or a personal website. To my surprise, the website revolved around eating disorders with two severely thin women posing sexily on the home page. The entire website personifies and encourages anorexia asking “How’s Ana today?” and a blog is kept to offer tips, consoling, and motivation to fuel one another’s non-eating habits. The website advices different things to do when you think you want to eat, 40 things that get you inspired to lose weight, and ways of hiding your anorexia. I have been deeply disturbed by what I saw and read on “Ana’s Thinspiration.” One of the main things that has stayed on my mind was the website offers tips to high school girls on how to hide their disease from their family and friends.
Oddly, I was walking by the television and saw a small portion of this evening Glee episode that seemed to be relevant with my blog post and my concern that came after viewing this website. Although I did not see the entire episode (so please correct me if I’m wrong), the main theme seemed to revolve around appealing to the perfect size or the expected weight. The part I saw focused on one of the high school female character that would not eat lunch and was trying to lose weight. Although I am unsure what happened exactly to spark this change, I know that she felt pressured to fit an image.
This website reminded me of Frye’s birdcage metaphor for the suppression of women. The expectation of maintaining a certain size and weight limit is another bar perpetuating the system. Once again, I really like that the producers and writers of Glee have taken a prominent issue like appearance and opposing this view through the media and actors. Young women need to be hearing and seeing more within the media about the importance of maintaining a healthy weight. It is vital in combating these stigmas that celebrities and websites try to impose on the youth of our country. I am all for staying healthy and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. As I said, I was looking for inspirations for new work outs, but the last thing I expected as the second thing on the web page was a sight for anorexia. It just goes to show that something needs to change in the media and what is available on our internet.