The Weakening of Women

When I walk into my Sunday morning OA meeting, I usually see about 40 women and 0-3 men. When I used to go to eating disorder groups, there were never ANY men.  More than twice as many women as men suffer from anorexia, bulimia or other disordered eating.

What this means is that most women (about 75%) are starving or bingeing and purging or living a life obsessed with calories. So much time is wasted and lost in trying to be thin. When I am weak with hunger, sick from eating and puking or just caught up constantly with the facts of my weight, I'm not contributing to my life, to others or to the world and it's people.

Throughout history, women have been valued for their beauty, while men have been valued for power. Beautiful women attracted strong men and together they had children, nurtured by the lovely women and supported by the strong man.

Times have certainly changed. Many women work, hold powerful positions and/or solely support their families. One would think that less value be placed on their beauty and more would be made of their strength.

In some ways, tho, the opposite has happened. Strong women put more emphasis on their looks than ever before, with botox and lasers and fillers, in order to  look beautiful and young. And thin - look at Kellyann Conway (would she have gotten the job is she looked like Chris Christie?) Nancy Pelosi,, Andrea Mitchell, and Anna Wintour.  Kate Middleton, the Dutchess of Windsor, Amal Clooney.

Our women get thinner and thinner, actually. Even Rachel Maddow (!) is skinnier than when she started out!!!

It sometimes seems like women are allowed to be strong (successful) as long as they are weak (skinny and hungry.) In this way, we aren't as threatening, I suppose.

I know for myself, when I was starving, i had the energy for NOTHING. For myself, I refuse to be nothing.