Tumblr is a great tool and can be a lot of fun and very informative. There is, however, a really scary element to the tumblsphere. Just search the hashtag #thinspo and you'll see what I mean. There is a vast number of blogs that are practically, if not blatantly pro-ana. For those not familiar with the lingo, that's short for pro-anorexia. Basically there's a tribe of (mostly) young girls that want to be as skinny as possible at any cost. They've been on the net for years but Tumblr has made it super easy to exchange photos protruding hip, collar, rib, and all other bones.
As someone who's concerned with fitness and works in fashion I come across a lot of this material. On one hand it's discouraging to see how many people associate fitness with thinness - though one does not necessarily the other make. On the other hand it increases my distaste for the fashion industry. Though I love what I do, I truly wonder, sometimes, how long I'll be able to work in a realm that promotes such a skewed perspective on beauty.
The #thinspo phenomenon is especially disturbing to me because I recognize that I'm not above obsessing over a body ideal - it takes daily effort to try to seek balance. And while inspiration is a valuable thing, obsession is just unhealthy - even if you're obsessing over health! The line between the two is pretty thin and I have an confession to make: I think I may have crossed it...
In case you can't tell, the above is me having a little fun with photoshop. And by fun, I mean the kind that you have chasing a buzz at the bar. It's indulgent and not in a good way. Sigh...
No comments:
Post a Comment