Maria Kang posted this obnoxious photo of herself on Facebook and is getting shit for it, and rightfully so. She admits to being a former bulimic.
Something that hasn't been said, or that I haven't seen yet, in all the social media backlash: Me thinks she is not recovered. She played condescending tough-gal in her non-apology response to all the criticism, so I'd like to throw the shade back at her. Honey, your eating disorder is showing.
When I say this, it's not, "She's clearly still purging, look at those ribs." She may very well be eating perfectly healthy and fine. It's not about the food consumption nor work out obsession nor abdominal muscles. As a "former" bulimic myself -- there's the question, are we ever really recovered? -- I believe that a huge part of recovery is recognizing the bullshit in wrapping your self worth in what your body looks like and how much space it consumes. Rise above that shit -- or at least try! Or at least don't become part of the problem!
I don't take issue with the picture. If she just posted the picture itself, in all its self-aggrandizing greatness, with the ages of her kids and her stupid pose, with her coiffed hair and makeup, that would be fine, I guess. Still obnoxious, but no different than any other attention seeking Facebook post from anyone ever. The caption, though. How condescending, mean, short-sighted, and disordered of you.
I'm no psychologist or psychiatrist, but clearly she's obsessed with her body...and everyone elses. I see a manifestation of her eating disorder wrapped up in a pretty picture with an asshole caption.
I'm still body obsessed too. I feel like most people are, whether they be Maria's acceptable image of fit or not. But I try so hard not to be. I fight myself every day about it -- remembering the eating disorder hell that I've been through and looking at my daughter, feeling how much I don't want such a life for her. I'm embarrassed by my concern for my body, those thoughts that I can not escape, but I can intellectually and through time will them away. I wish I was so easily above it all. Maria Kang embraces body obsession in a way that I find so gauche, especially considering she's a "recovering bulimic." I suppose I wrongfully assume or hope that people recovering from disordered eating make it their mission in life to "not go there" anymore.
Usually I try to squeeze in a work out video while Felicity naps, but today I purged my thoughts instead.
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