Halloween is only a few weeks away. People are assembling their costumes, some are just thinking about them. But when I went to "Google" Halloween costumes just the other day, a costume popped up that is carrying a bit of baggage in the health world.
It's one thing to be a "sexy nurse" or "sexy cop" but this costume is a skin tight, black dress with bones painted on the front. It's title? "Anna Rexia." Not only do the bones portray that girls should be skinny to even get into this costume, but the costume also comes with a measuring tape meant to be a belt and a measuring tape choker for the neck. Sure Halloween has its perk with "punny" costumes, but this may be pushing it.
The slogan on the costume reads, "You can never be too rich or too thin." Pressure like this has thrown girls into a whirlwind of bad thoughts. Thinking "how many hours do I have to be at the Rec today" or "how many calories are in this Lean Cuisine meal?" becomes a mantra because of slogans like this.
The description also reads, "If Anna Rexia doesn't want to put it in her mouth, there is nothing you can say to change her mind. You can stop trying to sell her on the point that there aren't any carbs and it's all protein because Anna Rexia just doesn't want anything to do with it. Make no bones about it, this girl is as disciplined as they can get. Anna Rexia costume is anything but bare bones!"
Is this freedom of speech at it's finest? I'd say, probably not. Everyone is huffing and puffing about this costume, whether it is offensive or not, whether it should be taken off the shelves, etc. People have the right to be offended by this, but people also have the right to purchase this costume and wear it. If people have the right to be offended by this costume, who's not to say others may actually like the costume? Unfortunately, this dark humor does have its consequences.
According to the National Eating Disorders Association, anorexia has the highest mortality rate for any mental illness related disease. Around 10 million women and one million men suffer from either anorexia or bulimia across the nation, and the situation isn't getting any better.
People wouldn't be laughing if anorexia were actually something real in their minds. If they saw a young girl in the hospital with a feeding tube because she couldn't eat on her own anymore. It's the mentality of losing five pounds that eventually becomes 10 pounds and so on.
I suppose this is only just a Halloween costume, but it isn't even funny. It only makes someone look like they need attention in the worst manner. It also brings the conversation about eating disorders full circle. Think about this for your Halloween costume this year. Don't spend hours in the gym because you're freaking out over how skinny you should get. Dieting in a healthy way is one thing, but promoting anorexia is another.
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