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| "Anna-Rexia" costume, aka the worst costume ever Photo: HalloweenParty13.com |
With the excitement of Halloween ending, many people are reflecting on the Halloween costumes of this year, as well as those from the previous years. Some are cute, some are scary, and some are downright offensive, such as the "Anna-Rexia" costume.
The costume is pretty basic (and sultry), consisting of a black dress with a skeleton on it and a measuring tape around the waist, but the message it sends is absolutely horrendous. For one to believe that it is acceptable to take a serious mental illness and translate it into a sultry Halloween costume shows just how powerful the negative stigma around mental illnesses are in our society. For those who do not suffer from the painful and consuming illness it can be hard to understand- but it is still nothing to joke about.
Anorexia can lead to many health issues that last for the rest of the sufferer's life, and to victimize these people is disgusting. Many people are writing out in protest of the costume for good reason- it is never funny to joke about a mental illness, and eating disorders do affect many. Anorexia is on one end of the continuum of eating disorders, and it is surprisingly uncommon compared to bulimia, however it does exist, and it is very dangerous.
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| There are many more symptoms of feeding and eating disorders, so please click this link to read about them |
Many people are comparing the costume to other hypothetical ones, such as someone dressing up as a cancer patient or someone with ALS, to try to make people realize that eating disorders are just as serious as any other illness out there. It is shocking that this costume is still for sale, but it is encouraging knowing that people aren't afraid to speak up on this issue, and prove why it is wrong.
One anorexia survivor Jessi Davin wrote about her thoughts on the costume, and takes a stand so well that I just needed to bring it up! It has been a trending post so you may have seen it, but if you don't know what I'm talking about then you can click here to read it! You go Jessi!!
All I can say is shame on the people who created this costume, and shame on those who think it is funny or have purchased it. You are proof as to what is wrong in our society, and instead of beating someone when they are down, let's help them get up. If you see someone suffering with an eating disorder (or any other psychological disorder) please help them. They are truly in need and could use your support. To any of you reading this who are currently struggling with an eating or feeding disorder, please know that you are beautiful and that there are people out there who want to help you.
NEDA's Helpline number is 1-800-931-2237 and you can speak with someone at the National Eating Disorder Association and get the help that you deserve.
For more information on Feeding and Eating disorders, please read this link for information from the official DSM-V!
Together we can end the negative stigma surrounding mental illnesses
-K
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