Weight Stigma Awareness Week is September 22 – 26, and is sponsored by the Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA). Here’s what you can do to get involved!
At Positive Pathways, we support BEDA’s efforts to raise awareness of the harmful effects of weight stigma, and to promote acceptance of people at every size. Weight stigma – also known as weightism, weight bias, or weight discrimination – occurs in a variety of ways, and people who experience weight stigma may develop eating disorders, including Binge Eating Disorder. Although Binge Eating Disorder is complex and has many different causes, the experience of weight stigma can lead to using food as a means of coping with the painful emotions which can arise from negative experiences about ones weight.
Here are a few examples of weight stigma:
- teasing others about their weight or body size
- staring at someone who is a different weight or size
- making judgments such as, “fat people are lazy”
- discrimination in the workplace because of weight
- adhering to societal stereotypes about thinness
Here is what you can do to make a difference:
- practice unconditional Self-Love about your own body
- consciously appreciate the diversity of weight and size of all people
- speak out compassionately to others about weight stigma awareness
- get involved through social media – #WSAW #WeightStigma #bodyacceptance #LoveYS
- visit the BEDA website for more information – http://bedaonline.com
Questions for Reflection during Weight Stigma Awareness Week:
Have you been a victim of weight stigma? How have you been influenced by comments others have made about your weight or body shape? Have you witnessed others being teased or judged because of their weight or body size? Can weight stigma affect people who are obese as well as anorexic? How does the media influence weight stigma? What action steps would you like to take during Weight Stigma Awareness Week?
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Interested in a FREE consultation with Dr. Dorie? Dr. Dorie is passionate about her method of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ to help people overcome eating disorders and addictions. She provides customized counseling for eating disorders and alcohol / drug addiction at her Positive Pathways treatment center in Evergreen, Colorado – and EDIT™ eating disorder training and certification for coaches and clinicians worldwide. CALL 303-494-1975 – EMAIL DR. DORIE – GET CERTIFIED