This Weight Stigma Awareness Week (WSAW), taking place Monday, September 28 - Friday, October 2, 2020, we want to End Weight Hate and help the broader eating disorders community understand why weight stigma and weight discrimination should matter to everyone. As well as how it contributes to and exacerbates eating disorders in people of all sizes, especially folks in higher weight bodies. 

Editor's note: CW for behaviors mentioned.

As a photographer, I am a critical component in the image capturing process--I am that tool that stands behind the camera, knowing what to say to make the subject smile a certain way; waiting for the light to hit a mountainside; capturing the oceans in a way that can evoke drama and chaos; and knowing when to push the shutter button to capture that special moment when the bride and groom kiss.

Somewhere on the New Jersey Parkway, my friend’s dad looks in the rearview mirror - looks me in the eyes - and says, “Car’s running a little slow today, eh, Justin?” It’s a middle school summer: I’m a year or two into a five-year affair with braces, I’m learning to skateboard and play guitar, and I’m growing more and more uncomfortable in my body. Here, age eleven or twelve, I’m already deeply insecure about my round cheeks and belly, and an adult is casually shining a spotlight on everything I want to hide.  

It wasn’t hard for me to stop dieting. I was exhausted from the processes – mind, body, and soul. It was harder for me to find a thinking or philosophy that matched my new outlook. 

It all started with a letter. Early fall 2019, Ruby Jo Lubarsky, a grandmother, sent a letter to her State Senator, Julie Raque Adams. Ruby Jo shared her frustration about the limited treatment options in Kentucky, how inconsistent insurance coverage is for both inpatient and outpatient services, and in general how uneducated our society is regarding eating disorders. All Ruby Jo was trying to do was find the care her granddaughter desperately needed. But her letter struck a chord.

ATTENTION EATING DISORDERS RESEARCHERS 

Call for proposals for eating disorders research through the Department of Defense. Pre-application deadlines are approaching!

NEDA Walks are inspirational, community-building events where passionate walkers raise money to fund eating disorders education, prevention, and support, as well as advocacy and research initiatives. They are a celebration of hope and strength, filled with body-positive activities, motivational guest speakers, and a short walk to symbolize unity in the fight against eating disorders.  

Organizations from across the country have joined together in partnership to advance the field of eating disorders and build a community of support and hope.  This collaboration has served one fundamental purpose: to provide a unified voice for the individuals and families we support.  Mobilized around our missions to advocate, to educate, and to heal, the NEDA Network is a community of eating disorders organizations connecting national, regional, and local communities with critical resources.   

On behalf of the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), I want to thank everyone for a meaningful and empowering National Eating Disorders Awareness (NEDAwareness) Week 2020.

At the beginning of the week, we posted a question on Instagram Stories asking, “What advice would you give yourself and others this NEDAwareness Week?” As those responses were coming in, I had the honor of kicking off NEDAwareness Week with a few pieces of advice from the NEDA team:

1. No Before and After Photos