Sufferers of anorexia are helping others to do the same by encouraging them to starve themselves
Pro Anorexia sites, or Pro Ana as they are called, have been inundating the internet for years now. Filled with page after page of encouragement of an “anorexic lifestyle,” these sites are run by individuals suffering from anorexia themselves.
They offer “support” for those entangled in the life of an eating disorder by creating a community of others who want to be sick. The same feeling of being in a community to, for example, exercise more regularily, occurs within the chat rooms, email lists and blogs of these anorexics.
The big difference is, they’re not concerned with getting better, but maintaining their sickness. “Thinspiration” photos of well-known celebrities who are extremely skinny, such as Nicole Richie, Keira Knightly, Victoria Beckham, Mischa Barton and Lindsey Lohan, adorn the pages as a motivation to keep losing weight. The more bones they show, the better worth of the photos.
The sites also offer tips on “how to be" anorexic, as well as a letter from “Ana” (anorexia) and entries from anorexics on how much they ate that day and how much they weigh. Rewards are sometimes given to those who make progress quickly and a bond is formed between participants.
Authorities in Spain have recently moved to closed down a Pro Anorexia site, shortly after banning underweight models in their fashion shows. This specific site rewarded readers with a diploma for those who ate the least amount of calories.
But can we ban Pro Ana sites because they are so fatally dangerous? Or is it a breech of freedom of speech?
For coverage of the ban on underweight models, click here.
