Beauty Mark Response

I was greatly moved by the film “Beauty Mark” viewed in class last week. I have personally struggled with Bulimia Nervosa for the past seven years, and have endured many battles against my body and soul. I was amazed at how brutally honest the filmmaker was and was shocked to have never have heard about the film. For this blog, I thought I would share some of my personal story as it relates to “Women in Sport.”
I started having body dysmorphic thoughts at the young age of ten. I could not function without pushing my body to extremes in soccer or running. Every physical activity I performed had to be a test of my will. By the age of fourteen, my obsession had evolved into a full blown eating disorder. I at first struggled with Anorexia Nervosa and exercise Bulimia. As is common among people with eating disorders, I later bounced back and forth between Bulimia and Anorexia, but always had a fixation with over-exercising. I have had multiple hospitalizations all resulting in a temporary recovery. I can now say I am partially “cured.” I don’t think a person every really forgets or can ignore their body obsessions, but I now no longer count every calorie burned or eaten. I now run for my sanity, for the comfort of knowing my body is still able to perform this vital task for the soundness of my mind and body.
Sport for women is a complex process in the United States. Women are constantly bombarded with images of how to look and messages of how to act. There should be no blame placed on one single entity, but rather an examination of culture in general and why these fatal diseases still exist. Viewing the movie was a difficult procedure for me, as it brought to life the realness of my struggle with exercise Bulimia. Throughout this class I have been enlightened and have enjoyed the illumination, however painful and sincere it has had to be.

Samantha D.
Kin 339i, Section 3018