Does my bum look big in this? Reconstructing anorexia nervosa within the cultural context of 21st century Australia

Abstract

Anorexia Nervosa is a mental health issue that has a history over many centuries, but has relatively recently been identified as a ‘real’ mental illness. A condition that predominantly afflicts young, middle class women it had long been subsumed among the ‘natural weaknesses’ of women, not unlike the manner in which ‘Hysteria’ was diagnosed within the Freudian understanding of women’s health. However, since the 1970s, and especially with the deaths of some high profile young women it has undergone a reassessment. While clinical understandings of Anorexia Nervosa remain contentious, there is an increasing recognition that the condition is also grounded within specific cultural understandings. The article presents a brief historical overview of the construction of ‘self-starvation’ as applied to ‘fasting saints’ and to modern anorexic women. However, the major focus of the paper is an examination of the cultural situation as exemplified in contemporary Australia. Drawing on the Foucaudian notions of self surveillance the article suggests that TV programs can be used as a vehicle for modern day ‘self surveillance ’and as guidelines for the construction of self. Briefly, TV programs, especially so called ‘reality TV,’ portray a mirror image of how we as consumers should behave. The programs I have chosen to highlight are the phenomenally popular cooking shows that are aired daily on Australian TV screens. Through an examination of the social meanings constructed around food with the TV programs as a primary carrier of these cultural references, the article seeks to address some of the contradictions with other images presented in different but contemporaneous media. While this can never be a definitive explanation of all anorectic behavior, the paper examines the images of womanhood as presented by these programs. These ‘competent and enthusiastic cooks’ are contrasted with the slim, athletic ideal as portrayed in the fashion magazines and many other ‘lifestyle’ TV programs such as holiday shows.