ABSTRACT
Chapter 8 opens with a story from James Downs, who talks openly and honestly about his own struggles with Anorexia, Bulimia, and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. James’ experience challenges the notion that Body Image Disorders are an exclusively female issue and paves the way for the presentation of statistics around boys’ body image and eating disorders. Acknowledging the damaging impact of social media on the way young boys and men perceive their own bodies, the chapter then discusses the lesser-known body image disorder, ‘Bigorexia,’ which affects boys and young men disproportionately. Teachers are then taught how to spot signs of Anorexia, Bigorexia, and Bulimia and are reminded that boys are just as susceptible to these disorders as girls are. An interview with Charlotte Markey, US psychology professor at Rutgers University-Camden and author of Being You: The Body Image Book for Boys, leads into practical advice on how teachers can help boys to view their bodies positively. The chapter finishes with a lesson plan, created by Media Smart, which encourages boys – and girls – to view the male bodies observed in media campaigns critically and to understand the impact that retouching has on the perception of what a healthy young male body actually looks like.
