Eating disorders Awareness Week activities begin Monday with a speaker who is a successful plus-size model that has learned to accept her weight after battling with bulimia.
Natalie Laughlin will speak in the Hughes-Trigg Theater at 8 pm.
"She was having a lot of problems with body image, had been dieting and on diet pills from age eight, was bulimic, and has kind of worked herself through that problem," said Cathey Soutter, coordinator of psychological services for women.
Laughlin has appeared on the cover of Glamour and Mode. Her success, Soutter said, indicates a shift toward more realistic body-size expectations in the media.
"It sort of shows the difference that is beginning to take place, in terms of advertisement, making the advertisements relate more to the general public," Soutter said.
The speech kicks off the week, which benefits SMU students, said Mandy Golman, health educator at the Health Center.
"It gives them a heightened awareness of what eating disorders are, where they can go for help, and also is just to promote a positive body image," she said.
Coffee talks led by various speakers will also be held in some residence halls Tuesday and Thursday.
"They're going to ranged from people who had eating disorders -- people talking about their recovery -- to people just giving information on eating disorders," Goldman said.
A benefit concert that will combine vocal, instrumental, dance, cinema and acting components will be help at 8 pm Wednesday in Caruth Auditorium,
Laughlin will be the guest of honor at the event.
Michael Barriskill, a graduate dance student, is producing the concert. Barriskill said he decided to produce the event because eating disorders are a problem in the dance world. He said he saw an opportunity for him to give to the community.
Barriskill is also dancing with the Meadows Jazz Orchestra during the interdisciplinary concert. Faculty members from the music department will perform.
Junior cinema major Andy Banks has been commissioned by Barriskill to create a film montage of photographs and videos of Elisa McCall, in whose name an endowment was established at SMU. Excerpts will be read aloud from McCall;s personal journal that tell of her daily struggle with bulimia.
Off-campus performers that will participate in the event inlcude the Encore Choir of the Turtle Creek Chorale, the Women's Chorus of Dallas' Mosaic Choir and the Camarata Wind Ensemble of Cappell.
The benefit will be free to all SMU faculty and staff, but reserved tickets are $50 each. All donations are welcome. Proceeds to to the Elisa Project to help fund future Eating Disorders Awareness Weeks and support the SMARTBodies peer education program on campus.
A body fair will be held from 11 to 2 pm Friday in the Hughes-Trigg Commons. Complimentary Bobby Brown makeovers by cosmetologists from Neiman Marcus, aromatherapists, two massage therapists, healthy foods and a dietitian will all be available.
"It's to promote being good to your body," Goldman said. "It's a body pampering day -- a day without dieting."
Throughout the week, students can fill out self-assessment screening instruments. Soutter said if a student feels he or she needs to speak with someone after the screening, the Counseling and Testing Center will be on call all week for initial appointments.
"We are encouraging everybody to call up here, and if they will identify themselves as someone who took the eating disorders assessment, everybody here is setting aside time to do evaluations," Soutter said.
An art exhibit titled "in search of perfection: lost in an image" will be on the display throughout the week in the Hughes-Trigg Commons, Submissions of drawings, paintings and photography will be accepted Friday from 3 to 5 pm in room 307 at Hughes-Trigg.
In this country, five percent of females and one percent of males suffer from anorexia, bulimia or binge-eating disorders. And estimated 1,000 women die each year of anorexia.
At SMU, Soutter said, approximately five percent of students who receive counseling at the Counseling and Testing Center are diagnosed with an eating disorder. This figure does not include those students who receive counseling at the Medical Health Center.
Source: The Daily Campus; February 19, 1999