Dying To Be Thin

At 5'7" and weighing merely a hundred pounds, Keira Knightley has come under some scrutiny lately as to whether or not she is suffering from an eating disorder. She has, point blank, denied such allegations stating that anorexia runs in her family and she is well aware of the disease and the harm it can cause. However, looking at this photo, one must wonder (knowing that the camera adds ten pounds) if perhaps Keira isn't in denial. Like so many other young stars she is presenting a frightening image of what women think they should look like, thereby perpetuating the disease. This is no laughing matter and shouldn't be considered "gossip" status, especially when there are websites dedicated to the lifestyle of starvation. Yes, there are hundreds of these websites that have cropped up over the last few years supporting the idea that it's perfectly okay to starve yourself and that it's your choice what to do with your body and you have the freedom to choose. Of course, these websites never mention that starvation will eventually kill you by shutting down your major organs one at a time, but not before your hair falls out, you suffer severe bone loss which may cause your teeth to fall out and your skin becomes painful to touch due to severe dryness. Starvation is not pretty. Only the other day, when I was dropping my son off at work, I stopped at a farm stand to buy some fresh fruit. A woman in a Jaguar pulled up behind me and stepped out of her car wanting directions to the South Hampton, a posh social scene in the summer. She was clearly very young and very gaunt looking. She was clearly suffering from an eating disorder and was making it her choice to look the way she did. Our young women need more positive role models if they are ever to reach beyond their body image for self esteem. I applaud those women, like actress, Tracy Gold, who has spoken out about eating disorders. I wish more young women like her would step forward to encourage young women to stop starving themselves and get the help they need because there's no glory in dying young.