Co-Sponsorship - Dr. Jean Kilbourne

"Eating Our Hearts Out: The Obsession with Thinness"

This presentation illustrates the origins and terrible consequences of our national obsession with excessive thinness for women. Almost all women suffer from this obsession, not just those who develop eating disorders. Dr. Kilbourne looks at ads for rich foods and junk food, ads for cigarettes and ads for diet products. She also examines how the image has changed in the past 30 to 40 years (e.g. Marilyn Monroe wore a size 12 dress and would be considered fat by today's standards). Thinness has become a moral issue and food is often advertised as a substitute for sex.