This Eating Disorder Awareness Campaign Boycotts The ‘Before’ Photo

Recently, some Instagram customers took on the before and after photos the phenomenon where people post images of their bodies from when they were dealing with an eating disorder and then pictures of them when they are recovered through a hashtag campaign called #BoycottTheBefore. The posts feature a blacked out before image as a behavior to make it clear that appearance comparisons arent always reflective of a healthy torso and mind.

The campaign is meant to address the triggering nature of the photos for those recovering from an eating disorder. It was created by Lexie Louise, A 21 -year-old body postivie blogger, in mid-February after investigating her own personal before-and-after recuperation photos. She realized that they could be triggering for others who may also be dealing with an eating disorder or send the wrong message about what the condition actually looks like.

#BoycottTheBefore I have an article that will be published on the sister website of @neda soon that discusses this in more detail. I’ll share it when it’s posted but is intended to share some now. (( I don’t intend to dishonor anyone who has shared their recuperation photos. I’d like to offer different perspectives because it’s important to open the conversation rather than accept everyone is on board. I hope the individuals who differ can speak kindly and non-judgmentally in return .)) For those in early recuperation specially, our eating disorders can tempt us to compare numbers or sizings, or even construct us question, “Am I sick enough to receive aid? Because such person or persons seems to need it more than me”. That can be very harmful when it comes to this. These photos likewise solely depict physical growing. It was a great fallacy still that those who have eating disorders must be physically underweight to be considered fighting. It reinforces a misconception that you can see who is struggling. The truth is: we aren’t telling the whole story through these photos, even with our captions. There are people in recuperation who don’t feel comfy sharing their photos at all. And there are currently people in recuperation who simply cannot relate to having any shocking physical changes. Overall, though those of us who can share these photos are praised for sharing them and may be creating short term change, “were about” feeding into the fallacies of eating disorders and sadly not attaining chamber to generate real, long term change. So lets fight back. I encourage you to responsibly share your recuperation narrative this NEDA awareness week if “youre feeling” comfy doing so. I likewise encourage you to factor in other people those in recuperation and those whom we are trying to educate. And I encourage you to use the photo pictured on the left as your before photo if you want to support such projects. We are so much more than comparison photos. We are strong, resilient warriors and we will go against the grain and continue to fight to be seen and heard even if that signifies not receiving instant validation. Like recuperation, change takes time; it is a travel but it is possible .

A post shared by Lexie (@ soworthsaving) on Feb 16, 2017 at 6:05 pm PST

Posting these comparing photos is enabling the idea that you can see those who have eating disorders, she wrote in an Instagram caption following deleting the images. It is also enabling the competition among those fight with reckons like, well, Im not sick enough to get help because I dont look like that.

Since she started the campaign, the hashtag has taken off with more than 1,000 submissions. Model Iskra Lawrence, “whos been” open about her own recuperation from an eating disorder, shared her own boycott photo.

( This post is considering Eating Disorders& recuperation NOT the fitness industry/ or weight loss). Please read before passing judgement as this is NOT me telling you NOT to post before and afters or lessening the achievements and accomplishments of those who are proud of their journeys. I enjoy insuring people celebrating how far they’ve come and altogether get why( myself included) choose to post before and afters . . But let’s open the discussion ….. # BoycottTheBefore was started by @soworthsaving and I’m so proud to be part of this movement . . I myself have seemed the pressure to post before and after pics to validate that I too suffered … but that’s not right. We do not need to prove that we struggled, we do not need to feel like anyone may have struggled more or less because maybe there before and after photos aren’t as “dramatic”. It’s not even about that, it’s always about how far you’ve come so @boycottthebefore is here to celebrate YOU right now! To celebrate how far you’ve come and maybe how far you still have to go – there is no perfect recuperation& everyones is wholly unique . . I do however want to say I’m not against posting before and afters, I have done so too and will be keeping them up. Nonetheless “its also” a really great message and I hope to see lots of of you labelling me in your pics( I’ve shared pics of the individuals who labelled me simply swipe to consider )… I’m eternally inspired by the recuperation& bopo communities and I’m grateful for every single person who empowers each other and shares their beautiful unique trigger with us all . . To read @soworthsaving blog post about this movement going to see @neda or http :// proud2bme. org/ content/ eating-disorder-comparison-photos-boycott #NEDA #everyBODYisbeautiful( bikini is @aerie) No makeup no retouching #aeriereal

A post shared by i s k r a (@ iskra) on Feb 25, 2017 at 1:28 pm PST

Sharing a’ before'( typically dangerously underweight and induces shock and wince in many) against the’ after'( typically a healthier weight and likely smiling) is something commonly occurring on ED awareness week. This is only demonstrating a physical change and one that feeds into the underweight torso stereotype( and for those who have suffered that never have been underweight, where does that leave them ?) I’m not going to set a’ before’ photograph of myself on that may trigger others or potentially construct others feel like their eating disorder is less valid. My own eating disorder would enjoy me to post one, for some means of validation/ reassurance and proof to others that’ hey seem yes I was dangerously ill and here is your proof now you have to believe me by this to justify whatever faith you have about person with anorexia’ NO. I have nothing toprove to anyone. Trying to spread the word of eating disorders being an internal duel and illness of the brain but posting photographs reinforcing the opposite? It isn’t a competition( whatever your eating disorder may say ). Telling people how you exercised x amount and weighed xlbs and survived on simply x a period does not educate people on this mental illness. I don’t want to be strengthening this stigma that so people are trying so hard to break away from. Boycott the before. #boycottthebefore #nedaweek #eatingdisorderawareness #recovery #mentalhealth #educate #youarenotyourmentalillness

A post shared by Charlie Storey (@ wakeupinwoodland) on Mar 5, 2017 at 2:04 pm PST

A few weeks ago I softly started a travel of true-life torso adoption. I haven’t opened up to anyone about it until today. I was tired of being obsessed with a weight loss aim, letting meat operate “peoples lives”, and always having what I’m feeing or when I will reach my magic weight loss aim number on my brain. It was becoming an preoccupation, and it had to stop. I went into it with my whole nerve. Done weighing myself, but still feeing as healthy as I can, working out on a regular basis, and not thumping myself up over every cookie that I have. It’s been one of the most humbling experiences of my life and I’ve never seemed more confident and beautiful. As a nutrition student the most valuable lesson that I’ve learned is that we are more than simply a number. As long as you live a healthy life overall, that’s all that matters. Being skinny does not mean being healthy. Healthy comes in all shapes and sizes! So on this day, you will never discover another before and after illustration or weight loss post from me. My before is just as wonderful as my after. Likewise I will never help anyone “lose weight” again. Nonetheless if you are truly interested in improving your Health and getting HEALTHY, I’ve got your back! Contact me. Weight loss will probably be a bonus from that, but I will no longer encourage reaching one number, that number does not define whom you. Stay healthy. Stay beautiful. Stay what you are. #boycottthebefore @boycottthebefore #loveyourself #loveyourbody #bodypositive

A post shared by Aisha-Z (@ aishazrva) on Mar 4, 2017 at 2:47 pm PST

An calculated 30 million peoplehave an eating disorder in the U.S. Feeing disorders have thehighest mortality rates of any mental illness group, according to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.

This staggering fact is farther proof that they need to be taken seriously. One behavior to do that is to increase public awareness, which can send the message that the condition is manageable with therapy. Thats why social media motions like #BoycottTheBefore are so vital: They highlight recuperation over everything else.

I am in recuperation. I am living again. I am thriving, Lousie wrote on Instagram.
And I dont have to prove that I was sick by showing you my body.

Head over to Instagram to browse more #BoycottTheBefore photos and narratives.

H/ T Mashable

If youre struggling with an eating disorder, call the National Eating Disorder Association hotline at 1-800-931-2237.