Best. Response. To. The. Pro-Ana. Communities. Ever.

[queerbychoice]

I have just fallen absolutely madly in love with the pro_scurvy community. How did they ever get so many wonderful people together to perpetuate it so perfectly for so long? It's completely brilliant.

Comments

[donutgirl.livejournal.com]

I love that there's nonugliesscurvy as well...

[donutgirl.livejournal.com]

Sorry, that's nonugly_scurvy.

[inkstained.livejournal.com]

That is so *wacked.* So much amusement do I have.

-ink

[kyra.livejournal.com]

*wheeze* Cannot... stop... laughing....

[lique.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, that is just hilarious.

[yay4pikas.livejournal.com]

Part of me laughs, and part of me thinks it's incredibly nonproductive and potentially harmful. *shrug*

no, it's funny

[fflo.livejournal.com]

definitely funny

[queerbychoice.livejournal.com]

You don't think people can learn from being parodied? Isn't that the purpose of all parody?

[yay4pikas.livejournal.com]

Um, this may be making a big assumption, but have you ever known someone with an eating disorder? Have you done any research about them? Rational thought and logic (traits that cause people to respond well to parody) don't come into it much.

And yes, I am very sensitive about this stuff because I've now had a close friend and a girlfriend (yes, the psycho one) with eating disorders, and -- haranging and mockery just encourage the "No one understands what's it's like!" mentality. Logic is a bit better, but most people with EDs know logically that it's not healthy and probably won't give them the emotional contentment they seek -- but it's not logical. Mental disorders and brain chemistry imbalances don't generally respond well to parody, in my experience.

Of course, maybe you do know lots about eating disorders and simply have vastly different views from me -- but if that's the case, I'm boggled at how you arrived at them.

Emotionally, I understand the desire to mock and rant because I've been there and the frustration from not being able to help is horrible. But I do want to help, and I don't think mocking already unhappy people is the way to do it. I belong to an anti-eating disorder community that's polite and constructive, and I've had people from the pro-ED communities harass me, assuming I'm one of the people who goes and harasses them anonymously. Mockery only makes people not listen.

[queerbychoice.livejournal.com]

Mikie, my dear friend and ex-sexual partner, nearly died from anorexia. I also have been friends with the founder of one of the LJ pro-anorexia communities. Admittedly, I have not asked either of them their opinion on the pro_scurvy community (I'll be happy to listen if they comment here), but rest assured that I care about them and do not intend them any harm.

[yay4pikas.livejournal.com]

I am very sorry to hear that.

I didn't think you intended any harm, and I doubt any of the people in pro_scurvy do either, but I confess I just can't see how it can avoid being harmful.

[deadinmotion.livejournal.com]

formerly anorexic here:

the community is funny, and would've made me think in hindsight, but at the time it's the kind of thing where you feel further alienation. when you're anorexic, a lot of it is getting acceptance, either from yourself or from others. if you continue to show that you refuse to understand their choices then you make them feel even more alone. that's just my thought. or rather, that's how i would have reacted.

now, i eat jars of olives and cans of hummus and get frustrated that i don't gain necessary weight. the tables have turned clockwise.

[queerbychoice.livejournal.com]

I think that when you read it thoroughly you find that the people who harass the pro-ana communities are being parodied every bit as much as the pro-ana people themselves are. The ringleader of the harassers in pro_scurvy is another parody journal by the name of pro_c.

I also did ask Mikie eir opinion of it just now and ey says ey's just glad that anything at all is being done to counteract the propaganda put forth in the pro-ana communities. (The other friend Mikie and I had who founded one of the pro-ana communities has since disbanded it after being persuaded in large part by discussions with Mikie and me.)

[coolerbythelake.livejournal.com]

my friend mark wrote a song called "me or scurvy"

part of it goes like,

"sailing in your battleship
makes me paranoid
cos i can't tell if it's
me or scurvy
you're trying to avoid"

your entry made me think of that...

i've checked out their community some... looks interesting. do you think the mods deleted anti-scurvy entries?