Pride, concern and motivation for social change marked the events of last evening's panel discussion on body image and acceptance. Approximately 35 students and activists gathered in Huntsman Hall to relay their thoughts on body image and its impact on society, particularly young women.
"It's very interesting to hear Penn students talk about body image," said panelist and Counseling and Psychological Services Director Ilene Rosenstein. "There is really a striving for people to be perfect."
The event revolved around topics raised in the independent film Real Women Have Curves, which attendees viewed prior to the discussion.
The movie, based on a play written by Josefina Lopez, chronicles the triumphs and struggles of an 18-year-old Mexican-American girl as she battles her family's notions of how a woman should look and act.
The main character has a particularly contentious relationship with her mother, who berates her full-figured daughter about her weight. However, the character overcomes this treatment and retains a strong self-esteem.
The panel was comprised of Rosenstein, along with a diverse handful of students close to the issue of body image and acceptance. CAPS psychologist Meeta Kumar moderated the event, which drew a predominantly female audience but also boasted a relatively strong male presence.
A focus on healthy eating and physical activity characterized part of the discussion, as did a clarification of eating disorder misconceptions.
Many comments addressed the prevalence of distorted body image here at Penn, citing the intensely competitive atmosphere as one possible explanation for this trend.
The reciprocal and often detrimental impacts of media and society garnered attention as well.
A comment from one panelist drew much laughter from the audience, perhaps due to the unfortunate reality it evoked. "There was a brief fad where it was cool to love yourself from the inside," said College sophomore Caroline Rothstein, herself a survivor of both anorexia and bulimia. "And that was over real quick."
The primary message of the evening was the necessity of promoting a positive body image for oneself and among one's peers. Also, audience members and panelists shared the feeling that more events promoting positive body image are needed on campus.
General curiosity, concern for the issues of body image and acceptance, and even a desire to view the evening's featured movie were some motives that drew audience members.
"I knew about these issues before," said Wharton senior Andrew Bennie, "but I was just educated more by this."
"I think it's wonderful," College senior Rebekkah Hogan said. "I think it's really great to have discussions about body image on campus and show a movie that really illustrates that point about loving yourself."
Trustees' Council of Penn Women, CAPS, Guidance for Understanding Image Dieting and Eating and the Penn Consortium of Undergraduate Women sponsored the event, which was part of Women's Week.
