Urban Outfitters promotes unhealthy body image with "Eat Less" shirt

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Urban Outfitters promotes unhealthy body image with "Eat Less" shirt

by:

dandaman6007

Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 10:58:00 PM EDT

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I was intrigued to see protesters at the local mall here in Durham, NC outside of an Urban Outfitters. What were they protesting? This shirt, and the lifestyle it promotes:

The protest at Southpoint mall was led by Amy Lambert:

It wasn't unusual for Lambert, who had an eating disorder for more than eight years, to consume little more than one 80-calorie container of yogurt in a day. Now recovering, Lambert led a protest last week outside of Urban Outfitters at Southpoint mall in Durham. (via The Independent)

Protestors at Southpoint Mall

PHOTO BY REBEKAH L. COWELL/Indy WEEK

While some say this shirt is encouraging youth who are obese to become healthier and eat less, I see something much more misguided and sad going on. This T-shirt, which has been removed from the Urban Outfitters website, is promoting a message that young women are only attractive if they are super thin, and that they should eat less to fit this unrealistic model of body size.

This makes me really angry. At least 24% of Americans have an eating disorder, which has the highest mortality rate of any mental disease. Stores like Urban Outfitters should be doing everything they can to promote healthy body image, but instead they are doing the opposite:

Telling an individual with an eating disorder to "eat less" aggravates emotional, psychological and physical issues. And for those still stuck in dangerous patterns, it is a message of validation, says Chase Bannister, clinical director for Carolina House.

The banner-statement 'Eat Less' can be a stinging trigger for women and men with anorexia, bulimia or binge-eating disorder," Bannister added, "ultimately providing reinforcement for the distorted belief our patients work so hard to stamp out: 'I will never be okay unless I'm thin.'
(indyweek)

Urban Outfitters is promoting a lifestyle that is killing young men and women, when as a clothing store I argue that they have a duty to do everything they can to promote realistic, healthy body images. When countless people are suffering, oftentimes alone, Urban Outfitters should promote the message that it is Ok to eat, and that one can be sexy and fun and beautiful while also being healthy and safe.

Be sure to check out Amplify's issues page on body image.

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Comments

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It amazes me what some people think is okay to put on a t-shirt.

I agree with you- this is not a message that Urban Outfitters should be sending.

# Posted By Mahayana | 6/18/10 02:47 AM | Report | Reply

i read about this recently. Apparently, the shirt was supposed to attack America's problem with obesity. Either way it was inappropriate and im suprised nobody thought about how it would affect those with eating disorders before the began printing the t-shirt.

# Posted By

MaatMalika | 6/20/10 09:06 PM | Report | Reply

Urban Outfitters could have been more specific, with something like:

"Fight Obesity: Eat Less"

But this only makes me think of:

"Eat Less, You're Ugly"

# Posted By

YoungStar_OneLove | 6/21/10 12:38 AM | Report | Reply

I think everyone is being a little too sensitive. I read it and immediately knew this was in reference to the growing obesity problem in America.

# Posted By

ErinYWOCLC | 6/24/10 03:11 PM | Report | Reply

I understand, given the spotlight placed on obesity in the United States, that a company would want to promote healthier eating. However, Urban Outfitters claiming that they wanted to inspire a healthy lifestyle in young people, given their track record and the gaunt model that the shirt rested on, seems disingenuous.

# Posted By agray2313 | 6/24/10 06:48 PM | Report | Reply

This makes me angry because most of the ads you ever see to become qoute on qoute healthy are simply diet changes and telling people you they are out of shape because they eat food. Eating less is extremely unhealthy your body needs to keep a certain percentage of fat on it. I wish that more often that being healthy could be promoted in a more productive way by a mainstream company that influences a large portion of people. I would suggest to any of my friends to take a walk an hour a day on certain days of the week with a friend tell eachother jokes and talk to relieve stress and get in better shape.

# Posted By Foible | 6/27/10 03:44 AM | Report | Reply

I cannot believe this shirt was ACTUALLY manufactured! Whatever the reason for the phrase on the shirt, it bothers me seriously. I mean, if I was obese, I sure as hell wouldn't want to be told to eat less by someone else's SHIRT. That's just plain ridiculous.

# Posted By DanceInTheDark | 7/29/10 07:30 PM | Report | Reply

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