As role models go there is a vastly divided opinion on Lady Gaga. Sure, she’s done a lot to try and help young, disenfranchised people find their place in the universe and been an advocate for anti-suicide and depression, but her methodology is questionable as she has a budget and backroom team that most of her ‘little monsters’ could only dream of.
Her latest venture though is an admirable one. Having come under criticism for an off the cuff remark on twitter in which she posted the hash tag #PopStarsDontEat, she has hit back by starting the ‘body revolution’; an idea that she hopes will inspire people to be comfortable in the skin they inhabit.
Her track record of attention seeking shenanigans doesn’t help her cause and it’s easy to say “I had an eating disorder” so that all those suffering with the same problem suddenly see you as a saint or saviour, but if she gets this right she could actually do more good for raising awareness of eating disorders then harm.
She recently posted pictures of herself in her undies with the caption “I’ve battled Bulimia and anorexia since I was 15.”
Lady Gaga in her undies aimed at encouraging her fans to love themselves
It appears the media have gotten to her of late and the picture comes in response to criticism of her weight gain; 25 pounds according to her, of which she claims not to care. And so she shouldn’t because journos are fickle and so is she. What might seem like a big issue now will probably be swept under the carpet in a few months when she has a new bone to bite on.
The danger of celebrities highlighting eating disorders is that they often trivialise them by suggesting they had an eating disorder but got over it after a moment of clarity. The truth of it is that if you suffer with an eating disorder you generally suffer with it for life unless you can find help for it, because the problem isn’t with diet but with the mind.
Yes, eating disorders are a mental illness.
So is this another opportunity for Gaga to take her clothes off for another glut of publicity or is she really putting herself on the line to make her fans feel better about not being perfect?
Whichever the case, the core of the message is absolutely correct – be happy with who and what you are, regardless of the opinions of others.
Images: hollywoodgossip.com, scallywagandvagabond.com
