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Gay And Bisexual Teens More Vulnerable To Eating Disorders
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hussein persepolis hussein
09/18/09

In reply to Gay And Bisexual Teens More Vulnerable To Eating Disorders
I am alternately saddened, furious and freaked by this whole thing. My high school boyfriend was bulimic and had really horrible self-esteem issues, as did I. We would compare notes on purging and developed a sick competition over our fucked up food issues. Shockingly, we both turned out gay!
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cait98
09/18/09

In reply to Gay And Bisexual Teens More Vulnerable To Eating Disorders
While I'm sure that social isolation plays a role, my first thought is that the disordered eating is a reaction to the societal expectation in each group. I think straight women and gay men often face really exacting body standards from the gender they are trying to attract.

I'm speaking anecdotally, of course, but in my experience women are more willing to be attracted to a range of body types. Meanwhile, straight men and gay men can be especially brutal about their potential sex partners' bodies. If you are trying to attract women, maybe there is not as much pressure. Even if you are only like a "mostly heterosexual" woman, maybe that's enough that you don't feel defined by men's attraction to you.

*I want to add that I understand that eating disorders are not about trying to be pretty or thin, exactly, that they are about control, etc. Still, body image certainly plays a role.
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colormeroutine promoted this comment Edited by cait98 at 09/18/09 9:59 AM cait98 was starred cait98 was unstarred

cait98
09/18/09

@cait98: I want also to clarify (I should really think it through before I type) that I don't think these societal expectations necessarily affect the development of an eating disorder, but affect the way it manifests itself.

Look at the breakdown:
- Attracted to women? (homosexual, bisexual women) - more likely to binge.
- Attracted to men? (Bisexual, heterosexual women, homosexual men) - more likely to purge.
- Just a little attracted to men? (bisexual men, "mostly" hetero men) - just a little more likely to purge.
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Edited by cait98 at 09/18/09 10:16 AM cait98 was starred cait98 was unstarred

CurtCole
09/18/09

In reply to Gay And Bisexual Teens More Vulnerable To Eating Disorders
I'm not terribly surprised by the study's findings, but I am impressed that they not only focused on gay teens, but also included a wider spectrum of sexuality.
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