Comments on: The Skinny Girl

By: Jessica O'Dwyer

Jessica O'Dwyer — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 19:34:25 +0000

Hey Nathaniel, welcome! Glad you like our site. Re: your question. It’s been a long time since I’ve been single. Sorry I can’t help more….

By: Nathaniel Mcglaun

Nathaniel Mcglaun — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 18:41:27 +0000

Hey everyone, greetings from Finland. This is a cool site. I’m wondering if you have any advice on staying out of the friend zone with women? I’m really tired of girls telling me they just want to be friends. Perhaps I’m being too much of a nice guy?

By: Jessica O'Dwyer

Jessica O'Dwyer — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:54:06 +0000

Evan, I once knew a young girl who was hospitalized with anorexia; when I saw her, she was hooked up to an IV feeding tube. But she was a minor and her parents made that decision for her. Fortunately for her, with a lot of therapy and intervention, she recovered. It was a long road.
I could be wrong, but I do think it’s illegal to force-feed an adult who is competent enough to make his/her own decisions. That said, many recovery programs insist a person eat according to their rules if they elect to participate, but that involves free will. In the end, to eat or not eat is a personal decision. Thank you for your comments.

By: Evan

Evan — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:27:04 +0000

I’ve read in one article from the net that force-feeding should be done for these people who have annorexia. I think that’s a complete violation of human rights. What do you think?

By: Evan

Evan — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:55:38 +0000

Too bad she didn’t notice.It almost looks as if she does need that kind of attention- I guess at one point of our life, we all would.

By: Jessica O'Dwyer

Jessica O'Dwyer — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:41:59 +0000

I also hope this girl’s fate is different, although I know how formidable an opponent anoxeria can be. Thank you for understanding my feelings of helplessness.

By: Lorrie

Lorrie — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 23:50:32 +0000

What a powerful piece. You beautifully portray the dilemma of what, if anything, an onlooker can do. My sister-in-law died of adult-onset anorexia at age 57. We all stood helplessly by as she withdrew from our attempted interventions. I hope this girl has a different fate.

By: Dorothy

Dorothy — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:30:54 +0000

Great piece, Jessica. I remember the too-skinny girls from high school as well and see others today on the bike path and at the gym. My step-sister died from an eating disorder. I’m careful not to make negative comments about my own body in front of my daughter and try to help her feel positive about hers. But at 7, she’s already picking up on messages from TV, dolls, kids at school, etc. that it’s good to be skinny. She makes comments about her tummy and legs being “too big”–they’re not– that break my heart.

By: Cathy Burke

Cathy Burke — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 17:18:30 +0000

What a vivid piece. Such images!

I hope next time you catch her eye. Maybe she just needs somebody to really notice her.