People Are FUMING Over This "Offensive" Anorexia Sweater Being Sold On Amazon
4 October 2017, 12:02 | Updated: 15 November 2018, 15:19
Mental health is more than a 'joke' slogan on a cheap sweater.
The internet is absolutely fuming over a sweatshirt being sold on Amazon that pits the severity of anorexia and bulimia against each other.
Spotted and shared by Dr Andy Mayers, a mental health campaigner, the hoodie reads "Anorexia (an-uh-rek-see-uh) Like Bulimia, except with self control." The hoodie has been slated by several eating disorder charities and support groups.
.@amazon Please remove this #anorexia 'hoody' item from sale. #eatingdisorders kill. It is not a joking matter https://t.co/Cf0ZNMqT8G pic.twitter.com/CKQdDE8shg
— Dr Andy Mayers FRSA (@DrAndyMayers) September 29, 2017
Needless to say, people on Twitter were not happy with the design with many - including some who have dealt and/or are dealing with the disorder - calling it out for being insensitive and grossly irresponsible. Others expressed how "hilarious" the shirt was and how everyone was just "way too easily offended these days."
Amazon hoodie supposed to be funny? Guess I had a humour by-pass during my 25yrs of anorexia (binge/purge type..) #VictoriaLIVE
— Mel (@RuftyRoo) October 3, 2017
This makes me so sad. Anorexia silently kills a person on the inside and then kills their entire body. Take it down!
— Andrea Carolina, LPC (@lightlypink) October 1, 2017
Having battled both anorexia and bulimia myself,I completely agree that this should be removed - there's nothing funny about either illness.
— Lipstix&CeleryStix (@celerylips) October 3, 2017
amazon are really selling this hoodie like anorexia and bullemia arent massive health issues that can cause serious medical problems pic.twitter.com/GIrvZqbMju
— charllotte #안단테 (@jonginslaugh) October 3, 2017
Im disgusted that someone actually thought "anorexia is bulimia with self control" was a suitable hoodie slogan, so thoughtless and cruel.
— Avocadhoe (@itsallzara) October 3, 2017
A 'novelty' shirt with a slogan about eating disorders sadly isn't anything new. There's hundreds of t-shirts available to buy on Amazon right now with insensitive mental health 'jokes' plastered over them - even baby clothes.
Thank you for sharing this,Andy. Very concerning. They also have a 'humour' range of large 'I beat Anorexia' tshirts & even a baby bib... pic.twitter.com/A3WyezXchZ
— CaoilfhionnGallagher (@caoilfhionnanna) September 30, 2017
Eating disorder charity B-Eat explained how damaging products like that affect the mental and physical health of people suffering from an eating disorder: “When eating disorders are glamourised or trivialised like in the case of this hoodie, it can trigger negative behaviours in people who are affected by these complex mental health issues, which can cause serious harm."
Of course, banning a printed hoodie with an insensitive slogan on it isn't going to solve the world's problems and yeah sure, if you don't like it, don't buy it... whatever.
But you know what, it'd be nice if people stopped making a mockery of mental health issues and eating disorders for once in their lives 'cause it's a VERY serious issue that continues to be stigmatised by the very people who carry on making these exact jokes.
Do you think Amazon should monitor or remove products with insensitive slogans about mental health and eating disorders?
