Dear Writers and Producers,
I don’t watch Glee, but I’ve heard about the recent episodes where you address eating disorders. I do not agree with how you portrayed the disease. The character who has an eating disorder appears to only have it for a couple of days and then it magically disappears. You can’t “have” an eating disorder in a couple of days. I’ve had an eating disorder for about three years and (kind of) recovered and relapsed. It is not as simple as you portray it to be.
There are also other things that go along with eating disorders, depression, for example. And it is not realistic to show someone who is fine after two days of having an eating disorder; it is not even an eating disorder if it is for a couple of days. It is a lifetime, it will not fully ever go away, but you can recover.
By glorifying the disease, you make it hard for teen/adolescent viewers, both boys and girls, to recover or seek help. I don’t want them to think this is the only way to be accepted. I just wanted you to know that I was upset with the way you portrayed the disease. At least portray a real eating disorder. Like maybe the character goes to the hospital, or relapses. Something realistic, something to make sure no one ever wants this life.
Sincerely,
J.P. (female, age 15)
