Position Statement: AED Applauds Removal of “Nothing Tastes As Good As Skinny Feels” by Hudson’s Bay Company
July 18, 2014 — As a global professional association committed to leadership in eating disorders research, education, treatment and prevention, the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED) applauds Hudson’s Bay Company’s decision to remove the “Nothing Tastes As Good As Skinny Feels” t-shirt from its website and retail stores. The decision followed concerns expressed on social media that the shirt promoted a dangerous and unhealthy attitude about eating disorders.
AED believes that the intention of both Hudson’s Bay and the artist, Christopher Lee Sauve’s, was to call attention to the issue by mocking the statement. But as professionals and advocates, we are also aware that the cultural pervasiveness of messages valuing thinness and perpetuating dieting as “good” is unfortunately louder. These messages, even when intended as satire, are unfortunately more in line with and echo the overwhelming, powerful social beliefs about size and weight that perpetuate disordered eating behaviors and attitudes.
There is a growing body of evidence linking negative self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, and eating disordered behaviors. Those of us who work with or care about people who experience the pain and suffering that are at the core of eating disorders know that such messages, which equate thinness with happiness or virtue, can be harmful.
So we applaud Hudson’s Bay Company for their quick response to their customers and to advocates, and appreciate their understanding of this very important issue.
