This Tuesday night I watched a full episode of GLEE for the first time. I enjoyed the episode for the most part. It was funny and clever. I especially loved the singing. But, the casual references to eating disorders bugged me. For those of you who missed the show, these were the references. I want to know your opinion. Do you think they cross the line?
1) The cheerleading coach commented that she hadn't eaten a real meal since the 1980's. She said she drinks a cayenne pepper, lemon, and maple syrup detox drink and makes all the girls on the cheerleading squad do the same. She tells them to add epicac to the drink so they can vomit easily after.
Lovely!
2) The cheerleading coach jokes about the cheerleaders leaving vomit baggies in their parent's closets.
Nice!
Then, at the end of the show, a larger girl on the cheerleading squad decides she won't listen to the coach anymore and that she is beautiful the way she is. A pregnant ex-cheerleader tells her this and says that because she is eating to feed another life, her relationship with food has changed.
The finale song is Christina Aguilera's "I am Beautiful" and the message is taught again to accept yourself the way you are.
Soo....you've got a couple of stupid bulimia jokes and a couple of messages that say you don't need a perfect body. Do the positive messages eliminate the negative ones?
I don't think so. I think it's irresponsible to joke so lightly about bulimia without showing the real consequences. Maybe if the cheerleading coach had been bulimic since the 1980s and she had no teeth because of it...you know what I'm saying? So, what's your opinion?
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I think Glee is very wrong on this, as they were for their joking and taking lightly pedophilia, and for making fun of abstinence as well. It's too bad, too, because the show had such potential to be a great show for kids.
ReplyDeleteTamara, thanks for your comment. I totally agree with you. The show is full of mixed messages. They make fun of abstinence, then a cheerleader gets pregnant. They make fun of eating disorders, then they say it's beautiful to be any size. Mixed messages aren't good for kids because they are confusing and don't guide them in a specific direction.
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree for the most part about what both of you are saying...I dont allow television shows to "parent" my daughter. We are huge fans of Glee because it is witty, and well written. They do walk a fine line and tend to be a little edgy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment Donna. How do you make sure that TV shows don't "parent" your daughter? Do you have discussions afterwards or what is your style? I am interested because I have a young daughter myself. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThis episode was on rerun last night; my first time ever seeing Glee. I was shocked! As a recovering anorexic and bulimic i was appauld. I couldn't believe the Coach was making so light of purging and losing weight! It wasn't funny, or entertaining. Eating disorders are funny, they kill people. Thank you for writing this article. I just wish people would wake up and see that ED's are not something to make light of.
ReplyDeleteGood Post!!
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