Hadley Freeman interview with Katie Herzog on Blocked and Reported. Being shunned , gender, anorexia, parenting

[DeanElderberry]

I found it very interesting, and some of the stuff she said about the competitiveness of eating disorders, and the admiration of other women really chimes with some disturbing commentary around transmen on another site.

Though her shocking failure to validate her child who chose to identify as a flamingo is a bit shocking.

https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/episode-229-tranorexia-with-hadley-freeman/id1504298199?i=1000669681855

Don't usually listen to podcasts but this was brilliant. She's the opposite of an ideologist. And it also sounded just a bit hopeful about genderism starting to show cracks.

Also via their website

https://www.blockedandreported.org/p/episode-229-tranorexia-with-hadley

(goes downhill when they start talking about Woody Allen)

The Woody Allen stuff was weird but it's well worth listening on to the anorexia bit after that. I found her description of other women praising and endorsing her appearance really interesting because it reminded me of genderist women I've read gushing about the appearance of transmen. As though for them what a woman looks like is far more important than what damage might be happening to the woman.

Also for Hadley's sudden clear-eyed look at someone in hospital with her and thinking 'I don't want to be like that when I'm 30'.

Thanks, one to add to the list!

because it reminded me of genderist women I've read gushing about the appearance of transmen

This is so key. So many girls feel unable to reach modern beauty standards; transition is relatively easier and they get the attention they crave. And escape men.

It also wouldn't surprise me that some young women find transmen more attractive than men as that layer of risk (around rape etc) might be perceived to be absent

It doesn't usually come across as attraction - more admiration of a costume really really well researched and constructed. Oddly detached from real human experience. I remember one of them describing one of their pals, assuring me the person looked just like a young man, as though that in and of itself was enough not just to make me think everything was psychologically and physically just fine, but that it was admirable.

Why does a 'look' matter so much? it's the least interesting thing about a person after the first two minutes acquaintance.

Young people grow up now bombarded with visual imagery from all directions. Adverts are particularly problematic but many series now are too as so linked to merch. So they're practically adverts in themselves. Influencers are essentially walking breathing living adverts.

I know that research in the past linked advertising imagery to rates of depression and eating disorders.

Eg a remote island somewhere (can't remember where) hadn't had Tv till the late 60s iirc and when they did, within a couple of years they had their first cases of eating disorders, and increasing depression amongst the population.

Most social media, especially Instagram and YouTube, TikTok is all about how you look on camera.

Fiji

Thanks @WanOvaryKenobi. (Fantastic name too)

When I first started looking at this again 10 years ago I found the vibe of pro-transition forums very similar to pro-anna forums.

It's a fantastic interview. Agree the woody Allen bit is odd.

Hadley says she's looked into it all and no evidence was found.

"The disease should not be rewarded" - this is obviously not what happens with GD