May It Be A Feminist Protest? A Sociological Study On The Meaning Of Anorexia According To Anorectics

Abstract

Depending upon the data of a phenomenological field research, this study aims to describe the meaning attributed to anorexia by seven women who were diagnosed and treated with anorexia and to evaluate it in the light of feminist literature. Participants were reached through purposive sampling, and data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The findings show that the participants consider anorexia as a disorder, however, they interpret anorexia in relation to the dignity of self-control, liberation, and protection. For the participants, anorexia is not a process of reaching a certain weight or physical image, but a process of moving away from the physical and mental indicators of the secondary status of femininity. In this respect, the findings support the argument that anorexia is an unconscious protest against gender stereotypes. During the anorexia process, the participants reject femininity based on both body and social roles and reconcile with the female identity they reject after psychological or psychiatric treatment. However, problems related to gender-related responsibilities and expectations, which disappeared for a while during the anorexia process due to the fact that this reconciliation did not include a questioning of the meaning of gender roles, reappear after reconciliation with the female identity after treatment.

Keywords

• Sociology
• body
• gender
• anorexia nervosa
• eating disorders

Feminist Bir Protesto Olabilir Mi? Anorektiklere Göre Anoreksinin Anlamı Üzerine Sosyolojik Bir Çalışma

Abstract

Bu çalışma, fenomenolojik bir alan araştırmasının verileri üzerinden anoreksi teşhisi konmuş ve tedavi görmüş yedi kadının anoreksiye yükledikleri anlamı betimlemeyi ve feminist literatür ışığında değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Katılımcılara amaçsal örneklemeyle ulaşılmış, veriler yüz yüze yapılan yarı yapılandırılmış mülakatlarla toplanmıştır. Bulgular katılımcıların anoreksiyi bir bozukluk olarak gördüklerini, buna rağmen anoreksiye değer görmeyle, kendine hâkim olmanın getirdiği saygınlıkla, özgürleşmeyle ve korunmayla ilgili anlamlar yüklediklerini, incelen bedenlerinden memnun olmadıklarını ama bu süreçte gösterdikleri irade nedeniyle kendileriyle gurur duyduklarını göstermektedir. Katılımcılar için anoreksi belirli bir ağırlığa veya fiziksel görünüme ulaşmaya değil, kadınlığın ikincil statüsünün bedensel ve zihinsel göstergelerinden uzaklaşmaya yönelik bir süreçtir. Bu açıdan bulgular anoreksinin toplumsal cinsiyet kalıp yargılarına yönelik bilinçsiz bir protesto olduğu argümanını desteklemektedir. Katılımcılar anoreksi sürecinde hem beden hem de toplumsal roller üzerinden kadınlığı reddetmekte, psikolojik veya psikiyatrik tedavi sonrası reddettikleri kadınlık kimliğiyle barışmaktadır. Ancak bu barışmanın toplumsal cinsiyet rollerinin anlamına yönelik bir sorgulama içermemesinin etkisiyle anoreksi sürecinde bir süreliğine ortadan kalkan toplumsal cinsiyete bağlı sorumluluk ve beklentilerle ilgili sorunlar, tedavi sonrası kadınlık kimliğiyle barışmanın ardından yeniden ortaya çıkmaktadır.

Keywords

• Sosyoloji
• beden
• toplumsal cinsiyet
• anoreksiya nervoza
• yeme bozuklukları

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