NW Magazine — Issue 29 2017

TABOO TOPICS

TAINMENT?

LEIGH CREDLIN,

NEWS EDITOR

“OK, so I’m not reallythatagainst

films or TV series tackling controversial

subject matter, but I do have a problem

with it being the same niche spectrum

of people whose experiences are being

told. Sure, To The Bone is director Marti

Noxon’s fictional retelling of her own

life story, so I get why she cast Lily. But

I agree with one Twitter user who asked,

“Why is it always the stereotypical

pretty anorexic white girl represented

in popular media?” This is what I see

as glamourising – eating disorders

and suicidal thoughts are certainly

not limited to just one race or

gender, but maybe filmmakers

think it’s more commercially

appealing to have these

confronting stories told by a

particular type of character.”

[T

po

differ

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LEIGH CREDLIN

THE CASE AGAINST

Keanu Reeves

takes on the

role of an

unconventional

doctor at Ellen’s

group recovery

home

The film] has the

otential to make a

erence and promote

onversation about

a topic so often

considered taboo

• Lily

But the families of Priscilla

Chui and Bella Herndon, two

California teens who took their

own lives after watching the

show, insist that 13 Reasons

Why triggered their deaths.

Now that similar concerns have

been raised over To The Bone,

experts are getting involved.

“We know that images of

people who are seriously ill with

an eating disorder are powerful

triggers,” says Christine

Morgan, CEO of Australian

eating-disorder support service

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also know that these images

can inspire copycat behaviour.”

Meanwhile, Dasha Nicholls,

chair of the Eating Disorders

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Of Psychiatrists, thinks it would

be a “really sensible idea” to

include a trigger warning and

parental-advisory note at the

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Of course, Lily, 28, understands

where the concern is coming

from, but she and director Marti

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share stories than pretend the

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to glamourise [eating disorders],

but to serve as a conversation

starter about an issue that is too

often clouded by secrecy and

misconceptions,” tweeted Marti,

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experiences. “I hope by casting

a little light into the darkness of

this disease, we can achieve

greater understanding.”

As for Lily, she admits she

hesitated before signing on

for the role – which required

her to lose an extreme amount

of weight – but now says it

was a “gift”.

“This project came along...

when I was... writing my book,

talking about my experience with

eating disorders,” she says. “It

was like the universe saying,

‘This is something you need to

talk about for yourself, but also

to bring to the attention of

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Lily plays a

determined

woman who is

frustrated by

her illness

TO THE BONE CRITICISED

BY BODY IMAGE

EXPERTS FOR

PROMOTING ANOREXIANOREXIA

Is To The Bone

helpful

or triggering for people

with anorexia?

NEW NETFLIX DRAMA SPARKS

WORRYING ‘THINSPIRATION’ POSTS

FROM TEEN GIRLS IDOLISING ‘GAUNT’

LILY COLLINS’ CHARACTER

disorders?

film

ound off...