Justice

Man Sends Powerful Message to Woman With Eating Disorder

April 11th 2016

A man known for Photoshopping people in hilarious ways is gaining attention for his inspiring body-acceptance message to a young woman with an eating disorder.

Graphic designer James Fridman usually accepts requests from people who ask him to Photoshop an image of themselves. He often alters the photos in a humorous or literal way.

But when a woman with an eating disorder asked Fridman to make her "beautiful," Fridman had the perfect response.

"Hi James I was wondering if you could make me look pretty in this picture I don't have any self confidence and I am struggling with an eating disorder so just wanted something to aspire to be and look like, just a beautiful version of myself."

In powerful tweet, Fridman encouraged the young woman to realize her beauty and love her body the way that it is. ATTN: reached out to Fridman but did not receive a response in time for publication.

"Nothing and no one could ever make you prettier than you already are. Don't be influenced by the wrong standards. Don't looks before your health. Get well."

In the U.S., 20 million women and 10 million men suffer will an eating disorder at some point in their life, according o the National Eating Disorders Association. By elementary school, 40-60 percent of elementary school girls express concern about their weight or becoming too fat.

And although 82 percent of people believe that having an eating disorder is a mental or physical illness and should be treated as such, the amount of research spent on eating disorders has been less than other diseases.

Fridman's response.

Fridman's work has been known to poke fun of people's obsession with having the perfect body. His images altering people's bodies have been making their rounds on the internet.

However, his response to this young woman falls into a greater conversation about body positivity and healthy representations of women and men in advertising and popular culture.

Society is taking steps to embrace body-positive messages, and retailers are slowly stepping away from the heavy use of Photoshop. For example, American Eagle Outfitters underwear line vowed to ban Photoshopping their models for their #AerieREAL campaign, to the delight of many customers.

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