Extreme Body Modification and French Law to Ban Pro-anorexia Sites

[Puppycow]

This thread is sort-of meant to be a continuation of a previous discussion, about extreme body modification such as apotemnophilia and amputation on-demand.

Now the French are considering a law to ban "any means of mass communication — including magazines and Web sites — that promote eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia with punishments of up to three years in prison and more than $70,000 in fines."

What sorts of sites do that? A Google search turned up this site: PrettyThin. (Contains some NSFW content)

Are the contents of this site so dangerous that they should be banned? I don't know if this particular one should be. For one thing, it does have a page explaining the dangers of anorexia.

Under the "Pro-ana" heading, the site has the following description of what pro-ana is really all about:

What is pro-ana?
Pro-ana was the term used to describe sites that catered to eating disorders (usually anorexia). The first wave movement started back in 2001 as a means for other anorexics to connect with each other so as not to suffer in silence. It gained popularity rapidly, and with the help of media spotlights rose to remarkable increase in visitors to the sites. This rise was both good and bad. Good in that it brought light to the whole movement and the anorexic rights issue, and others who wanted to reach out for help with no where to turn was now able to seek out others. Bad in that a sudden wave of people wanted to get anorexia, and thought that being on the forums would give them the "ana diet." Over time the media has blown this term way out of proportion and making it out to be such rediculous ideals as "cults" and that the owners were "recruiting" others into an anorexic lifestyle. The very notion that the internet will give you an eating disorder is lewd to begin with. It's not a computer virus that will infect you too. However, through all of these blatent lies about the movement, some were lead to believe in what the media preached about it and began believing in it themselves ... including anorexics. Several sites started popping up as "hard core" and were the very thing pro-ana was not. Not all hardcore sites are bad however, but the majority are not real ones. Many first wave sites never lasted long, and there are very few left that are done in the true first wave style. And of the ones out there today, they are all mere copycats of the first wave sites (in content and material).

 

[Puppycow]

Sorry if no-one's interested, feel free to look at another thread, but I did a little more reading from the PrettyThin website.

From the "Beautiful" page, there is some pretty dangerous advice:

Stay Beautiful


Let's face it... Being Ana takes it's toll on our bodies, inside and out. So here are some helpful tips on keeping up lookin' good on the outside.

* At a certain weight, which is different for everyone, you will lose your period. This is a good thing because it means that you’re losing weight. Still, it would be wise if you’d take calcium supplements, if you don’t already. Don’t let your mother find out about your lost period because she will most likely take you to the doctor. Never under any circumstances tell a doctor that you’ve lost your period. They will have you in an eating disorder clinic faster than you can say "What the hell?". Before you go to the doctor’s, make sure that you have a date to tell them in case they ask about your last period, and make sure the date is believable.
* As you lose weight, your skin will become dry and sallow and it will heal slowly. Make sure that you use LOTS of lotion where it is needed and take a multivitamin. If you lose enough weight, your body will develop lanugo, which is a very fine downy hair that covers your body. It can easily be removed with a mild depilatory followed by hydrocortisone cream.
* Your hair and nails will suffer do to lack of suffiecient protein. Use volumizing shampoo and lots of conditioner to keep hair full and shiny. If you lose enough, eventually your hair will fall out. Sad, but true. Try to keep from pulling at the roots of your hair. Always put hair in loose ponytails instead of tight ones. Also, keep your nails polished. Low circulation to your fingertips make your nails turn blue and that’s a thing doctors look for.

 

[Pardalis]

This site appears to be the creation of one disturbed 16 year-old girl.

 

[Francesca R]

I'm not going to click any of those because I don't want to ping the spooks at work.

The sites are dangerous, but I don't think they should be illegal.

 

[ponderingturtle]

This just seems to be one of the downside of the comunities that the internet creates.

On one had you have places like this where many postive ideas and might be very uncommon(such as a distrust of homeopathy, or chiropractic methods) are expressed openly and commonly held.

But comunities of harmful ideas also self select for much the same reasons, in both cases the opposing view points can be lost. This means that you don't get the same "What are you thinking?" interjections.

 

[ponderingturtle]

This just seems to be one of the downside of the comunities that the internet creates.

On one had you have places like this where many postive ideas and might be very uncommon(such as a distrust of homeopathy, or chiropractic methods) are expressed openly and commonly held.

But comunities of harmful ideas also self select for much the same reasons, in both cases the opposing view points can be lost. This means that you don't get the same "What are you thinking?" interjections.

 

[NewtonTrino]

Let's leave free speech alone and just get as much help to the mentally ill people as we can ok? I don't get how hiding this stuff is going to help any more than having it out hurts but hiding it does hurt everyone's rights..

 

[dudalb]

Let's leave free speech alone and just get as much help to the mentally ill people as we can ok? I don't get how hiding this stuff is going to help any more than having it out hurts but hiding it does hurt everyone's rights..

I agree. The thing about Free Speech is for it to have any real meaning,you have to extend it to people you really,really,dislike. You have to take the good along with the bad.
Stuff like this is why I am not crazy about "The Nanny State". Sooner or later those Bureaucrats Who Know What Is Best For You decide that taking away your freedom is good for you......

 

[Rufo]

I can't say I have a problem with excluding things like these from the freedom of speech, but if it's really such a big problem that they feel the need to pass a specific law, perhaps more public debates would send a better message. I feel fairly certain that if pressed, the pro-anorexia arguments will wear rather thin. Of course, considering the different opinions in the thread linked in the OP, I may be wrong.

 

[dudalb]

I can't say I have a problem with excluding things like these from the freedom of speech, but if it's really such a big problem that they feel the need to pass a specific law, perhaps more public debates would send a better message. I feel fairly certain that if pressed, the pro-anorexia arguments will wear rather thin. Of course, considering the different opinions in the thread linked in the OP, I may be wrong.

That is incredibly short sighted. Sooner or later someone in authority will decide that things YOU support should be excluded from freedom of speech.

 

[volatile]

Tricky one. I seem to be the resident go-to guy here on bod-mod issues so I'll try and give this thread a full response later on...

 

[Tanja]

A really scary pro-anorexia site is the one on live journal. In my opinion, there is a fine line between promoting anorexia and promoting suicide.

 

[Rufo]

That is incredibly short sighted. Sooner or later someone in authority will decide that things YOU support should be excluded from freedom of speech.

Speech is not entirely free today. Threats and slander, among other things, are forbidden. Do I have to support the legalization of those kinds of statements to ensure my own freedom of speech is not going to be next?

I don't think there is much to do about opinions and information on the Internet. There will probably be websites like these no matter what the law say, which is why I encourage debate.

 

[NewtonTrino]

Yes, you must support free speech if you want to keep your rights. Unless you don't think free speech is a right in which case go along on your merry way. Personally I would consider it hypocritical to use my rights without defending other people's rights as well.

 

[Rufo]

Yes, you must support free speech if you want to keep your rights. Unless you don't think free speech is a right in which case go along on your merry way. Personally I would consider it hypocritical to use my rights without defending other people's rights as well.

I am prepared to explain myself, but that is not really an answer to my question. Do I have to support the legalization of threats and slander to keep my rights? If so, do you? If not, why?

 

[BenBurch]

You know, in another thread we are talking about the worldwide famine that is likely to come this century, and to juxtapose that idea and this one... Well, its gross.

 

[NewtonTrino]

Slander I have no problem with.

Threats I would also allow but I would make it easier for people to get restraining orders that had real teeth if they felt threatened (e.g. you have a reasonable expectation that you won't be regularly accosted / threatened PHYSICALLY). They would still be able to publish whatever they want about you, just not get near you.

I've also seen fire yelled in a crowded theatre with no ill effects (P&T FTW).

 

[ponderingturtle]

A really scary pro-anorexia site is the one on live journal. In my opinion, there is a fine line between promoting anorexia and promoting suicide.

And should promoting suicide be illegal?

 

[Morrigan]

Your hair and nails will suffer do to lack of suffiecient protein.

You'd think that a sentence like this would actually make them wake the hell up. They actually know what they're doing is dangerous and unhealthy, so it's not even ignorance... yet they persist in it. I have very little sympathy for such stupid people.

 

[Tanja]

And should promoting suicide be illegal?

I think that it is illegal, at least in the UK.

The suicide act in 1961 decriminalised suicide (so that those who try to kill themselves but fail are not prosecuted), but it left criminal liability for complicity in another person's suicide:

Criminal liability for complicity in another’s suicide

(1)A person who aids, abets, counsels or procures the suicide of another, or an attempt by another to commit suicide, shall be liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years.

However, IANAL, and I have no idea if that would be applicable here.