Eating disorders are a sad fact of modern life for far too many teens and troublingly, GLBT teens may be slightly more at risk for eating disorders than are hetero teens. At least those were the findings of a study done by Harvard researchers who reported, "heightened rates of binge-eating among both males and females who identified themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual or mostly heterosexual."
As if you didn't have enough to worry about, a it turns out that just being a queer teen can put you at at higher risk of developing eating disorders than are your hetero peers. As one boy writes on the site, "For the last five years I have had on and off eating problems. I was always the weird kid with no friends, and because I was gay, I never had anyone. I figured that if i was thinner, or taller, or had better hair that i would be less lonely because people would like me more."More »
Whether or not you are actually overweight, a lot of GLBT teens worry about their weight and how they look and feel in their skin. That is a pretty bad feeling and having a poor body image can lead to low self esteem, self consciousness and, in some cases, it can even contribute to eating disorders.More »
There is no guaranteed way to prevent eating disorders. As About's eating disorders expert writes,
"I often like to give the example of alcoholism. There are people who are genetically predisposed to alcoholism. However, if they never took a drink of alcohol then they couldn't become an alcoholic. Sometimes researchers and therapists use this example with eating disorders as well. There are people who are genetically predisposed to eating disorders and theoretically if they never started that first diet then perhaps they wouldn't develop a disorder."
But there are still ways that you can help thwart some of the triggers that can lead to them.More »
Despite what a lot of people think, body image isn't just a concern for straight girls. Both young gay guys and lesbians can have a lot of issues in this area. Some gay guys feel pressure to be perfectly groomed and physically fit, while some lesbians who reject standard notions of femininity, get the message that they should be more "girly." More »
Body image issues are a big problem for many teens. Some worry they are too fat. Others think they are too skinny. Some want to be taller, others smaller. But what happens if you have such feelings AND you also feel like you were born into a body that doesn't match the person you know you are inside? This is the case for a lot of trans teens who have to deal with everyday body image issues, as well as those specifically related to being transgender.More »
It is really important to feel good about yourself, but this can be hard for gay teens. Sometimes there is a clear reason for a teen's low self esteem. Maybe he or she lives in a really hostile and homophobic environment. But sometimes low self esteem and a lack of self-confidence are part of a negative world view that can be changed.More »
1. Gay Teens With Eating Disorders
As if you didn't have enough to worry about, a it turns out that just being a queer teen can put you at at higher risk of developing eating disorders than are your hetero peers. As one boy writes on the site, "For the last five years I have had on and off eating problems. I was always the weird kid with no friends, and because I was gay, I never had anyone. I figured that if i was thinner, or taller, or had better hair that i would be less lonely because people would like me more."More »
2. GLBT Teens and Worrying About Weight
Whether or not you are actually overweight, a lot of GLBT teens worry about their weight and how they look and feel in their skin. That is a pretty bad feeling and having a poor body image can lead to low self esteem, self consciousness and, in some cases, it can even contribute to eating disorders.More »
3. Can Eating Disorders Be Prevented?
There is no guaranteed way to prevent eating disorders. As About's eating disorders expert writes,
"I often like to give the example of alcoholism. There are people who are genetically predisposed to alcoholism. However, if they never took a drink of alcohol then they couldn't become an alcoholic. Sometimes researchers and therapists use this example with eating disorders as well. There are people who are genetically predisposed to eating disorders and theoretically if they never started that first diet then perhaps they wouldn't develop a disorder."
But there are still ways that you can help thwart some of the triggers that can lead to them.More »
4. Gay Teen Body Image Issues
Despite what a lot of people think, body image isn't just a concern for straight girls. Both young gay guys and lesbians can have a lot of issues in this area. Some gay guys feel pressure to be perfectly groomed and physically fit, while some lesbians who reject standard notions of femininity, get the message that they should be more "girly." More »
5. Transgender Teen Body Image Issues
Body image issues are a big problem for many teens. Some worry they are too fat. Others think they are too skinny. Some want to be taller, others smaller. But what happens if you have such feelings AND you also feel like you were born into a body that doesn't match the person you know you are inside? This is the case for a lot of trans teens who have to deal with everyday body image issues, as well as those specifically related to being transgender.More »
6. Increase Your Self Esteem
It is really important to feel good about yourself, but this can be hard for gay teens. Sometimes there is a clear reason for a teen's low self esteem. Maybe he or she lives in a really hostile and homophobic environment. But sometimes low self esteem and a lack of self-confidence are part of a negative world view that can be changed.More »
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