British Politician Admits to Suffering From Bulimia

Former deputy prime minister John Prescott has confessed to suffering from bulimia for ten years before getting treatment. He told the BBC: “I want to say to the millions of people, do take advice, it can help and it can help you out of a lot of misery that you suffer in silence.”
I think Prescott is incredibly brave. Too often folks only think of eating disorders as a female affliction, as he puts it “anorexic girls, models trying to keep their weight down – or women in stressful situations, like Princess Diana,” but in fact 10% of those throughout the world with eating disorders are men. With the rise of lad mags like Men’s Health, that are basically as body-focused and insecurity-inducing as Cosmo, men are being pressured to adhere to a body ideal as well. There’s a whole cosmetic industry cropping up to profit from this insecurity–men’s skin, hair, and nail products. Not exactly the equality we were looking for, huh ladies?
While Prescott is brave, The BBC article is actually pretty stupid. Even after establishing that his disease stemmed from his inability to manage stress, it ends with a focus on his weight. For the last frickin’ time people, eating disorders are psychological, not physical diseases. If an inability to manage his emotions caused the disease, why not report on how he learned to do that, not his 15 stones?
Thanks to Soledad for the heads up.