A Transpacific Study of Anorexia Awareness and Popular Culture

in Screen Bodies
Author:
Kylie Chiu Yee Lui Researcher, University of Hong Kong, China

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3167/screen.2024.090107
Keywords:
eating disorder; disability; feminism; Karen Carpenter; wholesome; Hong Kong
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Abstract

This article looks at how the “anorexic condition” gained public awareness through popular culture, specifically in the United States and Hong Kong, and argues that the 1980s saw the beginning of anorexia awareness-raising in the American public, contributed by the untimely death of Karen Carpenter and the rapid expansion of consumerism. It uses racial, feminist, and disability theories to interrogate how their intersections defined and continued to shape anorexia. It examines the paradox that popular culture could be the very same agency that creates both such oppression and the “redemption” of its problematic consequences. This leads to a critical evaluation of the nature of popular culture, its influence on young people and their body image, and its prevailing influence on global society.

Contributor Notes

Kylie Chiu Yee Lui is a PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of Hong Kong and a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship, 2021–2024. Her research focuses on sports and body politics. Recent projects include the study of Chinese martial arts and national education, martial masculinity, and the rugby referee system in Hong Kong.

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Screen Bodies

The Journal of Embodiment, Media Arts, and Technology

Cover Screen Bodies
Article Category:
Research Article
Page Count:
19
Keywords:
eating disorder; disability; feminism; Karen Carpenter; wholesome; Hong Kong
Print Publication Date:
01 Jun 2024
Online Publication Date:
01 Jun 2024
Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024

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