The Marquette Tribune
Opinions
Tuesday, March 1, 2022
PAGE 10
Editorial Board
Alexandra Garner, Executive Opinions Editor Hope Moses, Assistant Opinions Editor Aimee Galaszewski, Executive Director Benjamin Wells, Managing Editor of The Marquette Tribune Skyler Chun, Managing Editor of The Marquette Journal
Megan Woolard, News Executive John Leuzzi, Sports Executive Randi Haseman, A&E Executive Lelah Byron, Projects Editor
Eleanor McCaughey, Copy Chief Grace Pionek, Design Chief Izzy Bonebrake, Executive Photo Editor Nancy Flaherty, Social Media Executive
Andrew Amouzou, Station Manager of MUTV Reese Seberg, Station Manager of MURadio Alex Rivera Grant, Editor of Diversity and Inclusion
STAFF EDITORIAL
Be mindful when talking about eating disorders
Although National Eating Disorder Awareness Week ended Feb. 27, it is essential we continue to be mindful of our language and how we approach people we care about who we think may be struggling with disordered eating. Eating disorders present themselves in many forms, and we may not know who is struggling with them. According to the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the median age of developing anorexia and bulimia is 18 years old, and the median age of developing binge eating disorder is 21 years old. When students come to college, they often navigate new avenues of independence for the first time, which can include the freedom to make decisions about what they eat.
With the higher levels of stress that come with a more challenging academic rigor and larger accessibility to food, students may develop disordered eating habits, such as binge eating, eating less or not eating. On the other hand, food may be a comfort for some students as they adapt to living away from family and friends. We don’t know where people are coming from, or what relationship they have with food, so it’s important that we are mindful of making comments about others’ eating habits. One study also found that the COVID-19 pandemic has had some impact on people struggling with eating disorders. Of surveyed participants in the sample, 62% of Americans with anorexia reported an “... increased restriction and fears about being able to find foods consistent with their
meal plan” and 30% of American participants reported “...increases in their binge-eating episodes and urges to binge.” Oftentimes weight loss is seen as a positive health step. While weight loss can be a sign of better health, it isn’t also indicative of good health, so it’s important to consider the impact of making comments to someone about their weight loss. According to the Mayo Clinic, diet is a much better indicator of health than weight loss. Continuing to perpetuate the stigma that thinness equates to overall health could lead to unhealthy diet habits. People who are thin may still have poor health, such as consuming high saturated and trans fats, red and processed meat, sodium and sugary foods. We all have different body types, so true physical health
is going to look different among students. However, if we are concerned about friends’ health, we need to be compassionate when talking to them because making comments about their weight may intentionally or unintentionally body shame them, as well as be triggering. The National Eating Disorders Association gives several tips for talking with a loved one about eating disorders. Set a private time and place to talk, stick to the facts such as focusing on behaviors and changes you’ve noticed and rehearse what you want to say. Additionally, NEDA suggests using “I” statements such as “I’ve noticed you aren’t eating with us anymore” or “I am worried about how frequently you’re going to the gym,” as well as removing potential stigmas like letting them know that there
is no shame in admitting they struggle with eating. NEDA also suggests being prepared for a negative reaction, avoiding giving overly simplified solutions such as “just stop” or “just eat” and encouraging them to seek professional help. The Marquette University Counseling Center also has resources for students who may be struggling with disordered eating, such as sharing expectations about what to expect at an appointment. The words we use and the way we approach our loved ones who may be struggling with eating disorders is crucial to creating a safe spaces, showing our support and helping them get the necessary help if they need it. Additionally, we can also stop perpetuating unhealthy stigmas about body image and good health.
election, absentee ballot drop boxes will not be allowed. Following the 2020 presidential election, the push for more restrictive voting laws has become a trend across the U.S. In 2021, states passed dozens of laws making it more difficult for constituents to vote. For example, the United States Supreme Court upheld July 2021 a law passed in Arizona which restricted the ability to vote by mail-in ballots. It seems that after persistent false claims from former President Donald Trump and his allies that the presidential election was fraudulent, the U.S. has seen a spike in election insecurity and now lawmakers are acting swiftly. According to the Pew Research Center, mail-in voting has become much more common following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the rise in commonality due to the pandemic, there are a lot of important effects of absentee voting. Mail-in voting protects people from becoming ill if they were to visit polling sites, increases voter turnout and has
rare documented cases of fraud. It is frustrating to see voting accessibility restricted when absentee ballot boxes have been a positive feature for many, especially in Wisconsin. In a report published by the National Study of Learning,
absentee ballot drop boxes for the Milwaukee mayoral election, Madison Mayor Satya RhodesConway said, “It is deeply disappointing that the majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court decided to institute two sets of rules for the same election cycle, sowing confusion by allowing secure ballot drop boxes for the primary and locking them shut for the general election.” Milwaukee and Madison are Wisconsin’s two largest cities and also represent a lot of the state’s voter diversity, and are also cities that both went blue in the 2020 presidential election. They are also two cities being subjected to a lot of questions about election integrity, and as we are seeing in Milwaukee for the upcoming mayoral election, having fewer options for citizens to cast their votes. There are several serious issues with limiting or cutting off access to absentee voting. Confusion arises when things constantly change. To allow absentee voting in one election but not the other or in one city but not the next causes voter confusion
and frustration. One thing that is likely to turn away hesitant voters is mixed messaging and when laws are constantly changing, people are less likely to make an effort to understand them in order to cast their vote. Additionally, less accessibility to voting will cause less voting. The U.S. saw the highest voter turnout to date in the 2020 presidential election – a 7% increase from 2016. Since then many lawmakers have only worked to discount that and make it less likely that our voter turnout will continue to grow. If the U.S. wants to thrive as a democracy, lawmakers need to stop discouraging active citizen participation and make voting more accessible. Getting rid of avenues to vote in Milwaukee and all over the nation is a surefire way to deter voters and that leads us to having a less viable democracy.
Not allowing mail-in ballots harmful to accessible voting
Grace Cady The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s Feb. 11 ruling that absentee ballot drop boxes will not be allowed in the statewide election April 5, including the special mayoral election in Milwaukee, restricts voting access. Absentee ballot boxes were implemented in the fall of 2020 in an effort to make voting during the 2020 presidential election more accessible during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are still experiencing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and convenient voting resources should not be removed from Wisconsin or anywhere in the United States. The mayoral election comes following former Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett’s resignation to become the United States ambassador to Luxembourg. The two candidates left following the February primaries for mayor are interim Cavalier Johnson and Robert Donovan. For this
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...lawmakers need to...make voting more accessible.” Voting, and Engagement looking at the University of Wisconsin, 39% of students voted with absentee ballots in 2020. This helped the University of Wisconsin-Madison reach a 72.8% voter turnout which was a 7.4% increase from 2016. In the 2020 presidential election, and more than twothirds of Milwaukee residents voted using mail-in ballots. In a press statement Feb. 12 following the Wisconsin Supreme Court decision to close
Grace Cady is a sophomore studying journalism. She can be be reached at grace.cady@marquette.edu
