This is particularly the case when the young woman of color is living in an environment where her traditional cultural values are degraded by the dominant cultural group. Combined oppression is another factor that adds to the complexity of disordered eating behaviors. Even when raised in an environment where thinness was not considered a criterion for beauty, body image concerns and eating disorders may develop. This factor is applicable to White women and women of color. This shifts the focus of body image problems away from a drive for thinness to a consideration of coping strategies some women develop in the face of trauma.
Racism is an additional factor faced by women of color.
Consideration of the stressors faced by all women with eating disorders and body image concerns will facilitate a non-stereotypic understanding of these very difficult issues. Despite that cultural standards of beauty may differ, a woman's appearance, regardless of the specific standard, continues to effect how she may feel about herself. While recovery from an eating disorder is a personal process, there are actions we can take as women and as a society to lessen the risk of disordered eating and body image concerns for all women. Working in our family and community circles to increase understanding of the complexity of this issue is one way to support women working to accept themselves and their bodies. If you or someone you know is struggling with body image issues or an eating disorder, providing that person with nonjudgmental support and acceptance may help her to feel supported while she works through these problems.