### Facing Old Patterns in a New Light
The recent *Wicked* press tour stirred something deep inside. Watching it, there was a sense of confronting old demons reflected back through someone else’s image. It reminded how easily cultural moments can awaken memories of difficult times and self-criticism that once felt long buried.
### The Hidden Power of Representation
Public conversations about beauty often celebrate transformation and thinness, rarely pausing to ask how these ideals affect those still battling food-related anxiety or eating disorders. When a celebrity appears noticeably thinner, praise or speculation follows instantly. Yet for many women, such commentary reinforces harmful habits and silent struggles.
> “I see my old self mirrored in others — and it frightens me.”
### Why We Need Honest Conversations
Discussing women’s bodies is fraught, but silence carries its own danger. Without open dialogue, societal admiration for extreme thinness risks normalizing unhealthy standards. Real progress begins with acknowledging the pain behind perfection and viewing recovery not as a return to control, but as learning self-acceptance.
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**Author’s summary:** Recalling her past eating disorder, the author urges open discussion about how glamorizing extreme thinness harms women’s mental health and reinforces unrealistic beauty ideals.
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The i Paper — 2025-11-30