A Parallel Planets piece by Unknown
Parallel Planets presents
November Nocturne: Thin
Photography by Rose Liu
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"Anorexia is a disease that overwhelms every aspect of one’s life. I secretly struggled with anorexia for six years and it tore me apart. My skin was dull, my lips were chapped, my hair fell out; I was disappearing. I felt as if my bones clacked with every movement. It affected – and continues to affect - who I am and how I feel about myself. Giving in to anorexia made me feel I had control, even when I felt vulnerable or worthless.
Starving and eating, then eating and starving becomes a habit and an addiction that one cannot break alone, even if one desires to do so. Those suffering from this complicated, frightening, often deadly, disease need our attention, compassion, and understanding. People living with eating disorders have a distorted self-image, and the way we see ourselves is often not the way the world sees us. Our self-image is not always reality, but it is also hard to fathom by those who have not struggled with eating disorders. As one collaborator said, “Some may see the photos as beautiful, but as representations of a disease of self-deception, self-loathing, and other evils. It is important to realize how much those looking from afar will really never understand.”
I use photography to promote awareness about the destructive power of eating disorders, capture the intense struggle of women suffering from them, and, ultimately, let go of my anorexic past. This project brought back terrible memories of isolation, self-loathing, anxiety, depression, exhaustion, and guilt. In a sense, representing the struggle of others is a way to acknowledge and heal my own struggle. These images remind me of where I have been and what I never want to experience again. This project has led me to a greater understanding of beauty, health, and life. I am living proof that it is possible to heal and to live normally again. My photographs tell stories of heartbreaking vulnerability, strength, and beauty. My deepest hope is that these beautiful women all find their own path to recovery." -- Rose Liu on 'Thin'
More from Rose Liu: Website, LinkedIn
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Editor's Note: This feature is a part of our "black" theme, November Nocturne. To share your work on Parallel Planets, click here to know what we're currently looking for.
