Student volunteers took to the stage Monday night in the University of New Hampshire's second production of the Mind/Body Dialogues, which celebrated Love Everybody Day. The cast of 11 assembled to perform the scripted dialogue, which tackles a number of body image issues ranging from anorexia, bulimia and obesity to drug addiction.
Kathleen Grace Bishop, the director of Education Promotion, said, "This dialogue is important because everyone could use some help related to their body image. This is a lifelong struggle for people."
Hosted by the Office of Health Education and Promotion, the play was intended to spark discussion on campus about how people view themselves and treat their bodies.
The event illuminated some startling statistics while sharing a number of poignant experiences related to body issues. In a survey conducted at UNH in 2001 aimed at finding where UNH stands on body issues, 25 percent of students had symptoms of eating disorders and over half the people surveyed said they knew people with eating disorders.
Linda Hayden, who oversees the fitness and wellness program at UNH, believes this unhealthy behavior related to diet and exercise on college campus happens for a number of reasons. Hayden believes the media, advertising, and peer pressure influences students. These sources try to tell students how they should look and what their bodies should look like.
The Mind/Body Dialogues try to dispel the myth that there is only one set image of beauty and health.
"A healthy body image is when you appreciate your body for what it is, when you realize that you don't have to change it," Bishop explained. "Love the genes that you were born with. Try to remember that everyone is beautiful in their own way." Kayleigh, a sophomore who attended the play and requested anonymity, said she liked the story about a mother of four who likes her body most when she's in the grocery store.
"The woman was so empowering. She loved her body for the things it did and not how it looked," the student said. The real dialogue began at the end of the play when the cast opened themselves up to a question and answer session. It became apparent how relatable the stories were as the cast and audience conversed freely about their own struggles with body image and food.
According to Bishop, talking about body image is the first step toward accepting the body you have.
There's a myriad of free resources on campus aimed at helping people with body issues including dining services, which offers brochures about healthy eating. The counseling center offers one-on-one therapy, group meetings, campus nutritionists and the Office of Health Education website.
Bishop is trying to organize another performance of the play next semester and hopes that even more students will be in attendance. She says UNH also plans to bring the play to middle schools and high schools in order to reach a broader audience.
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