sistermagpie @ May 5 2003, 19:36:07 UTC

Ha! You beat me to it.

She's definitely prettier than last week and I think she'll be prettier next week if she keeps up with that tea leaf diet!

Btw, I love that she reminded Parvati that Padma's birthday is on the 7th.

notapipe @ May 5 2003, 19:37:56 UTC

I had not even noticed that. Thank you. ~&~

cacklebang @ May 5 2003, 19:55:59 UTC

::grin:: How is a wedding with one person changed to another gender more normal is all that I'm wondering. Did that make any sense?

tropes @ May 5 2003, 20:13:15 UTC

Does anyone else think that Lavender's totally evil? I think my head's going to start spinning around if I have to deal wiht any more animated doo-dads.

And I say this with the sincerest admiration for her player, who is deeply talented.

notapipe @ May 5 2003, 20:17:58 UTC

I second everything you have said. Except I spell with properly, and replace "doo-dads" with "thingies"

tropes @ May 5 2003, 20:30:07 UTC

:P Hey man. I just wrote a 12-page paper in a day. Cut me some slack, I'm bushed.

notapipe @ May 5 2003, 20:38:30 UTC

*cuts so much slack that the rope is basically loose*

tropes @ May 5 2003, 20:55:31 UTC

Thanks babe. *huggles*

ex_meiko437 @ May 5 2003, 20:25:13 UTC

they're very colorful, but all the spinning text and anorexic diets give me a headache

at least Draco can't comment on her thunder-thighs anymore!

eponis @ May 5 2003, 21:13:12 UTC ::is worried::

I think I've been taking this self-starvation thing more seriously than most (I just know people who've had eating disorders), but Lavender's really starting to worry me. I mean, yes, we can groan at her colorful-flashy messages and sigh at her homophobic comments, but the poor thing ate a day's worth of calories in a whole week, and she's aiming for even less next week. That's the sort of thing that starts really affecting physical and mental performance, let alone pointing to the possible beginnings of an eating disorder.

I really, really hope that this was what Hermione tried to talk to Parvati about, particularly with her comments about skipping meals. Though she doesn't seem to have convinced her, at least it means that somebody's watching out for them.

It also brings up an interesting question: how would one react to eating disorders and other psychological issues in a wizarding world? I mean, one would think that any of the professors could make Lavender and Parvati well-fed with the flick of a wand, so they don't risk long-term physical harm, but how do wizards deal with the mind? At any rate, kudos to Lavender and Parvati's players for bringing up this issue.

eponis @ May 5 2003, 21:19:36 UTC Re: ::is worried::

Forgot to add: The fact that she makes a journal entry to boast about how little she ate is also extremely worrisome. I may be jumping the gun on this, but it remind me of pro-ana messages. Again, I really hope that Hermione (and perhaps Padma?) keep an eye on them, particularly if this continues.

vinagrette @ May 5 2003, 21:28:44 UTC Re: ::is worried::

It depresses me to read things like this. Naturally, I know it's fiction and it's not happening but recovering from an eating disorder myself makes it kind of hard to read it. And it does ring a bell to those Pro-Ana sites.

Wah! I wonder if this is going to be taken to another level sometime in the future? And I agree, I hope somebody keeps an eye on her! I'm more worried about that than her comments about Lupins' gender X.x

eponis @ May 5 2003, 22:39:12 UTC Re: ::is worried::

Oh dear. It looks like they're throwing up, too . . .

::hugs:: They do have wise professors, though; I don't think that people like Lupin would let this go too far. I hope.

sistermagpie @ May 6 2003, 06:55:40 UTC Re: ::is worried::

I'm more confused about them taking pills. I can buy witches having body image problems, but I'm a little jarred by the muggle methods of losing weight. Seems like there would be magical methods that were much more effective but could be equally devestating.

Anonymous @ May 6 2003, 13:33:01 UTC Re: ::is worried::

Are they both Muggleborns? Or at least half-blood? I don't have my books with me so I can't check... It would explain why they are using some Muggle methods tho...

quixotic_sense @ May 7 2003, 02:28:45 UTC Re: ::is worried::

Well, it could be that magical methods are discouraged or obscure -- neither Lavender nor Parvati seem to be the type who'd go through books in the library to find out. ^^ It could also be that creating spells to essentially change your body size isn't exactly something that most talented witches and wizards are willing to put their time into.

How exact are spells, anyway? I know you can create food with a wand and a couple of spells, but can you (let's say) change the seasoning? Have more salt on one roast chicken and less chilli on another? Create an extra-strong latte and a low-fat soy latte at the same time? :D

imochan @ May 5 2003, 21:29:49 UTC Re: ::is worried::

I'm with you. It is more than a little disturbing (probably because, like you, I've known people who've e.ds as well). I'd also like to think that Hermione is talking to Parvarti & co. about this, and it does sort of seem to me that NA is "going somewhere" with it. I'll think it'll be interesting to see how the players work with this issue.

About your other question, we have seen that they do treat people who have mental disorders (do Neville's parents count? >_>) in hospitals. I don't think, in JKR's world, she would address serious problems such as these with the levity that can sometimes accompany a simple spell that can "fix" everything... you know?

to bed, to bed, to bed, to bed...

sistermagpie @ May 5 2003, 21:32:29 UTC Re: ::is worried::

Oh, good point. I'd hate to think of something like that going on with her, and in my experience it seemed like every girl I knew went through some kind of short-lived extreme diety once in a while in high school. But it could be pretty amazing if they really went that way, because it could be really tragic and I trust her player to do it. Anyway, I'll be watching her more closely for that. Thanks!

notapipe @ May 6 2003, 09:08:43 UTC A rationale

Tiny is beautiful, like the stars or her brain. I think the stupid logic behind it (distribute the fucking middle) is most disburbing, because I have no idea how you cure someone who is being too stupid to allow you to help her fix her problems. Pavarti's throwing up is an example of this.

jgoreham @ May 6 2003, 10:32:00 UTC Re: A rationale

Ballerinas have the same mentality. They want the cutest, perkiest little tutus. When they're at the company school, they start with a 25 inch waist, but will probably loose a few inches off their waist size after they join the company.

wednesday_tea @ May 6 2003, 11:37:25 UTC Re: ::is worried::

Agreed. I've been worrying about that for a while now... I do hope they do something with that, as it's rather disturbing to see someone so.. perky about starving themselves practically to death. I hope the professors get a clue about this, because as much as a I dislike Lavender (kudos to her player, though, for being so awesome with it), I don't think she should go through that. :(

Normal wedding? >:O

Anonymous @ May 6 2003, 14:28:12 UTC Re: ::is worried::

I think Remus is going to catch on, if she hasn't already. Lavender is going to be stopping by her office and they will have girl-time over cups of tea and back issues of "Witch Weekly."

The out-come should be interesting.

anjaliesque @ May 6 2003, 14:30:00 UTC

Lavender's annoying personality always made me laugh. And yes, her homophobic comments and flashy posts are despairing, and just the sort of counterpoint for the other players.

But this dieting? It's sickening. I just raised an incredulous eyebrows at shallow Lavender and Parvati not being seen with each other when they thought they were "fat," but this is just horrifying. Anorexia, bulimia, "diet crackers," non-prescription pills- it's so very scary. And the way they scorn muscle and even curves- it's so very easy for a girl to unconsciously be starving herself, and even easier when it's a pair "supporting" each other in this effort.

They don't seem to want to listen to the sensible Padma. Maybe Remus can help them out, and perhaps at least in this issue his new feminine form will be of some benefit. Even so, they might not discard him for his unforgivable "male-ness," and Hermione and Padma remain ignored because they are hardly on "a quest for Beauty."

The most frightening thing is to know that these are the attitudes and actions taking by millions of girls all over the world. Untreated, 20% of them die because of it.

quixotic_sense @ May 7 2003, 02:40:42 UTC

Maybe Remus can help them out, and perhaps at least in this issue his new feminine form will be of some benefit.

Judging by the way this thread is going, I rather doubt it. Remus' uncertainty over what it "means" to be a woman would, I think, make it hard for him to advise Parvati and Lavender. Hopefully his reaction to the models in the magazine would be less than than enthusiastic.

The most frightening thing is to know that these are the attitudes and actions taking by millions of girls all over the world. Untreated, 20% of them die because of it.

Agreed. One of my classmates in high school was bullimic, and while Parvati or Lavender is nothing like her, this brings back bad memories. Pro-ana and pro-bullimic communities still provoke fury in me. My classmate recovered, but in a world with things like Pepper-Up Potions that can keep you going even when you're not okay, I wonder how long it'll take for Lavender and Parvati. And if there're two of them, there's got to be more girls with eating disorders in Hogswarts. *worries*

sistermagpie @ May 8 2003, 08:51:37 UTC

Remus' uncertainty over what it "means" to be a woman would, I think, make it hard for him to advise Parvati and Lavender.

Remus is really surprising me. I had more in common with him when he was a man, yet now he's supposed describing what it's like to be a woman and he seems like a complete alien.

moony @ May 8 2003, 12:23:01 UTC

Well, considering the women he's surrounding himself with as of late - Narcissa, Lavender and Parvati - it's not that far-fetched that he'd have a skewed idea of what it is to be female. I've never really experienced any of the things he's talking about, but then again, I'm not 'stacked' nor would I ever really turn any heads, so he's probably got some added pressure, there. He'd have been so much better off if people like Hermione or Millicent had gotten to him first, and not the most self-absorbed women of the wizarding world.

He is right about one thing, though: high-heels are murder.

- Moony