Performance shows men suffer eating disorders, too

He works out compulsively at the gym, obsesses over the growth of his muscles and lives in secrecy about his eating habits.

Feldman (Photo courtesy Michael Feldman)

This illustration reflects symptoms males today may have as a result of an eating disorder. It depicts how men struggle in silence with the pressures to meet an "ideal masculinity" of large, broad shoulders, defined calves and rippling pectorals, says Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) psychologist Mark Sampson.

Seeking to bring this issue to light, New York artist and playwright Michael Feldman will perform a one-man show entitled, "Musclebound!," a candid journey of motivation, determination, sacrifice and loss that follows the lives of three men struggling with eating disorders. The free performance, sponsored by University Health Service Coalition for Action Regarding Eating and Body Image Issues (CARE), a campus service that helps people struggling with eating and body image issues, will be at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 16 in the Rackham Amphitheatre.

Feldman says his piece will highlight an important difference between males and females with eating disorders. The key problem, according to Sampson, is males tend not to report their actions or struggles at the same rate as females. As women struggle with the ideal image of thinness, males put their energy toward getting bigger and more muscular.

"In the past, men traditionally were the providers in the family," Sampson says. "Now that society is changing, they are trying to find other ways to assert their masculinity through alternative activities—such as athleticism and emphasis on being bigger."

The lack of social awareness and education about this issue is largely attributed to the fact society has not moved past old perceptions. The notion that eating disorders are strictly a female problem is a misconception. The reason for this is reporting, Sampson says. "Men in general don't seek help as much as women do," he says. "It's a gender issue."

Additionally, mass media have contributed much to perpetuating these problems with images of muscular and masculine protagonists in movies and photos. "If you compare superheroes on television throughout the decades—for example, Batman in the 1970s, versus Batman today—the action figures now are just outrageously more huge, telling the youth masculinity is hugeness," Sampson says.

The prevalence of these masculine images inspired Feldman to address the issue specifically with his own experiences. "This is a piece that is very close to me, as I've dealt with many issues presented in the play in my own life," Feldman says. "I suffered from anorexia and compulsive overeating in high school, which then turned into an obsession with the gym. In those latter stages, I never thought I had a problem because I never saw any description of a problem out there in which I fit perfectly."

While doing preliminary research for his performance, Feldman came across muscle dysmorphia, a medical disorder characterized by one's obsession with muscular appearance.

"I was terrified; not just because I now recognized the problem and fit the symptoms but because I could not believe that it had a name," Feldman says. "How many more men have this and don't know about it? How many more can't come forward because in America men are not meant to be hung up on their appearance?"

The artist's personal and authentic attempts to shatter the gendered perspective of eating disorders have birthed a work that encourages struggling voices to speak. "This piece has forced me to be open and honest with myself. I never admitted I had an eating disorder and never fully realized I had one until now," he says. I always thought eating disorders were for women and I was just very disciplined with what I ate."

An open discussion following the performance will allow individuals to share experiences, a move Feldman says is the first step in healing. "My director and I work tirelessly to reveal this world to insiders and outsiders alike," he says. "It is time to shatter the silence about male body-obsession."

Anyone seeking help or guidance regarding eating disorders can contact Erica Dodde at envdodde@umich.edu. Dodde is a health educator for CARE.