Amazon is facing criticism for selling a hoodie that appears to promote and downplay the seriousness of anorexia, describing the disease as "like bulimia, except with self control".
Although the hoodie is actually made by ArturoBuch, the online marketplace has been blasted as "irresponsible" and for "trivialising" a serious mental health condition.
.@amazon Please remove this #anorexia 'hoody' item from sale. #eatingdisorders kill. It is not a joking matter https://t.co/Cf0ZNMqT8G pic.twitter.com/CKQdDE8shg
— Dr Andy Mayers FRSA (@DrAndyMayers) September 29, 2017
Anorexia sufferer Beth Grant called the hoodie "absolutely disgraceful", telling the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme that it could be extremely harmful to anyone with anorexia or bulimia. "I think it could damage their mental health even further and cause them to potentially harm their life," she added.
Critics have also left damning one-star reviews on the hoodie's Amazon page. "Are you f'ing kidding me???? My son died from anorexia. This is not funny," wrote one user, while another said such messages "[damage] the lives of the most susceptible members of our society. Making a profit by marketing eating disorders is pure evil."
Another user powerfully highlighted the manufacturer's basic misunderstanding of the eating disorder: "Anorexia isn’t a choice, and it has nothing to do with self control. When you have anorexia, you have zero control... No one who understands the first thing about anorexia would want it or wish it on their worst enemy. Selling this is completely irresponsible."
Beat, the UK's leading eating disorder charity, tweeted to criticise the hoodie, saying that downplaying the seriousness of eating disorders stops sufferers from seeking help.
The stigma surrounding #eatingdisorders stops many from seeking help. Trivialising them only makes it harder. https://t.co/8LuCJuoWPZ https://t.co/3zI1h41ls3
— Beat (@beatED) October 3, 2017
Meanwhile, many others, including eating disorder sufferers, also slammed the hoodie on social media.
Amazon hoodie supposed to be funny? Guess I had a humour by-pass during my 25yrs of anorexia (binge/purge type..) #VictoriaLIVE
— Mel (@RuftyRoo) October 3, 2017
This makes me so sad. Anorexia silently kills a person on the inside and then kills their entire body. Take it down!
— Andrea Carolina, LPC (@lightlypink) October 1, 2017
Who would even buy a hoodie like that?! Bizarre! They should be removed from the UK internet sites. Extreme bad taste. #VictoriaLive
— Lorraine Moore (@Community_Moore) October 3, 2017
who the fuck could think this was acceptable, let alone funny | BBC News - Calls for Amazon to ban 'anorexia hoodie' https://t.co/GRQzvIPdzI
— Rebecca Took (@rktook) October 3, 2017
Distasteful from Amazon, stop selling it now - turning eating disorders into a fashion statement is NEVER acceptable https://t.co/ye3uns7owE
— Gemma-Lou Stevenson (@gstevensonsport) October 3, 2017
That hoodie getting sold on @amazon is NOT in the slightest bit funny. Anorexia/Bulimia is NOT a joking matter. Mental Health IS NOT funny 😠
— Christine Spencer (@chris165281) October 3, 2017
Amazon has a history of selling clothes on its platform that trivialise mental illnesses, as many critics were quick to point out on Twitter. Along with numerous other items seeming to promote anorexia, the slogan on one T-shirt using the keyword 'schizophrenia' read: "It wasn't my fault the voices told me to do it!"
@AmazonUK have long story of selling products that stigmatise mental health despite complaints. just found this using keyword schizophrenia pic.twitter.com/H7YymSXYPV
— Nick Lloyd (@photographs_etc) October 3, 2017
if you think these are isolated examples you can easily find many more like this one: @AmazonUK #banmentalhealthstigma pic.twitter.com/YopmxfsuLx
— Nick Lloyd (@photographs_etc) October 3, 2017
Thank you for sharing this,Andy. Very concerning. They also have a 'humour' range of large 'I beat Anorexia' tshirts & even a baby bib... pic.twitter.com/A3WyezXchZ
— CaoilfhionnGallagher (@caoilfhionnanna) September 30, 2017
Amazon hasn't commented on the controversy.
If you are struggling with an eating disorder, please call Beat on 0808 801 0677. Support and information is available 365 days a year.
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