Emmeline Clein, author of the newly released essay collection, Dead Weight: Essays On Hunger And Harm, delves into the complex and often overlooked world of eating disorders in her debut. In a candid conversation with writer Cat Marnell, Clein challenges conventional narratives surrounding these illnesses, highlighting their societal and political dimensions rather than solely framing them as individual struggles. This interview, originally featured in Interview Magazine, provides a powerful insight into the pervasive nature of eating disorders, the shortcomings of current treatment models, and the cultural narratives that perpetuate harmful ideals. Clein and Cat Marnell engage in a frank discussion that spans from personal experiences to broader societal critiques, making Dead Weight a vital contribution to the literature on eating disorders.
Emmeline Clein photographed by Phoebe Jones for Interview Magazine, showcasing her book Dead Weight.
Challenging the “Sad Girl” Trope and Embracing Boldness
The conversation begins with Cat Marnell immediately praising Clein’s book cover, a stark contrast to the stereotypical “sad girl” imagery often associated with books about eating disorders. Marnell references Reviving Ophelia, a book emblematic of the 90s with its melancholic cover, as a prime example of this trope. Clein affirms her deliberate choice to move away from such representations, advocating for a cover that is “bold, graphic, neon,” reflecting the urgency and complexity of the subject matter rather than a romanticized sadness. This sets the tone for a discussion that refuses to shy away from the harsh realities of eating disorders and challenges reductive portrayals. Clein emphasizes her fight against stereotypical imagery like “a sad girl,” “an apple core,” or a “strange bone font,” underscoring her commitment to presenting eating disorders in a new light.
Marnell, drawing from her own experiences in the publishing world, reinforces the importance of fighting for creative control, especially regarding book covers. She recounts advice from her former boss at Lucky Magazine about advocating for one’s vision and shares her own struggles with cover design for her book, highlighting the industry’s tendency to fall back on predictable and often misrepresentative imagery. This exchange establishes a sense of solidarity between the two writers and underscores the broader issue of how women’s narratives, particularly those concerning mental health, are often packaged and marketed.
From Female Hysteria to Modern Manifestations of Disordered Eating
Clein reveals that her initial concept for Dead Weight was rooted in an exploration of female hysteria, a historical diagnosis often used to pathologize and control women. However, as her research deepened, she recognized the strong connections between historical accounts of hysteria and contemporary eating disorder symptoms. This realization shifted her focus towards examining eating disorders as a “sweeping political and social and cultural and economic phenomenon,” drawing parallels to how conditions like addiction and depression, often disproportionately affecting men, receive more comprehensive attention and understanding in non-fiction literature.
Cat Marnell concurs with Clein’s observation, pointing out the disparity in attention given to depression, addiction, and eating disorders, particularly in the United States. She notes the more progressive approach to both addiction and eating disorder treatment she witnessed in the UK. This comparison underscores a critical point of Clein’s book: eating disorders are not merely individual psychological issues but are deeply intertwined with societal structures and priorities.
The Crisis in Eating Disorder Treatment and the Power of Community
A significant portion of the conversation addresses the inadequacies of the current eating disorder treatment system. Cat Marnell expresses frustration with the inaccessibility and prohibitive costs of treatment, contrasting it with the readily available and often free support systems for addiction, like 12-step programs. She mentions the decline in in-person Eating Disorders Anonymous (EDA) meetings post-COVID, lamenting the shift to primarily online support, which can be less effective for some. Marnell highlights the spiritual dimension of recovery often acknowledged in addiction treatment and questions the availability of similar holistic support for eating disorders.
Clein echoes Marnell‘s concerns, emphasizing the crucial role of community in recovery. She critiques the often isolating and competitive nature of eating disorder treatment models, which, unlike the communal approach of 12-step programs, can inadvertently reinforce the very logic of the disorder. Clein points out the counterproductive rules and hierarchies within treatment settings that discourage open communication and shared experience, which are vital for healing. She argues that creating spaces for open dialogue about the “haunting feelings” associated with eating disorders is essential for catharsis and recovery, contrasting this with regimented treatment environments that can feel theatrical and disconnected from real-life experiences.
The financial barriers to treatment are further highlighted by Clein, who explains the insurance system’s flawed approach of requiring biometric markers like weight for treatment approval. This system, she argues, is “straightforwardly cruel and capitalistic,” as it necessitates individuals becoming severely ill before accessing paid treatment, thus diminishing the likelihood of successful recovery. Clein recounts stories of families facing financial ruin due to the exorbitant costs of repeated treatment center admissions, underscoring the urgent need for systemic change in how eating disorders are addressed and funded.
Navigating Public Discourse and the Fear of Stigma
The conversation shifts to the personal anxieties associated with publicly discussing eating disorders, especially for women in the public eye. Cat Marnell, known for her candid writing about addiction and “wild party girl” persona, acknowledges the trepidation of being further defined by her struggles with eating disorders. She references the often harsh and judgmental online commentary, particularly on platforms like Reddit, where discussions about female writers can quickly devolve into body shaming and obsessive scrutiny. Marnell shares an anecdote about the Celebrity Memoir Book Club podcast’s insensitive remarks about her personal life, illustrating the invasive and often cruel nature of public perception surrounding eating disorders.
Clein admits to sharing these fears, acknowledging the “unbelievably mean” nature of internet discourse and the potential for her book to be misconstrued as simply an “eating disorder memoir,” thus missing its broader socio-political critique. She grapples with the dilemma of wanting to honestly represent the lived experience of eating disorders while fearing being pigeonholed and subjected to the same kind of reductive and judgmental scrutiny that Marnell describes. However, Clein asserts that confronting this fear and initiating open conversations is crucial for destigmatizing eating disorders and highlighting their significance as a “seminal microcosm of a lot of social and political forces.”
The Addictive Nature of Food and Societal “Smoke Signals”
Cat Marnell and Clein delve into the often-oversimplified narrative that eating disorders are solely about control. Marnell challenges this, proposing that for many, eating disorders are rooted in a more primal craving for dopamine, akin to addiction. She describes her own experience of being “addicted to junk food,” particularly the immediate gratification from sugary and carbohydrate-rich foods, and how this addictive cycle intersects with disordered eating patterns.
Clein expands on this, discussing the deliberate engineering of food products by corporations to be maximally addictive, citing research into brain receptors and the manipulation of food composition to mimic the effects of opioids. This corporate strategy, she argues, contributes significantly to binge-restrict cycles, framing eating disorder behaviors not as irrational individual choices but as “rational responses” to a society that actively promotes addictive consumption. Clein and Marnell dismantle the notion of individuals with eating disorders as “crazy girls” misinterpreting societal cues, instead positioning them as acutely perceptive individuals accurately “reading the room” of a food environment designed to foster dependency and self-harm.
Eating Disorders as Numbing Mechanisms and the Elusive “Solution”
Marnell describes her eating disorder as a “numb place,” a “trance” offering escape from a chaotic world. She recounts using amphetamines to suppress her eating disorder, highlighting the complex interplay between addiction and disordered eating as coping mechanisms. Marnell also touches upon the temporary relief she found through appetite suppressants like Wellbutrin, but ultimately acknowledges the unsustainability of such approaches.
Clein concurs with Marnell‘s description of eating disorders as numbing mechanisms, advocating for a shift in approach from trying to “shut off the voice” of the eating disorder through cognitive behavioral techniques to “letting the voice exist and listening to it.” She emphasizes the importance of validating these internal struggles and recognizing them as shared experiences, rather than isolating pathology. Clein reiterates her belief in community and open dialogue as essential components of managing and understanding eating disorders, countering the pessimism that Marnell notes is often prevalent in Eating Disorders Anonymous groups.
Ozempic and the Resurfacing of Disordered Eating Patterns
The conversation turns to the contemporary issue of Ozempic, a medication initially developed for diabetes that has gained popularity for its weight loss effects. While Cat Marnell expresses a nuanced stance, avoiding “Ozempic-shaming,” Clein raises concerns about the drug’s potential to trigger or exacerbate eating disorders. Clein argues that Ozempic, by mimicking the physiological conditions of restrictive eating through appetite suppression and medical validation of weight loss, can inadvertently “wake their eating disorder back up” in individuals with a history of disordered eating.
Clein points out the lack of screening for pre-existing eating disorders before Ozempic prescription, coupled with the drug’s reinforcement of restrictive eating patterns and self-surveillance. She highlights anecdotal evidence from online forums where individuals report Ozempic triggering disordered eating behaviors, raising alarms about the potential for widespread unintended consequences, especially given the prevalence of eating disorders among individuals who are not underweight.
Marnell adds to this by describing the “endless games” and compensatory behaviors often associated with eating disorders, emphasizing that calorie restriction is rarely straightforward and that individuals with active eating disorders are often preoccupied with food intake, even if in distorted ways. Clein further explains the body’s physiological response to restriction, leading to rebound hunger and cycles of restriction and binging, a pattern historically documented yet often disregarded in diet culture. This part of the conversation underscores the cyclical and complex nature of eating disorders and the potential dangers of simplistic solutions like weight loss medications without addressing underlying psychological and societal factors.
Hope and Honesty: Unlearning Harmful Lessons Together
Despite the grim realities discussed, the conversation concludes on a note of cautious optimism. Clein reiterates her belief in the “smartness” of individuals with eating disorders, recognizing their ability to “read between the lines” of societal pressures and expectations. She emphasizes the need to “unlearn” the harmful lessons that contribute to disordered eating, stressing that this is a collective process, not an individual failing. Clein concludes by underscoring the importance of honesty and open communication, both for personal healing and for challenging the societal structures that perpetuate eating disorders. Marnell resonates with Clein’s concluding point, acknowledging the value of open dialogue and expressing appreciation for Clein’s insights. The interview ends with a shared recognition of the difficulty and importance of addressing eating disorders with honesty and nuance, and a call for continued conversation and collective action.
This interview between Cat Marnell and Emmeline Clein provides a critical and timely examination of eating disorders, moving beyond individual narratives to explore their broader societal and political contexts. Dead Weight emerges as an essential read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of these complex illnesses and the cultural forces that shape them.
