TUSCALOOSA-- Panhellenic Council is hosting the first ever Week of Women at The University of Alabama this week.
As a part of the week's events promoting women's empowerment is Southern Smash--an organization focused on raising eating disorder awareness and spreading body love.
Southern Smash was founded in 2012 by McCall Dempsey. Southern Smash travels to various college campuses each year to shatter myths on eating disorders.
"We, along with smashing eating disorders, really want to smash what the project image is that the media puts out that tells us we should be richer and thinner and faster and smarter. And we just want people to show up as they are," Dempsey said.
For each day of Week of Women there is a new event promoting women and their empowerment. Panhellenic's Vice President of Administration, Alexa Nunn said she is proud women are standing by each other.
"It's bringing us women together in one place, sharing the same message. We're all supporting one another through this time, whether it's smashing away something that you've dealt with personally but also just showing that you are the way you are for a reason," Nunn said.
University of Alabama dietitian Sheena Gregg said that literally smashing scales is both a good way to get out anger, as well as a very symbolic thing for women who have struggled with eating disorders.
"Taking the power out of the scale. I think as a young woman, often times we weigh ourselves and that kind of puts us in a good mood or a bad mood. I think this just takes the power away from that," Gregg said.
Dempsey spoke at the Smash Talk panel on March 20 about her struggle with eating disorders. Many other women also shared their experiences.
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ORIGINAL BROADCAST SCRIPT:
THIS WEEK IS ABOUT WOMEN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA.
AND, AS WVUA 23'S LACEY BEASLEY SHOWS US... TODAY, THEY'RE FOCUSED ON SMASHING EATING DISORDERS. SOUTHERN SMASH IS AN ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON RAISING EATING DISORDER AWARENESS AND SPREADING BODY LOVE, ONE SCALE SMASH AT A TIME.
FOUNDED IN 2012 BY MCCALL DEMPSEY, THEY TRAVEL TO COLLEGE CAMPUSES YEAR ROUND TO SHATTER MYTHS ON EATING DISORDERS.
sot:
"we, along with smashing eating disorders, really want to smash what the project image is that the media puts out that tells us we should be richer and thinner and faster and smarter, and we just want people to show up as they are."
SOUTHERN SMASH IS A PART OF PANHELLENIC'S FIRST EVER WEEK OF WOMEN. EVERY DAY, THERE IS A NEW EVENT PROMOTING WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT. PANHELLENIC'S VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION, ALEXA NUNN SAYS SHE IS PROUD WOMEN ARE STANDING BY EACH OTHER.
sot:
"it's bringing us women together in one place sharing the same message. We're all supporting one another through this time, whether it's smashing away something that you've dealt with personally but also just showing that you are the way you are for a reason."
standup:
"while smashing scales is a good way to take your anger out, U-A dietician Sheena Gregg says it's much more symbolic for the ladies who struggle with eating disorders."
sot:
"Taking the power out of the scale. I think as young women often times we weigh ourselves, and that kinda puts us in a good mood or bad mood, and I think this just takes the power away from that."
DEMPSEY SPOKE TONIGHT AT THE SMASH TALK PANEL ABOUT HER STRUGGLE WITH EATING DISORDERS. OTHER WOMEN ALSO SHARED THEIR EXPERIENCES.
LACEY BEASLEY, WVUA 23 NEWS.
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