Did your eating disorder arise or worsen due to your religious affiliation?
There is a pressing need for more resources on religious trauma, particularly within Black, Indigenous, and communities of color (BICOC). Nalgona Positivity Pride and Hilda Franco, MS have teamed up again to provide a unique opportunity to explore the connection between Christian religious beliefs and body-image issues and eating disorders, which are often overlooked in general mental health education. The Religious Trauma, Eating Disorders, and Christian Patriarchy 2 part series provides a rare chance to address overlapping sources of pain. By combining community-based activities and scholarly insights, this series offers a comprehensive learning experience that fosters connection and support, fulfilling your longing for understanding. The series comprises the following components:
1. Eating Disorders and Dieting are the New Religion - - July 12th 4:30pm PST/ 7:30pm PST
2. My First Abusive Relationship Was with God: Womanhood, Shame, and Christian Patriarchy - July 13th 4:30pm PST/ 7:30pm PST
1. Eating Disorders and Dieting are the New Religion - July 12th 4:30pm PST/ 7:30pm PST
Explore the profound connections between eating disorders, patriarchal-based religions, and cults in our insightful online event. Delving into the "trinity" of diet culture, religion, and white supremacy, we'll uncover their shared foundation and intricate relationship. Discover the parallels between diet culture and cults/religious frameworks, examining their attributes and influences. Trace the Christian origins of anorexia through the practices of women saints seeking asceticism.
Throughout the event, we'll address various aspects of these connections. Understand how eating disorders can serve as substitutes for dysfunctionalities found in patriarchal-based religions and cults, offering relief through dysfunctional routines, self-soothing benefits, and a sense of control. Explore the complex interplay between food, morality, and purity, as well as the systemic influence of neoliberal biomedicine, healthism, and diet culture rooted in white supremacy.
Lastly, we'll focus on the "holy trinity" of diet culture—white supremacy, Christianity, and diet culture itself. Delve into the five religious characteristics of diet culture, such as its divinity focal point, moral compass, promise of salvation, meaningful symbols, and rituals. Join us for this cohesive and enlightening online event to gain a comprehensive understanding of the intricate dynamics between eating disorders, religion, and culture.
Learning Objectives
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Understand the connections between diet culture, religion, and white supremacy, and how they intersect in modern society.
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Examine the historical roots of anorexia and its Christian associations through the practices of women saints who sought asceticism.
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Investigate the correlations between food, morality, and purity and how they contribute to the development and intensification of eating disorders.
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Understand the influence of neoliberal biomedicine, healthism, and diet culture rooted in white supremacy.
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Identify the five religious characteristics of diet culture: focal point to a kind of divinity, provides a moral compass, offers salvation, contains meaningfully charged symbols, and encompasses rituals.
Happening soon...
Host Info
Frequently Asked Questions
By registering, do I gain access to two events?
Yes, you will gain access to:
1. Eating Disorders and Dieting are the New Religion - - July 12th 4:30pm PST/ 7:30pm PST
2. My First Abusive Relationship Was with God: Womanhood, Shame, and Christian Patriarchy - July 13th 4:30pm PST/ 7:30pm PST
Will event be recorded?
Yes, both events will be recorded and made available via email a few days after the live event. Keep an eye out in your spam folder.
What are your accessability considerations?
Live zoom subtitles will be provided. ASL interpretation available upon request. Must be requester 48 hours prior to session. Pls email us any other special accomodations. npppride@gmail.com
Who are the speakers?
The series is based on personal experience (15 years for Hilda and 13 years for Gloria) of living as active participants in fundamentalist religious organizations. This series is also based on years of research and exploration on the topic of religious trauma and/or eating disorders. They share, “We understand that working through religious trauma means different things to people. Rekindling faith and religious participation can be part of some people's religious trauma journey but this is not where we are coming from. Given both of our lived experiences with Christianity and our knowledge of religious history, our goal is to approach the topic of religion through an anti-colonial lens. We do not have the desire to overlook, minimize, or save Christianity. We cannot forgive the history of Christianity on stolen land.
Hilda Franco, MS is a fat, queer, Xicanx, femme mental health counselor. She specializes in designing and facilitating trauma-informed, healing and justice centered programs and interventions for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ folks. She is also the facilitator of the first BIPOC-based eating disorder support group in the US, Sage and Spoon. Hilda lived in La Calera, Jalisco before her family immigrated to the United States. Through her tia, her family converted to the Neocatechumenal Way, a fundamentalist Catholic-based cult. At age 20, after years of religious trauma and harm to her spirit and body, she and her 8 siblings left the cult. Today, she is most passionate about her work with domestic and sexual violence prevention and intervention because it transformed her family and her life. She can identify most fruit trees and she cleans like a señora.
Gloria Lucas is a public figure eating disorder awareness educator that focuses on BIPOC communities, indigenous thought, and harm reduction. Gloria grew up in a Mexican immigrant household with her devoted Jehovah’s Witness mother and culturally Catholic father. Her parents, primarily her mother, led her to a strict Christian faundamentalist life but opted out when she was 17 years old, the year she developed bulimia. Gloria has dabbled in Buddhist and indigenous spiritually but blames religious trauma for currently flip flopping with ancestral-based spirituality and skepticism. Gloria is the person behind @nalgonapositivitypride, @seedsfromtheflesh and has helped start @wocbizcenter and @mujeresmarket. She currently lives in Orange County and enjoys homemade pies and possum memes.
Who is this series for?
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BIPOC folks who are looking for anti-colonial approaches to religious trauma
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People who want to process and explore religious trauma
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Latin/x/e folks who grew up in a religious household and are now non-believers
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Latin/x/e folks that identify as having an eating disorder or an unhealthy relationship with their body and food
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Folks that were in a fundamentalist cult or religion
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Mental health practitioners, facilitators who want to better serve religious trauma survivors
2. My First Abusive Relationship Was with God: Womanhood, Shame, and Christian Patriarchy - July 13th 4:30pm PST/ 7:30pm PST
In this session, we will delve into the intersections of Christianity and patriarchy as tools for perpetuating colonial violence. We will start by examining the historical roots of patriarchy in the reconquest, an 800-year war between Muslims and Christians for control over the Iberian Peninsula. This context will help us understand the origins and influences of patriarchal structures.
Next, we will explore the Church of Patriarchy, which serves as a vehicle for spreading and upholding patriarchal norms. We will analyze the three dimensions through which patriarchy manifests: institutional, interpersonal, and internalized. By understanding these dimensions, we can gain insight into the mechanisms through which patriarchy operates and perpetuates harmful beliefs and practices.
One of the core beliefs of patriarchy is the reinforcement of transphobia, adherence to rigid gender roles, perpetuation of sexism, and the enforcement of heterosexuality and homophobia. We will thoroughly examine these beliefs and their impact on individuals and communities.
To shed light on the dynamics of power and control within religious institutions and cults, we will explore the Religion and Cult Abuse Power and Control Wheel. This resource outlines various forms of abuse present in these contexts, including economic abuse, coercion, threats, isolation, and behavioral control. Additionally, we will discuss the cyclical patterns often observed in cults and religions. These cycles typically involve a honeymoon phase, a tension building phase, and a violent phase. By exploring these cycles, we can gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics that contribute to the perpetuation of harmful practices and ideologies.
Furthermore, we will delve into the damaging effects of gender views within religious contexts. This includes an examination of gender roles as prescribed by God and the church, which often reinforce binary notions, contribute to eugenics, promote biological determinism, and treat women's bodies as moral containers and subjects of punishment.
Finally, we will address the specific topic of the Cult of the Virgin Mary, exploring the ways in which Christian patriarchy and purity marketing intersect. This discussion will shed light on the ways in which certain religious narratives and practices contribute to the perpetuation of harmful ideologies and the control of transgender people, women, and femmes.
Join us for this comprehensive session as we explore the multifaceted aspects of Christianity, patriarchy, and their impact on gender dynamics, power structures, and women's experiences within religious contexts.
Learning Objectives
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Analyze the Church of Patriarchy as a mechanism for spreading patriarchal norms at institutional, interpersonal, and internalized levels.
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Examine the core beliefs of patriarchy, including transphobia, rigid gender roles, sexism, and heterosexuality/homophobia.
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Familiarize oneself with the Religion and Cult Abuse Power and Control Wheel to recognize and understand the various forms of abuse present in religious institutions and cults.
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Identify the cyclical patterns observed in cults and religions, encompassing the honeymoon phase, tension building phase, and violent phase.
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Gain insight into the Cult of the Virgin Mary and its intersection with Christian patriarchy and purity marketing.