Rachel and Veronica

Posted by Lori Henry Nov 11, 2006

They began by speaking to young women at Ohio State about positive body image and eating disorders on November 6th.

Rachel said, “As women on the MTV network, we felt we needed to put a speech together that had something to say aside from gossip about our shows. We need to address this subject matter here on campus. We can’t ignore it.”

Veronica, who admitted to starving herself by only eating an apple a day, added, “I found strength by traveling the world (on the show) and seeing how women are celebrated for their bodies. That was how I found inspiration.”

Ironically, she was cast by the MTV show when she was at her sickest. By talking about her experience now and the pressure to be thin by TV execs is a great way to get teenagers attention who otherwise wouldn’t be listening.

Rachel will do another talk at the Southern Conneticut State University in New Haven on November 17th and believes, “Confidence is the key to success. Media images are not reflections of reality. As individuals, we decide how to experience the media messages we encounter. [These images] are always going to exist. They won’t stop. It’s up to us to become a critical viewer and a smart viewer.”