When McCall Dempsey came forward as writer of the eating disorder recovery blog "Loving Imperfection," she had no idea her life would change drastically.
"On the outside, I was this girl who had it all together," Dempsey said, recalling her bout with restrictive eating, binging, purging and diet pill addiction. "I struggled with an eating disorder for 15 years, and I struggled in silence. No one knew because I became an expert at hiding all the symptoms."
After receiving treatment for an eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS) at Carolina House in 2011 and sharing the blog with her best friend, the Ole Miss grad said she knew she had to shine light on the devastating illness.
"No one is talking about the eating disorder that is happening every day to the person right next to you or even yourself," Dempsey said. "It breaks my heart because nobody's talking about it, and there are so many people that are really struggling and living and dying and having their worth defined by what size they are, or a number on a scale and how many miles they can run and what their grades are."
Dempsey began speaking to small groups of young women and then came up with the idea of smashing scales with sledgehammers. The first organized scale smash was November 16, 2012, on Baton Rouge Beach, La.
Dempsey developed the event into a nonprofit organization called Southern Smash, which tours universities spreading positive body image and eating disorder awareness.
The Student Center concourse will hold Southern Smash on Wednesday, April 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Events include Let It Go Balloons, Dare to Love Yourself Cards, a Be(YOU)tiful Photo Booth and the Southern Smash Scale Graveyard. Smash Talk, a panel discussion, will conclude the event in Student Center Room 2223 from 7-8:15 p.m.
Panel members include: Nicole Siegfried, Ph.D, CEDS, clinical director, Castlewood at the Highlands; Jennifer Jordan, MS, RD, LD, dietitian, Castlewood at the Highlands; Jessie Alexander, LPC, NCC, clinical coordinator of women's services, Ridgeview Institute; Jessica-Lauren Newby, MA, RD, LD, IBCLC registered dietitian, clinical instructor, Auburn University; Peach Dumars, owner YogaFLY Studio and author of "Diary of an Exercise Addict"; and McCall Dempsey, founder, Southern Smash.
"We're hoping that through Southern Smash, women will feel empowered in a way to really embrace the body that they've been given and the person that they are," said Katie Miles, senior nutrition dietetics and member of AubieEDA. "It's a symbol of smashing what the world says you are and smashing that number and destroying the concept that that number defines you."
All students, faculty and visitors are welcome to participate. Miles said Southern Smash is open to anyone who is struggling with eating or body image concerns and those that want to show support and spread awareness.
"I think eating disorder awareness and body image is something that people tip-toe around talking about and it has such a negative connotation," said Meg McGuffin, junior in radio, television and film and president of AubieEDA.
McGuffin explained that beginning to talk about issues is the first step toward finding a solution.
"Auburn men and women are going to be really empowered by this event," McGuffin said. "This is just an awesome opportunity for women and men on Auburn's campus to take a stand against what scales teach us to believe about our bodies."
Dempsey explained that Southern Smash also encourages students and community members to become Southern Smash ambassadors. Ambassadors aid in the promotion and execution of Smash events through social media, grassroots and other efforts.
An application for ambassadorship and other information about Southern Smash may be found at http://www.southernsmash.org/home.html
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