Eating disorders are often misunderstood as problems that only affect thin, white, affluent women – but this narrative leaves out so much of the truth. EDs impact people across all identities, body sizes, and backgrounds. And they don’t exist in a vacuum. It’s a social justice issue.

At Confidently Nourished, we recognize that eating disorders are deeply connected to systems of oppression. That understanding is central to how we care for our clients.

The Systems That Fuel Eating Disorders

Diet culture, fatphobia, racism, ableism, and transphobia all shape how people relate to food and their bodies and who gets access to care. These systems create pressure, shame, and trauma that can contribute to the development of disordered eating.

People in larger bodies are blamed and dismissed. BIPOC individuals are often misdiagnosed or ignored. LGBTQIA+ folks, especially trans and nonbinary people, face gatekeeping in treatment spaces. Many people can’t afford care at all, or don’t see themselves reflected in the providers offering it.

This isn’t just a care gap, it’s injustice.

The Role of the Medical System

The healthcare system often reinforces the very biases that lead to harm. Weight stigma leads to misdiagnosis. Trans and queer clients are denied affirming care. Marginalized identities are underrepresented in research and excluded from treatment models built on white, cisgender norms.

Even in eating disorder spaces, clients are often told they don’t “look sick enough” to deserve help – especially if they live in larger bodies, are people of color, or don’t fit traditional diagnostic categories.

What Justice-Oriented Care Looks Like

At Confidently Nourished, we practice from a Health at Every Size® (HAES) perspective. That means we don’t equate health with thinness, and we don’t use weight as a marker of progress or worth. Instead, we focus on helping clients reconnect with their bodies, build trust with food, and explore healing in ways that are aligned with their values and lived experiences.

Justice-oriented care means:

• Affirming all bodies and identities. We welcome clients of all sizes, races, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities, and we work to create space that reflects that.
• Centering lived experience. We know our clients are the experts of their own stories. We listen first and practice cultural humility.
• Rejecting weight-focused approaches. We never prescribe weight loss, and we challenge weight stigma in and outside of sessions.
• Naming systems of harm. We don’t ignore the social and political realities that shape our clients’ relationships with food and body. We talk about them, process them, and support clients in navigating them.
• Practicing harm reduction. We meet clients where they are, not where we think they “should” be. Our harm reduction approach honors autonomy and prioritizes safety, consent, and choice. This philosophy has deep roots in BIPOC and Indigenous communities, and we aim to carry it forward with respect and intention. Here is a free group, hosted by Nalgona Positivity Pride, where you can learn more about this approach in community.
• Prioritizing accessibility. We offer virtual sessions across multiple states, accept insurance, and provide flexible scheduling options.

We’re also committed to ongoing learning and unlearning as individuals and as a team so that our care continues to evolve and better support the communities we serve.

Healing in a World That Causes Harm

To truly support people in recovery, we must also challenge the systems that create harm. That includes how we talk about eating disorders, how we train providers, and how we build treatment spaces.
If you’re ready for compassionate, justice-informed support, book a discovery call with us or meet our team. You deserve care that honors your whole self.