really, NEDA?

I normally have no problem with NEDA or the National Eating Disorders Association, (hey, i even went to their NYC walk last year!) and I respect their work as a central kind of force in the ED world. But the email I got today was just ridiculous.

Rachel Roy Personal Appearance & Fashion Presentation at Neiman Marcus Short Hills Neiman Marcus, Short Hills, NJ Bunny Johnson Vice President and General Manager, Neiman Marcus,Short Hills and Deborah Q. Belfatto Board of Directors, National Eating Disorders Association Invite you to join us for cocktails and a benefit fashion presentation, as designer RACHEL ROY presents herRachel Roy New York and Rachel Roy Signature Collections for Fall 2010. Wednesday, August 18 6:00 pm Fine Apparel, Level Three, Neiman Marcus 1200 Morris Turnpike Short Hills, NJ 07078 Tickets are $75.00. All proceeds benefit NEDA. Purchase Tickets Online Rachel Roy’s collections will be available for viewing following the event and on Thursday, August 19 until 4 pm.

i mean, really now?
And I went to the designers website and the page that comes up is just pictures of catwalk models looking sick and angry, as per usu.


i don't even think I have to write much more to explain why I think this is ridiculous and ironic, but holding a fashion show to benefit an organization that is supposed to be fighting eating disorders?
REALLY, NOW?
I'm really not going to get into my two cents (or twenty-two) on what effect the media/society has on eating disorders. The media/fashion industry are not to blame for  the existence of eating disorders. Eating disorders aren't caused by any one thing. Yada yada yada. They are highly genetic but also environmental, and while our society's obsession with thinness as a virtue does play a large role in the high incidence of eating disorders (and disordered eating), it is not the "cause". This is a discussion that I could spend months writing a blog post on, but it's not the time for that now.
I just wanted to share how ludicrous I think that email I got today was.
I think it takes some serious nerve for NEDA to hold a charity fashion show. That seems to me like raising money for diabetes research/awareness by having a donut eating contest, it just doesn't make sense.