AITA for pushing back on my nutrition professor’s assignments?

AITA for pushing back on my nutrition professor’s assignments?

I (18F) am studying abroad in Paris for my freshman year of college. One of the few courses I could take to meet requirements was Nutrition. For context: I was diagnosed with anorexia at 14, went through recovery, and later gained weight while on mood stabilizers for bipolar 2.

My parent, who is a bit of a health freak, for lack of a better term (though I love them otherwise), encouraged me to go on Wegovy last year, and I lost 45 lbs. So, I’ve had a complicated relationship with food, weight, and “healthy eating.”

Back to class: the professor had us calculate our BMI and share it out loud. When some students said they didn’t know their weight, she replied, “Oh, you don’t weigh yourself at home? You should!” I spoke up and said that asking a group of 18-year-olds to share BMI is a recipe for a toxic environment, and that there are better ways to teach it. She told me I “didn’t have to share if I was uncomfortable.”

Then she assigned us to take pictures of everything we eat for a week and make a slideshow so the class could analyze it. I again raised my hand and said I found this extremely uncomfortable and harmful for people’s mental health, and asked if we could do an alternative assignment.

She brushed me off, saying she understood my concerns but “wasn’t going to change the assignment for one person’s discomfort.” When I said it wasn’t really optional if it affected my grade, she basically told me if I couldn’t stop “interrupting and criticizing her curriculum,” I could leave. So I did. Now I’m wondering…AITA for speaking up in class, or was I right to push back?

Edit: I didn’t choose to take this class, it was the only thing that fit into my schedule while still filling the requirements. because my history i didn’t really feel comfortable taking this class but when i explained about this i was told that there was nothing they could do.

Here's what people had to say to OP:

SoSick_ofMaddi wrote:

You've had anorexia and your parents pushed you to go on Wegovy?

I can see where the anorexia probably came from. That's just a gross "encouragement" overall.

OP responded:

Lol yeah they are lowkey a little obsessed with what they call "health" but they are actually super supportive and good parents otherwise. IDK…everyone has their thing you know?

Soft_Remote1511 wrote:

Info: if you already have a toxic relationship with food. Why take the food based nutrition class? You wrote in your first paragraph it was one of a few you could chose from. And it is the one you have a personal issue with. Why take it?

Nutrition and nutritionists do need to talk about food and weight. Two main things they discuss. What best way to learn that thru your own eating habits. You have bad nutritional habits and maybe still do if you feel this much shame on a school assignment. Maybe even afraid.

AvacadaCaCanteven wrote:

YTA - I feel like having people publicly state their BMI is weird and not against calling that out. Recording food and then analyzing it? That makes perfect sense to me. You willingly entered into a science course where you could be potentially required to critique/analyze food, culture, society, history and habits. If that bothers you then talk to the instructor on the side or find a different course.

That0neN3rd wrote:

NTA. Been there, and while this is still (for some unknown reason) standard practice, it shouldn’t be. I know people with mental illnesses who do psychiatry courses, there should be no reason your issues with food should affect your ability to do a nutrition course. The teacher should be making accommodations for what is a common and growing issue in the demographic she is teaching.

If she really wanted examples to analyse, she could use herself, make up a hypothetical person or ask for willing volunteers, rather than force group participation from students she doesn’t know the mental or physical health of. She could even use food bloggers on instagram.

It doesn’t matter, because what she shouldn’t be doing is using her students as examples. That would be like conducting live therapy in a psychology class. It’s demeaning and unethical. I guarantee you were not the only person in the class uncomfortable with this, and I’m proud of you for speaking out. Take care of yourself.

cyanidelemonade wrote:

I think if the professor had you study your own nutrition, that's one thing. But to share with your classmates all the things you did or didn't eat in a week is questionable at best. I doubt you're the first student nor will you be the last to be uncomfortable with this assignment. I also think BMI is bs so to see someone use it in this setting is not a great sign.

And again, sharing it with the class.

If the professor wants everyone to have data, then she needs to come up with her own fake data set. Not have everyone in the class share their personal business.

Honestly it would be surprising if she didn't have access to data like this in course materials already. I also don't blame you for objecting then and there because she was assigning the work. It might be more difficult to talk to her after class and then she has to get ahold of everyone to change the assignment. NTA.

basroil wrote:

YTA because this is a private conversation you have with your professor asking for an accommodation not something you debate about publicly in class. The assignment itself was fine, analyzing your diet should be a part of the curriculum, but if you spoke to her privately I imagine it could’ve been resolved with a “analyze a stereotypical diet in your area."

Frequent-Ad4722 wrote:

As a fellow ED survivor, NTA at ALL. People who haven’t had their lives impacted by eating disorders are often blissfully oblivious, but you don’t have to have had a diagnosed eating disorder to have a poor relationship with food and your body. I would bet there were other people in the class who agreed with you.

hollowl0g1c wrote:

NTA. You know what I find especially horrifying. A nutrition professor bringing up BMI, something made by a mathematician, is actually weird. It's widely considered inaccurate because weight is carried differently on everybody.

Not to mention, nobody should weigh themselves constantly. If she had actually paid attention when she got her degree, she'd know constant weight watching has a serious affect on mental health.