Newsweek on Anorexia, and an unusual cover choice

This current Newsweek cover story, “Fighting Anorexia,” immediately caught my eye, and not just because it’s an important story. I was immediately caught by the cover photo: a picture of a pretty, fresh-faced girl (albeit somewhat sombre-looking) with gleaming hair and smooth skin. And my God, was that mascara? What was going on here? This didn’t look to me like the face of anorexia, it looked like the kind of kid who goes to school with Alexis Bledel on “Gilmore Girls.”

This is a good example of what you can miss when you’re only seeing things online, because it made more sense to me when my magazine actually arrived in my mailbox: cover subject Amy Nelson, 14, had sat for the cover on November 21, 2005, but inside the table of contents was a photo of her looking significantly more gaunt, taken seven months earlier on April 26, 2005. Inside there were, sadly, those almost-obligatory images of woefully emaciated kids, but the article was about progress as well, and Amy was singled out as one of the lucky ones who is getting better (and even having ice cream now, which is huge). Said Newsweek communications director Ken Weine: “Our photo subjects and their families showed tremendous courage in sitting for Newsweek — and accordingly, we made every effort to capture the various phases, and faces, of the disease.”

It’s an interesting and unusual take on the subject, highlighting an anorectic on the mend rather than at the nadir. I can’t say I disagree with the decision, though (and not only because the photo of another less-healthy kid in the magazine actually made me gasp out loud) — I just do wonder about what kind of reaction a perfection-obsessed girl has looking at a her counterpart on the cover of a magazine, pretty and, well, perfect (being a covergirl carries that weight). One hopes the response would be to aspire toward that level of health; one worries that the response would be to aspire toward a sad and dangerous level of “perfection.”

What do you think? I’m no doctor (though years of summer camp gives me some background, never mind just being a girl), and certainly no expert. I’d be interested in hearing thoughts from readers on this subject (rachel@mediabistro.com). Either way, though, kudos to Newsweek for doing something nontraditional and unexpected and eschewing the shock value they could have flogged.

Fighting Anorexia [Newsweek]

Related:
A New Look at Anorexia [Broadsheet @ Salon]
She’s Ready For Her Close-Up [Karnivale]

Update: We heard from Laura Collins, author of “Eating With Your Anorexic,” who writes:

I so agree with you that Newsweek did an unexpected (and brave) thing by showing how “normal” the real face of anorexia is. People who are actively anorexic will make of it what they will – it is the family members and friends and teachers that need to see this type of coverage – this piece goes a long way toward dispelling dangerous myths and also offers hope.

More comments after the jump…

Another reader writes:

“I actually agree with your premise but perhaps instead of changing the photo, they should have changed the title to something more like “Recovery from Anorexia: A Younger Face” or something along those lines.

As someone recovering from this illness (and in my 30′s), I applaud the cover photo for showing someone healthier and in a later stage of recovery. The illness is as much about struggling with the thoughts and issues behind the illness as the actual physical illness itself which tends to be more focused on by the media. Not all anorexics are 80 pounds (or 50 or 30 in the case of young boys and girls) – there are many people living out their with the illness who are underweight, overweight and normal weight. There are unfortunately many out there dying from the illness at all these weights as well.”

And from another reader:

“Your take on the cover surprised me somewhat, maybe because I have some first-hand experience with the disease.

I think it’s important to understand that at the forefront of the anorectic’s mind is perfection, and the disease itself is full of deceit. From an anorectic’s point-of-view, it’s important to hide the amount of food being eaten, and not eaten, as well as the body itself. Sometimes it’s just not obvious to discern who is affected by the disorder at first glance. The shame associated with the disease is what, I think, leads to the intense desire to hide it from those around us. Few people in my life suspected anything, just as you would not suspect from looking at the cover that the young girl had a problem.

I know that was not the intent of the article, to show the deception of the disease, but seeing a seemingly healthy person who is, in fact, afflicted should send a signal that anyone can suffer from the throes of the disease.”

We were really happy to learn that this woman is doing great now – and has “learned to love herself.”

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