Letter: Displeased with eating disorder photos
The photos featured in the Feb. 24 issue were meant to communicate how those struggling with body image may feel when looking in the mirror. - Casey Prather/ TheTowerlight
While I commend your intention to bring awareness to eating disorders by your cover story, “The battle between beauty and bodies: Enemy in the mirror,” I think that you have may done more harm than good by pairing your story with pictures of naked women and men.
As someone currently in recovery from an eating disorder, I enjoyed your article and feel as though your interview with Chrissy Richardson was an accurate representation of an inside look of someone with this disease. However, those pictures paired with your article and on the front page on the paper screams a different message.
If you had done your research about eating disorders, you would know how easily triggered someone with an eating disorder can get by looking at someone in their underwear. You clearly know that the media plays a prominent role in sending a negative message about the “perfect” body, so why would you post pictures of women that may make someone feel insecure about his/her own body? The ones paired with the article include pictures of women of all body types, but the ones on the front cover of women are inexcusable. Anyone with an eating disorder would not have even opened The Towerlight to read your article because of these pictures.
I also would have liked to see more outreach for those reading the article currently struggling with an eating disorder, but I was pleased that you interviewed Dr. Fenton and learned how to talk to a loved one who may have one. This part of the disease gets overlooked a lot. Perhaps after reading this you will keep your messages straight and keep in mind your Towerlight audience.
– Anonymous
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Here is an important resource for parents going through this with their children – Give Food A Chance by Dr. Julie O’Toole. Dr. O’Toole founded the Kartini Clinic in Portland OR, a treatment facility that specializes in treating teens and children with eating disorders
I can see where you meant well with your article, but this letter is DEAD ON!!!!!
Looks like The Tower Light fell splat into our cultural trap.
The article genuinely tried to approach eating disorders with respect and provide helpful and balanced information.
The cover photos were selected in terms of a marketing criteria designed to attract as many readers as possible.
The conflict between health and cultural values permeates our lives. So does the conflict between sincere intent to help and how to make money.
Eating disorder recovery is not only a health issue. It’s a cultural and economic issue.
Joanna Poppink, MFT
Los Angeles psychotherapist
author: Healing Your Hungry Heart
08/11 Conari Press
Joanna Poppink
I could not agree more. I too am in recovery and I was not satisfied with the way the Towerlight used this article. They failed to get the message across that everyday we are bombarded with hundreds of ads telling us what we are to look like. The truth behind the images we see is that those bodies are fake and it’s nearly impossible to look like that. I’m disappointed that this article never mentioned the use of Photoshop. Good try Towerlight, but next time try doing a little more research.
The interview with Chrissy R and Dr. Fenton were good. Feel free to do more write ups on eating disorders and body image just make sure you leave out the photos next time.
1. The pictures are absolutely secondary to a GREAT article, perhaps one of the best ones this year.
2. You people complaining about Photoshop-ed bodies and how the media doesn’t get it. Clearly the Towerlight showed different body types and people’s acceptance or anxiety towards them. There was no Photoshop-ing involved, just great journalism. Compare the bodies you see in the article with something you would see in the grocery aisle and you’ll see a clear distinction.
3. The article addressed that the media pushes a particular body type, but some of these commenters were ready to write their acerbic responses before actually reading the article.
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