The Woman Behind the "No Anorexia" Ad

There has been much buzz about Isabelle Caro, the anorexic woman who appears in the new "No Anorexia" advertising campaign, but stateside we haven't heard much from Caro herself. Not unless you count the predictably sensational coverage on shows like Entertainment Tonight/The Insider, who actually showed footage of Caro stepping onto a scale and then reported her weight for all the pro-anas to post on their websites.

I found some posts from Caro's blog, written in her native French (also my first language). I am translating them here so that our readers can hear directly from a woman who is much more than an image on a billboard:

On why she did the "No Anorexia" campaign:
"To show that it isn't a model of beauty, it is the image of the true sickness that will come out of it. When it does, I hope to make understood to all of those who are dieting too severely that it can lead them to a spiral in hell. Finally, I am fighting every day and try and enjoy each little joy that life can offer, no matter how insignificant! "
de montrer que ce n'est pas ça un modèle de beauté c'est l'image de la veritable maladie qui en resortira et là j'espère faire comprendre à toutes celles qui entreprenne un régime trop sévère peut les conduire vers la spirale de l'enfer ! enfin je me bat chaque jour et j'essaye de savourer chaque petite joie aussi infime soit elle que la vie peut m'offrire!"

On doing TV interviews:
"Because the whole point for me to give interviews on TV is to help young women in need of help to understand the danger of this sickness and avoid falling into it."
car le but pour moi de temoigner à la tv est d'aider des jeunes fille en détresse à comprendre les dander de cette maladieet de les éviters de tomber là dedans!

In fact, being in the spotlight was a risky move for Caro, whose health is obviously very fragile. When the campaign first became public, Caro's aide was quoted as saying that her phone rang up to 40 times an hour with calls from the press. In the midst of the media frenzy, Caro forgot to take one of her food supplements and could have suffered a stroke. But just three hours after fainting, she was back talking to reporters. I can't fault the media for covering this story, but every reporter should educate him/herself on how to cover eating disorders responsibly.

Related:
Fashion Statement: Oliviero Toscani
Why is No-l-ita Offering No-Information for Sufferers?
Has the "No Anorexia" Ad Become Pro-Ana Thinspiration?