It’s 2009 and I’ve written two pieces in one week about blackface. What is wrong with this picture? And I ask that question in both a colloquial and literal manner.
The newest offender is French Vogue. This month’s issue contains a 14-page spread of model Lara Stone appearing in blackface. There is no reference to it in the text of the magazine. Is this art? Were they aiming for an ethnic look? Why didn’t they just hire a black model? I don’t have the answers and I don’t understand why this is still happening today.
Of course, I also just read about an interracial couple who was denied a marriage license in Louisiana yesterday. Reason for denial? To prevent any future children from having to suffer society’s prejudices. Reminder: It’s 2009. Outrageous.
I am completely not racist, but you have to remember that it is fashion we’re talking about here (the bottom paragraph is shocking) It’s Vogue, and French Vogue…surely the second most authentic fashion magazine to Italian Vogue, if am an not incorrect, and they are always trying to present a different, edgier look. And I hope this is politically correct, so I’ll preface with saying I believe that black women can be the most beautiful and definately the most graceful looking women on earth – and the accents I love! – but they were maybe overlooked how racist this could come across, and were just experimenting with caucasian features, and dark skin. Look at the Japanese Ganguro, hell, look at the Yamamba! They are doing it in flattery (although in their case, it is an extreme version of the “ideal” American, the sexy blonde tan blue-eyed look. Vogue, albeit tasteless, were probably just pushing the boundaries where they shouldnt really be pushed.
I hope i offend no-one.
I don’t think it’s racist either. It’s not done in a demeaning, or offensive way. It’s no different than Loreal making Beyonce white in their ads. I wouldn’t even know that was a white model unless you told me, she looks like Grace Jones. It’s just fashion.
The other story is racist.
urgh, fourth line should be “If i am not incorrect” and I added an extra “were” halfway down >…< do we have an edit button or are typos too hilarious?
I know I am going to get so much hate for this but I why exactly is this so bad? I get that one would be offended by someone stereotypically ‘playing’ a black person. For example looking like a character on one of those old disney cartoons (I really hope anybody gets what I mean). But what when somebody is playing a black person? What would be the politically correct thing to do?
And I am really asking this out of pure interest. I accept that people are offended by it and thus would never do it myself etc but coming from Germany I have not really been growing up with this special social problem. I’d really like to understand it.
I agree with you. I hope someone can explain what the big deal is.
I agree. I don’t get what the big deal is… I just don’t. Wish someone could explain.
It’s offensive because its like saying black women aren’t pretty enough to be in their magazine, yet they want the edgy ability to have black skin without the body/facial features common to people who are black.
No playing dress-up in someone else’s skin.
So are you offended by all the fake tanners, because they’re like saying that hispanic/arab/half-black women aren’t pretty enough, but the want the edgy ability to have deeply tanned skin without the body/facial features common to people who are born bronze?
That is soooo not that same. People use fake tanners because they like how tan skin looks. They’re not doing for a photo-shoot or anything like that. You can’t even compare the two.
Except they put black women in their magazines….
I don’t agree. I think it’s just playing with the idea, what would this model look like if she were black? I’ve seen white models dressed as Geishas and wearing Indian Saris with a dot on their head and I didn’t think that was racist either. Fashion often plays with ethnic/racial images. It’s only racist if it’s done in a mocking way.
Oh PLEASE. this is SO not offensive. yeah it’s 2009. be more open-minded.
How is denying a marriage license going to prevent any future children from having to suffer society’s prejudices? Last I checked you didn’t have to be married to have kids.
i know its ridiculous! Just like u dont have to have kids just because you are married. egh
The problem here is that it’s really easy for us as Americans to look at this and think “oh but no one’s really very racist anymore so this isn’t a big deal! it’s just fashion!” but we forget that we’re talking about the FRENCH vogue. In the spring I took a class where we specifically looked at the colonization of Africa by the French, and the racism that was and still IS prevalent in French social structures. We take for granted that the US (though still facing enormous amount of racist issues) is one of the most tolerant countries in the world, forgetting that we’re talking about a completely different culture with a different history.
I agree that people don’t realize that this happened in a different society with different views concerning black people. French are notorious to being rude and nasty to immigrants. It doesn’t make it right, but not everyone has the same principles as the US.
i dont see any big red lips or ‘mammy’ braids. This isnt stereo-typical black face.
Don’t forget the banjo.
You people think too much and need to lighten up. It’s a fashion shoot for chrissake! I don’t they’re trying to make some great political statement here and it’s not exactly on the level of some minstrel singers from the 1920’s. All it is some photos of some underfed, overpaid model with her skin darkened. Keep it that simple and you’ll come to realize that the world will keep turning, the sun will still come up, and it will not have set back race relations 20 years.
*like* button
1. Anytime someone begins a sentence with “I’m not racist, but-“, or “I’m not gay, but-“, you entirely nullify what you are about to say.
2. Wearing blackface is completely and entirely offensive, and if you don’t understand why, then you need to look up the history of blackface. Fashion my ASS. If beautiful French models dressed up in stylized KKK uniforms, would you then excuse it because “its fashion”?
i’m not gay either.
is that alright?
you are exaggerating. the model’s facial features are beautiful, so is dark skin.
dark skin and european features looks striking, so is african features and pale skin.
get a grip.
or maybe you’re trying to post on a page that is open to millions of people who don’t have a clue what you are like, and wouldnt want them to be judgemental?
anytime someone begins a sentance while they are completely stuck up their own arse, completely nullifies what they are going to say.
I’m offended that Michael Jackson wore white face.
Lmao
So being black is equal to being in a hate group? What a moronic argument.
I know of one child from an interracial marriage who went on to become, now what was it, oh yeah, president of a country.
Does nobody remember White Chicks?
I’m a white chick and I didn’t have my panties in a knot over the Wayan’s going “white face”.
Quit being so precious.
bravo!
uhhhh probably because “white face” doesn’t have quite the…. history of “black face”.
Not really on the same level there.
WENDIE IS OFFENDED BY EVERYTHING. I AM SO SICK OF HER CRAP. I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE IF YOU ARE BLACK, WENDIE.
so its ok for her to be offended if she is black but not if she is anything else?
so its ok for her to be offended if she is black but not anything else?
now i’m not saying that Tyra Banks is a good go to person for… well any subject of discussion… but she is always on about how hard it is for women of colour in the modeling industry and even she has had a photoshoot or two on ANTM with “trading races”
I think it reflects incredibly poor taste, insensitivity, ignorance and bad judgment. It’s offensive because there are plenty of beautiful black models who could have just as easily done this shoot and it would have been equally as edgy and editorial. Also, there are plenty of black girls growing up in the suburbs of Paris and other large cities in France who would probably like to see themselves reflected in the fashion industry, which is a major cultural export from this country. I know that this is a European magazine that we’re talking about and that they’re supposed to be more enlightened, blah, blah, blah, but the fact of the matter is that it’s still socially acceptable to refuse to hire women in France whose looks do not match the “red, white, blue” aka white ideal of beauty. And that’s why these photos emit racism to me.
I think the photos look amazing. Lara Stone’s incredible features look even more striking with darker skin. I’m curious as to whether French Vogue have used black models in other shoots..?
What a bunch of pissy whiners. Blackface was a hideous parody of Negroes, with exaggerated lips, facial expressions and “Mammy” accents meant as entertainment for whites. If anything, this shoot is glorifying the black race.
And exactly why can’t anyone portray a black except for another black? The reverse happens ALL the time…Michael Jackson? Janet Jackson? Beyonce, anyone?
Please grow up and stop being so touchy and offended by inoffensive things.
Oh yea, because according to PC people black people are too sensitive to be parodied by anyone other than black people. White people let anyone make fun of them. I don’t cry racist when a black person has fun at my expense, I just laugh at myself. I know plenty of black people who would not be offended in the least by this. Part of equality is everyone being treated the same way, it’s kinda hard to be equal if you’re asking for special exceptions. I make fun of all my friends and they make fun of me, if someone wanted to be our friend and join in on making fun of everyone but got upset whenever we made a joke about them, it wouldn’t be a very good friendship would it? I think people need to stop getting offended and being so serious, lighten up a bit, and see the humor in themselves. This isn’t a racist thing, it’s a fashion thing, we all know the fashion world has a bunch of crazies in it. It’s not some kind of cultural reflection, it’s just crazy people being crazy.
What about black women and models who wear weaves to obtain “white” hair? I guess we should call all of them offensive, ignorant and racist too?
*Looking at you Tyra Banks*
You cannot compare racism against white people with racism against white people.
To suggest that equality means everyone should be treated on the exact same level ignores an extensive history of abuse, mistreatment and prejudice, as if it didn’t happen at all.
Huh? Your post makes no sense.
Hear hear!
This.
Blackface is the new Redface. All those years that Indians were protrayed in movies by white guys, you didn’t hear them on the warpath about it. Sensitivity by blacks is getting so old. Get the fuck over it.
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you crazy.
this girl is not wearing an afro and trying to look ”black”.
its art.
get over it.
I guess its racist to think this is racist. No bid deal for me at all. its a fashion shoot, they played with colors on the skin. Same as painting the skin in red. It looks great, and thats the purpose of the shoot: get a white model and paint her in black.
In my mind they were channeling Grace Jones. Very similar fashion style. Saying it’s racist to imitate Grace is like saying it’s misogynistic for gay men to imitate Cher. Some people just want an excuse to be mad. So much anger in this world, where does it come from?
Why doesn’t anyone get up-in-arms over white people getting dressed up as geisha’s? I understand the offensiveness of the minstrel thing, but this chick is obviously darkened for artistic rather than racist motives. Should be start saying that white models can’t go geisha, because there are Asian models who could use the work? This is just nuts.
It’s only wrong if it’s done with malice. If it’s done tastefully for artistic reasons I really don’t see what the problem is. There’s nothing about this picture that is deragatory to black people.
I love this photoshot and generally love french Vogue
it is FAR more interesting than the us version
Thank you Mr. A$$hole Bardwell, for making those of us who live in Louisiana look like prejudiced backwoods ignorant country bumpkins. My son, who is 21, has a black girlfriend who is 22 and I have no problem with it–she’s a great kid; they’ve even discussed children!