French Vogue's Blackface Shoot Isn't Hip or Edgy--It's Tasteless

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I can understand why a lot of whites are responding harshly to the race issue. They are socially conditioned, to a large extent, to be at the top of the racial food chain and the center of attention. Today's focus on minority rights can definitely make the feel alienated in a world they're accustomed to owning. On top of that, our recent struggles to kill bigotry can cause a kind of reverse racism where today's whites are held accountable for their ancestors' mistakes. None of that is their fault.
All that being said. You absolutely cannot equate localized, racially motivated violence with cultural statements that could represent or have the power to shape society's perceptions. That situation in Miami sounds horrendous and I hope local civil rights groups are taking action, but it certainly doesn't have the potential for social damage like the story in Vogue has.
The question: Well why is there an uproar every time a white person kills a black person, but nothing when a black person kills a white person?
The answer: It is already widely accepted that killing a white person is bad, wrong and unacceptable behavior for civilized people, but there is still a large segment of the world that feels like killing a black person should be fine and the only thing holding them back is the law. The media has to cover those situations because it reinforces our larger society's commitment to humanizing minorities.

CWilliams of NY 1:23PM October 18, 2009

you are pathalogica idiots - Your article followed suite with many media reports all being the carbon copy of others. This is twice this past week - The Black Barbie and this Black Face article that the race card has been thrown in by media. Completelly irrisponsble reporting, you and all others owe an appology to Vogue and the people you report to by perpetuating this as a racist issue when it is not.
Race card - you want one - how about the report today that 5 black teens between the age of 13 and 15 just killed a 13 year old white kid in Miami by beating him to death on the school yard.
Go ahead - make some more moutains out of mole hills that are not there to begin with based on the race card - it's a media friendly card. Denie responsiblity for it's effects.
it's the media way.
Funny Yahoo and all other media didn't jump all over the killing story - why not - it's race card heaven for you guys. It's true racism... or are the blacks still your almighty heros carring a halo around their heads in your blind eye?
Yeah i'm a little angrey at media - your post and writing makes you no different than any other bigot on the planet - it shows How you think - not how the public thinks. But you stearedpublic thinking now and it's too late to take it back.
Ask the white 13 year old kid that was killed if you can take the race card reporting you did back... you can't.
you make me ill

getit right of FL 11:05AM October 18, 2009

First of all, I have to say that Vogue was wrong. The shoot was definitely in bad taste! I mean given the current struggle of ethnically diverse models, the people involved with this should be completely ashamed of themselves. It was a slap in the face to beautiful black women everywhere. It's SO sad because every time I start to feel like racial issues are beginning to dissipate something appears in the news and puts a sharp reality pin in my little bubble of hope.
Secondly... um, this person who posted beneath me (which is where they belong) has missed the point. JET magazine and publications like it were created because black and brown little girls had nowhere to go in order to see lipstick and other products advertised on models that looked like them. When a product is targeted toward a specific demographic then that is reflected in the advertising. In my opinion, publications like Vogue (i.e. Cosmo, Elle...etc.) aren't supposed to cater to any one specific demographic yet more often than not I find it more and more difficult to view any ethnic diversity within its pages. Does that mean that if ones skin is not of the Caucasian persuasion that they do not meet a desired standard of beauty?
Um... ABSOLUTELY not. ESPECIALLY in a society full of women who desire features that are more characteristically seen on women of color. Ironically, voluptuous lips and curvaceous bodies have always been sexy and most men will readily agree with that observation. Perhaps that's why so many women are surgically plumping, primping, and lifting themselves into oblivion.
I suspect the small minded ignoramus beneath me (who needs to REALLY try using spell check) would give her left arm to have more voluptuous lips on which to smear her precious lipstick. Also... her wish may come true. If the geniuses involved with Vogue have their way black models will soon become obsolete and there won't be anyone left to model products except for white models... in black face... SO sad... and So NOT going to happen.

Hope Forabettertomorrow of GA 2:11AM October 17, 2009

"I'm not one to go overboard on political correctness." "in view of the fact there seems to be a lack of opportunity for black models in the fashion industry. That same Jezebel commentator told CNN European that models of African descent are routinely turned away from jobs and told such things as, "no black girls today
GUESS what ? If I am buying a lipstick I want to see it on a model that looks something like me . IS that wrong ? HOW MANY WHITE MODELS do we see in JET ? Oh nobody comments on that . Models sell product .
Not one to go overboard on political correctness ? UMMM . What about all the black models we see when we know the predominate mkt is a white audiance ? When will whites be used to sell afro ecentric products ?

Jessie of MI 4:58PM October 16, 2009

I beleive that the issue behind Vouge featuring models in Black face is a complete insult and a lack of compassion for the African American community and it should be something that offends all Americans. This shows that the Vouge editors are ignorant of the negitive conotation that comes with Black face or it could be a way of turning a blind eye to the fact that the original purpose for Black face was because African Americans were not allowed to represent themselves in the media. This concept behind black face was not to honnor through imitation it was to establish a stereotype for black people. It wasn't to lift up black people, it was an oppritunity for the white gate keepers of the early 20th century to give the public a false perception of what an African American was. For us as Americans to just let this slip is a total insult and oppritunity for us to see a very dark point in American history be made a mochary of. This is not just a black issue this is an American issue. What will be next Vouge shoting their models in a ghetto during the 1930s in Germany and calling it "high fashion" or photographs of models with the background of a work camp? This is not Funny, it's not Fair, and it certianly isn't Fashion.

Brenay Grimball of GA 9:52AM October 16, 2009

I agree it is in bad taste. There are many beautiful girls of African ancestry that could have been used.

KG 4:39PM October 15, 2009

all power to the people-we have a black president,to be in the money is to be 'in the black' , there are lip injections,butt implants,tanning salons etc - i think there is and has been a secret envy of the african beauty for sometime now and white people are embracing it-its not like she has her eyes bugged out doing the 'shimmy' with gloves on , i think its compliment albeit backwards to the beauty of dark skin

olhippie of CA 2:25PM October 15, 2009

I dont know who's idea this was but It was a stupid one..
Blackface is not funny.. And being black isnt a fashion.
If it was a "Black is Beautiful" thing then why not have a african american model... and for the person who brought up "White Chicks" grow up!!! Read a little history and you will see why this is offensive.

Cindy of PA 2:09PM October 15, 2009

If the idea is to celebrate blackness, then actual black models should have been hired for the photo shoot.
http://weshallovercomeincouture.blogspot.com

We Shall Overcome...In Couture! of NY 8:47AM October 15, 2009

I don't think that cover should be considered offensive.
First there is a local issue, specific to the USA, about white people covering their face with black paint because it reminds Americans of a period where it was done to make fun of black people.
In the "Vogue" case, this is obviously NOT the context.
I don't think they painted that white model face because they could'nt find a black model or because they didn't want to hire a black model or because they wanted to offend black people.
The message should be read instead: "Now black is so hip that it is fashionable for white people".
Consider the skin bleaching business in Africa. For many years, having light colored models made women all over thge world buy dangerous chemicals to lighten their skin.
What vogue says is that's "it's more than 'ok' to be black, it's beautiful! And desirable for everybody."
Had they taken a black model, we would'nt have this discussion and nobody would have wondered "where am i standing on this issue?"

akka 8:10AM October 15, 2009