Those of you who know me are probably wondering why I abandoned the fashion blog (The Designer's Story) and went to this political blog. Well, I am about to relaunch the fashion blog. Mercedes Benz Fashion Week is about to start and we will go from there to London Fashion Week then to Milan and then to Paris. But, based on my background my two passions are fashion and politics.
I was intentionally silent in the previous posts about the fashion and styling of the people appearing on stage at the RNC. But now, it is time to start. I will begin with what I saw as the most egregious offenders. I am doing it this way so I can end on a note that will be somewhat less troubling. So here we go.
I have heard women waxing on about Paul Ryan and what hunk he is. Really? He is in "exterme" need of a stylist. The first thing they would do is get him to a hair salon. Get rid of that cowlick that makes you look crazy. And for someone who does extreme workouts, you might want to get you suits tailored. That was the most ill-fitting suit I have seen on someone of his stature. It didn't fit in the shoulders; it was far to boxy through the waist and the sleeves were too long. Black suits should be reserved for pallbearers at funerals. Try charcoal grey or navy. You could even do a navy tone-on-tone glen plaid with a subtle maroon or red accent stripe. Buy some shirts in colors that compliment your suits and pick out some ties. And yes, I am a snob. Get French cuffs and buy some cuff links.
I can't even address what his wife and kids were wearing. The question I had was "were they aware that the TV cameras would be rolling"? Mrs. Ryan, if they offer you hair and makeup next time say yes; and take your daughters with you. I know they are young but they do make blazers for young boys. It would be a great investment. They can keep the shirts and khakis just add a rep tie and they will be good to go.
Ann, Ann, Ann. Red is not your color. Helmet hair is out of style and again, if they offer hair and makeup you too should say yes. For someone who can participate in a sport that costs upwards of a quarter of a million dollars to get started in I would think that you could afford real clothes. If you want to buy American may I suggest Ralph Lauren Black Label or if you want to go a bit more feminine, Carolina Herrera. If you don't mind buying European designers, Armani or Akris or even Bottega Veneta.
I don't know if Mia Love and Niki Haley were told to wear washout colors but ladies, next time don't listen. Now I don't know how old Mia Love is but if I were her,, I'd 'rock the vote' in Ann Demeulemeester. I know it is a bit goth but some of it is really beautiful/ If you go to the fall ready to wear (RTW shows for 2012) you will see spiky hair etc. Forget the hair look at the clothers. and Nikki, try Bluemarine or Donna Karan.
Even Mitt needed his suit tailored. I don't understand how or why you would spend over $1,000 on a suit and then just take it off the rack and go home. Get it tailored for pete sake. It's not pretentious, it is good grooming. Again shirts in different colors, French cuffs on shirts and cuff links. Maybe you had them but the sleeves on your jacket were so long who would know.
I won't go into the apparel of the character witnesses. They have an excuse. i probably would have done something more for my big moment on national television but I understand. Just the same if you are called upon again, d a bit of shopping, go to the salon and tell them you are preparing for your close-up.
For my last dish I have only one suggestion. I think the suit Condeleezza Rice was wearing was a great color for her. It actually appeared to fit well and her makeup was well done. I would just love to see her soften her hairstyle. It isn't a bad style it is just a bit severe for my taste. So a bit of a sweep t the side with a layered bob hitting just below the chin would be great on her.
During the shows I will be scoping out looks for the inauguration outfit for Michelle Obama and Ann Romney. My considerations will of course take into account age, personal style, coloring (meaning complexion, hair, eyes) and of course the fact that it will be colder than a well digger's a@* on January 20th. Trust me I have been there for four different inaugurations, it is not a day to try simply to look cute. Warm is a priority.
So in about a week, I am going to do both this blog and the fashion blog. I hope to see you on both.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
It's Official
Last evening Mitt Romney formally accepted the nomination of the Republican Party to be the nominee for President. Sadly he was upstaged by Marco Rubio and Condoleezza Rice who delivered excellent speeches. Mr. Romney did not give me any sense that he is the man for the job. I have some serious reservations for many reasons.
It was a night where the campaign rolled out what can only be called character witnesses to vouch for the humanity of Romney.With the election eight weeks away I should not have any questions about your character. Sadly the witness were friends to which he provided support during some very difficult personal crises. While moving, I am not convinced that Mr. Romney would have the same compassion if he were enacting policy that would impact people he does not know and does not have to see.
When you are running a country, or any governmental organization, that impacts the lives of many you must be able to total ignore emotion and the WIIFM (what's in it for me) tendencies. More than that, you have to ignore the tendency to try and figure out what's in it for my cronies. In crafting public policy you have to really understand the impact of what you are about to decide. It cannot be simply about the bottom line or the intended social benefits. You have to meld the two to obtain the best overall outcome. You have to consider the impact of your decision on policies that are already on the books.
Here is an example. Suppose there is a bill coming before you that bans artificial sweeteners because there is evidence that they contain carcinogens. That's just one side of the issue. They may contain carcinogens but what about people who are on diets that are restrictive? What do you tell diabetics? Yes they can use stevia but what if they don't like the aftertaste? People who can ingest sugar without adverse affects have many varieties to choose from. But, because you happen to be diabetic we are going to punish you and say it is stevia or nothing.
If I were a legislator I would vote against banning artificial sweeteners. I would posit that there is not enough evidence that directly connects the development of certain cancers to the ingestion of artificial sweeteners. I would also posit that based on the tests conducted you would have to ingest such quantities the risk was minimal. Forget the sugar lobby who would benefit financially. Forget the health lobby that is against artificial sweeteners. I would only listen to them if their recommendation was to ban all sweeteners.
So, if I were convinced that Mr. Romney could go through this type of deliberative process, I would have a different opinion of him. He is a bottom line kind of guy with a bean counter for a running mate. We need to count the beans bu all means. However sometimes you need to add a few beans in order to implement good public policy.
Bottom line, running the United States is much more complex than running Bain Capital. Bain Capital did not create jobs. Bain Capital created money. And, the real story is that whether the business Bain funded was successful or not, Bain made money. That is the business private equity firms are in. I admit that private equity firms are not as voracious as Venture Capital concerns. A VC has no problem putting you on an accelerated forced march with the intent of overtaking your company.
So from what I saw and heard on Thursday evening, I cannot say that there was any substance. He is going to create 12 million jobs but he offered no details on how he would do that either. They are just words. I also think that if he were to get into office he would quickly find out that running Bain Capital is a piece of cake compared to running the United States. So, it is time to stop telling everyone why Obama has failed. It is time for you to tell everyone what your plan is for America and how you intend to include EVERYONE, irrespective of ethnicity, race or creed.
It was a night where the campaign rolled out what can only be called character witnesses to vouch for the humanity of Romney.With the election eight weeks away I should not have any questions about your character. Sadly the witness were friends to which he provided support during some very difficult personal crises. While moving, I am not convinced that Mr. Romney would have the same compassion if he were enacting policy that would impact people he does not know and does not have to see.
When you are running a country, or any governmental organization, that impacts the lives of many you must be able to total ignore emotion and the WIIFM (what's in it for me) tendencies. More than that, you have to ignore the tendency to try and figure out what's in it for my cronies. In crafting public policy you have to really understand the impact of what you are about to decide. It cannot be simply about the bottom line or the intended social benefits. You have to meld the two to obtain the best overall outcome. You have to consider the impact of your decision on policies that are already on the books.
Here is an example. Suppose there is a bill coming before you that bans artificial sweeteners because there is evidence that they contain carcinogens. That's just one side of the issue. They may contain carcinogens but what about people who are on diets that are restrictive? What do you tell diabetics? Yes they can use stevia but what if they don't like the aftertaste? People who can ingest sugar without adverse affects have many varieties to choose from. But, because you happen to be diabetic we are going to punish you and say it is stevia or nothing.
If I were a legislator I would vote against banning artificial sweeteners. I would posit that there is not enough evidence that directly connects the development of certain cancers to the ingestion of artificial sweeteners. I would also posit that based on the tests conducted you would have to ingest such quantities the risk was minimal. Forget the sugar lobby who would benefit financially. Forget the health lobby that is against artificial sweeteners. I would only listen to them if their recommendation was to ban all sweeteners.
So, if I were convinced that Mr. Romney could go through this type of deliberative process, I would have a different opinion of him. He is a bottom line kind of guy with a bean counter for a running mate. We need to count the beans bu all means. However sometimes you need to add a few beans in order to implement good public policy.
Bottom line, running the United States is much more complex than running Bain Capital. Bain Capital did not create jobs. Bain Capital created money. And, the real story is that whether the business Bain funded was successful or not, Bain made money. That is the business private equity firms are in. I admit that private equity firms are not as voracious as Venture Capital concerns. A VC has no problem putting you on an accelerated forced march with the intent of overtaking your company.
So from what I saw and heard on Thursday evening, I cannot say that there was any substance. He is going to create 12 million jobs but he offered no details on how he would do that either. They are just words. I also think that if he were to get into office he would quickly find out that running Bain Capital is a piece of cake compared to running the United States. So, it is time to stop telling everyone why Obama has failed. It is time for you to tell everyone what your plan is for America and how you intend to include EVERYONE, irrespective of ethnicity, race or creed.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Who Spoke?
I understand that Clay Aikens took a bit of criticism for tweeting that there were not a lot of blacks at the GOP convention. While the 'soberasamorman' quip was not called for, his observation was not incorrect. I saw a sea of white faces and no one who saw any footage at all could say it wasn't so.
The GOP is not inclusive. They never have been and it is not there intention to be so. They have an agenda. They are playing to the Tea Party. That is where the hew and cry "we want our country back" started. And while the concept of 'smaller government' is not new, it is of particular concern to Tea Party followers. Now as a community we know code when we hear it. It is very thinly veiled racism.
Yes I know. There are African Americans who find the Tea Party appealing. But you can be a member of the group and practice the 'ism'. All you need do is look at the backgrounds of the people of color who spoke at the convention. You got to see Mia Love, the mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah. She made it clear that her parents immigrated to this country with $10. What she did not say is that depending on their immigration status they may have been eligible thousands of dollars in relocation funds provided by the United States. She made it clear that they did not look to the government for assistance. At $10,000 per family member you didn't need food stamps. You were eligible but we only have your word that no assistance was received.
Nikki Haley also spoke. she is the Governor of South Carolina. Again,a child of immigrant parents.
Again, touting the whole bootstrap philosophy. The is a whole if you want it, it is within your reach. I am not sure that there is any understanding of the difference between the narrative of African Americans as opposed to recent or first generation immigrants. It makes them totally oblivious to the covert disdain that is felt by those of us who know that we are descendants of slaves.
I must say that I was most put off by Marco Rubio and Condoleezza Rice. Don't get me wrong. Mr. Rubio and Ms. Rice are brilliant speakers. They both know how to deliver a message and enthrall a crowd. However, when people are either misleading or disingenuous, I am put off. Mr. Rubio spoke of his parents escaping the revolution in Cuba. Really? Your parents immigrated in 1956 prior to Castro. I believe that the real 'revolution' did not begin until December of 1956 when the Castro brothers, and Cher arrived in Cuba to conduct all out guerrilla warfare.
Ms. Rice spoke of the failure to educate poor children and how that jeopardized their ability to fully participate in the 'American Dream'. That is interesting as you were in lock-step with GW Bush who initiated 'No Child Left Behind'. With the issues of bias in standardized tests it is no wonder that some children are not performing well.
If children are less educated. can't think critically and can't perform it is because teachers, in order to secure federal funding now teach to a ridiculous test that means they can regurgitate facts but have no capacity to reason. If poor and minority children are not performing well, maybe it is culturally based; maybe there is a difference in the way some children learn; maybe it is an actual issue of skill. I teachers are focused on learning a series of facts, language and calculation there is little attention paid to whether the children have the ability to read well and actually comprehend what they read.
As I stated in my last post, I will be applying the same level of scrutiny to the DNC next week. But we really need to think about our choices and what we want this country to become and how we want to be seen as members of this society.Right now we are barely visible. What we want is to be so visible that we cannot be ignored.
The GOP is not inclusive. They never have been and it is not there intention to be so. They have an agenda. They are playing to the Tea Party. That is where the hew and cry "we want our country back" started. And while the concept of 'smaller government' is not new, it is of particular concern to Tea Party followers. Now as a community we know code when we hear it. It is very thinly veiled racism.
Yes I know. There are African Americans who find the Tea Party appealing. But you can be a member of the group and practice the 'ism'. All you need do is look at the backgrounds of the people of color who spoke at the convention. You got to see Mia Love, the mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah. She made it clear that her parents immigrated to this country with $10. What she did not say is that depending on their immigration status they may have been eligible thousands of dollars in relocation funds provided by the United States. She made it clear that they did not look to the government for assistance. At $10,000 per family member you didn't need food stamps. You were eligible but we only have your word that no assistance was received.
Nikki Haley also spoke. she is the Governor of South Carolina. Again,a child of immigrant parents.
Again, touting the whole bootstrap philosophy. The is a whole if you want it, it is within your reach. I am not sure that there is any understanding of the difference between the narrative of African Americans as opposed to recent or first generation immigrants. It makes them totally oblivious to the covert disdain that is felt by those of us who know that we are descendants of slaves.
I must say that I was most put off by Marco Rubio and Condoleezza Rice. Don't get me wrong. Mr. Rubio and Ms. Rice are brilliant speakers. They both know how to deliver a message and enthrall a crowd. However, when people are either misleading or disingenuous, I am put off. Mr. Rubio spoke of his parents escaping the revolution in Cuba. Really? Your parents immigrated in 1956 prior to Castro. I believe that the real 'revolution' did not begin until December of 1956 when the Castro brothers, and Cher arrived in Cuba to conduct all out guerrilla warfare.
Ms. Rice spoke of the failure to educate poor children and how that jeopardized their ability to fully participate in the 'American Dream'. That is interesting as you were in lock-step with GW Bush who initiated 'No Child Left Behind'. With the issues of bias in standardized tests it is no wonder that some children are not performing well.
If children are less educated. can't think critically and can't perform it is because teachers, in order to secure federal funding now teach to a ridiculous test that means they can regurgitate facts but have no capacity to reason. If poor and minority children are not performing well, maybe it is culturally based; maybe there is a difference in the way some children learn; maybe it is an actual issue of skill. I teachers are focused on learning a series of facts, language and calculation there is little attention paid to whether the children have the ability to read well and actually comprehend what they read.
As I stated in my last post, I will be applying the same level of scrutiny to the DNC next week. But we really need to think about our choices and what we want this country to become and how we want to be seen as members of this society.Right now we are barely visible. What we want is to be so visible that we cannot be ignored.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Here We Go Again
Well, once again it is election, campaign and political convention season in the States. So far we have been treated to the GOP carnival. Next week we will be treated to the Democrats circus. The thing that really bothers me about the fun and games is the inability of candidates, supporters and delegates to accurately remember how we got here. What is even more annoying is the assumption that the American public is stupid enough to buy the rhetoric.I am highly offended by some of the comments that have been made so far but I am sure I will be equally offended next week.
It has been brought to my attention that I hold some pretty unpopular views. My African American/Black friends have actually accused me of being disloyal. I happen to think the President Obama has done a pretty poor job. He has squandered opportunities and missed openings. He has played to the fears of people regarding addressing race in America. His refusal to admit and even voice the reality that some of the negative attitude toward him is totally based on the color of his skin has not helped anyone in the African American community. It has hurt us.
As a result of his election to the highest office in the 'free world' it allows people to surmise that we are living in a "post-racial" America. I do not know where you live but in my neighborhood, racism has hardly been slain or even anesthetized for a long sleep. Comments from people, like Newt Gingrich are simply invectives. How dare he question whether President Obama cares more about black people. Here is my response to such a question and if the President had any guts he would have had the same response.
"Mr. Gingrich, I am perfectly aware that you only care about white people and especially
that who are wealthy."
As a community we have some overwhelming proof that President Obama has bent over backwards to appear not to 'assist' the black community.The unemployment rate in the African American community is at least twice that that of the general population. It is a crisis that is no less detrimental than a natural disaster such as a tornado, hurricane or earthquake that causes wide-spread damage and casualties. Yet, President Obama quietly sits and lets a whole community suffer.
Actually, I will be even more strident in my assessment. To suggest that he is sitting quietly by implies that it is simply benign neglect. The President has actively gone out of his way to assist other groups. He had not problem repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell. Okay it took him over three years to do it but he did repeal that policy. He, in spite of the fact that the African American community largely opposes same sex marriage, he came out in support a very divisive social issue. But the systematic disenfranchisement of African Americans is not worth addressing. The wholesale exclusion of a group because of the continued stereotypes and misperceptions warrants not one comment.
The plight of the African American community is also the fault of our so-called black leaders. No one will take Obama on. No one will bring him to task and comment on his neglect. He the first black president. No one wants to bring attention to his shortcomings. No one wants to call him on the negative impact his silence is having on the community. Personally, I would call him out.
Now we have an extremely conservative GOP who have named a presidential ticket that should be of concern to any thinking person. Mitt Romney will tell you nothing of himself. His wife, Ann gave a speech that was all about i like women, I like Mitt and you should like him too. She talked about this wonderful boy she met in high school. Eating dinner on your 'fold-down ironing board' does not convince me that you have a clue as to how the rest of us live. I don't know a single person who owns a dressage horse. As a matter of fact I know people who purchased homes that did not cost as much as a dressage horse.
In his speech, Paul Ryan was totally dishonest about his record and his ideology. If you want to lie to yourself that is fine. Please do not lie to me. He has no intention of saving Medicare. He has no intention of looking out for all Americans. He is going to look out for the wealthy. And I guarantee you that the vast majority of them will be white. The GOP Platform is against abortion in all cases. So when a young woman you know is raped and impregnated just remember that Ryan considers conception as a result of rape the same as having a baby out of wedlock. Let's remind him of that if one of his daughters, nieces, friends becomes pregnant as a result of a rape. I pray it never happens but if it does, call it karma.
As we prepare to vote think carefully. As a community we are in trouble with regard to jobs and the social agenda of this country.We need a president who will speak up for us. We need our leaders to call the country's leadership to task for allowing an entire group of people to become disenfranchised. But here is the rest. If no one else will stand up for us, we need to be vocal on our own.
It has been brought to my attention that I hold some pretty unpopular views. My African American/Black friends have actually accused me of being disloyal. I happen to think the President Obama has done a pretty poor job. He has squandered opportunities and missed openings. He has played to the fears of people regarding addressing race in America. His refusal to admit and even voice the reality that some of the negative attitude toward him is totally based on the color of his skin has not helped anyone in the African American community. It has hurt us.
As a result of his election to the highest office in the 'free world' it allows people to surmise that we are living in a "post-racial" America. I do not know where you live but in my neighborhood, racism has hardly been slain or even anesthetized for a long sleep. Comments from people, like Newt Gingrich are simply invectives. How dare he question whether President Obama cares more about black people. Here is my response to such a question and if the President had any guts he would have had the same response.
"Mr. Gingrich, I am perfectly aware that you only care about white people and especially
that who are wealthy."
As a community we have some overwhelming proof that President Obama has bent over backwards to appear not to 'assist' the black community.The unemployment rate in the African American community is at least twice that that of the general population. It is a crisis that is no less detrimental than a natural disaster such as a tornado, hurricane or earthquake that causes wide-spread damage and casualties. Yet, President Obama quietly sits and lets a whole community suffer.
Actually, I will be even more strident in my assessment. To suggest that he is sitting quietly by implies that it is simply benign neglect. The President has actively gone out of his way to assist other groups. He had not problem repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell. Okay it took him over three years to do it but he did repeal that policy. He, in spite of the fact that the African American community largely opposes same sex marriage, he came out in support a very divisive social issue. But the systematic disenfranchisement of African Americans is not worth addressing. The wholesale exclusion of a group because of the continued stereotypes and misperceptions warrants not one comment.
The plight of the African American community is also the fault of our so-called black leaders. No one will take Obama on. No one will bring him to task and comment on his neglect. He the first black president. No one wants to bring attention to his shortcomings. No one wants to call him on the negative impact his silence is having on the community. Personally, I would call him out.
Now we have an extremely conservative GOP who have named a presidential ticket that should be of concern to any thinking person. Mitt Romney will tell you nothing of himself. His wife, Ann gave a speech that was all about i like women, I like Mitt and you should like him too. She talked about this wonderful boy she met in high school. Eating dinner on your 'fold-down ironing board' does not convince me that you have a clue as to how the rest of us live. I don't know a single person who owns a dressage horse. As a matter of fact I know people who purchased homes that did not cost as much as a dressage horse.
In his speech, Paul Ryan was totally dishonest about his record and his ideology. If you want to lie to yourself that is fine. Please do not lie to me. He has no intention of saving Medicare. He has no intention of looking out for all Americans. He is going to look out for the wealthy. And I guarantee you that the vast majority of them will be white. The GOP Platform is against abortion in all cases. So when a young woman you know is raped and impregnated just remember that Ryan considers conception as a result of rape the same as having a baby out of wedlock. Let's remind him of that if one of his daughters, nieces, friends becomes pregnant as a result of a rape. I pray it never happens but if it does, call it karma.
As we prepare to vote think carefully. As a community we are in trouble with regard to jobs and the social agenda of this country.We need a president who will speak up for us. We need our leaders to call the country's leadership to task for allowing an entire group of people to become disenfranchised. But here is the rest. If no one else will stand up for us, we need to be vocal on our own.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
And Now to Start
Even my colleagues were wondering what this was all about. The natural inclination was to assume it is the blog about the project. Well it could be but it is not. This is a blog for all of the women of color who are treated as if we are invisible. It is time for us to be seen.
One of the really tough things about growing up in America in the 50's and 60's was the lack of women of color in the media. For me I can be specific. It was the total lack of seeing black women on television, in magazines, in print ads, anywhere. It was the promotion of a standard of beauty that someone of my complexion could not even hope to attain. It was hurtful; it was demoralizing; it was intentional.
As I have matured I have come to see those days for what they were. We were a nation clinging desperately to a past that made some people feel superior simply because they were white. It felt good to them and the way to make sure it continued was to limit and diminish me as a black woman.
Eleanor Roosevelt said that "no one can make you feel inferior without your consent". That is true but what she missed was the extreme pain caused when you do not feel inferior but are treated as if you are none the less. What really is true is that no one has the capacity to diminish you but you. You can think of me as less; you can treat me as if I am less. But, until I agree to diminish myself, in order to allow you to feel more comfortable, I am not less.
Last year there was great hoopla and consternation about the 'Black Issue' of Vogue Italia. There were even blog comments about how unfair and racist it was to devote an issue to black women and models. It is funny how you never heard those same voices when you had to venture over 150 pages into the magazines before you saw a black woman. Where were those voices when American Vogue had a cover with and LeBron James.
The caption was at the top of their game. Sereena & Venus Williams are at the top of their game. Is Alek Wek not at the top of her game? Is Chanel Iman not at the top of her game? There is never a problem pairing black men with white women. How often do you see that pairing reversed?
Despite all of the gains, there is still an unspoken theory that the standard of beauty is tall, blond, white and thin when it comes to women in the United States. Imagine being a little girl who will never be any of those things and how hard it would be to muster that positive self esteem.
I fortunately lived in a family situation where I was supported, loved and admired. It was the only thing that helped. I faced hostile teachers, hostile peers, hostile employers. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I also faced a pool of black men who had bought into the blond is better hype hook, line and sinker.
Now at 50 something I am determined to make sure that women of color know how truly beautiful we are and that it is not about being 'exotic'. It is about being beautiful without being white. I salute Vogue Italia and its efforts to bring to the forefront the racism in the world of fashion. I challenge editors of fashion magazines to be more responsible and stop asking questions about who is responsible for the dearth of black models in its magazines. They are the editors so ultimately, they are responsible.
And to those few black editors who do sit in the meetings where the content of the magazine is decided, shame on you if you are afraid to speak up. I fault you more than anyone. Beauty comes in all shades from the palest almost translucent skin to the darkest almost blue black skin. Let's define beauty in a way that is attainable by all women. It would be a much happier world and there would be so many more options open for people.
I want to do this blog to invite comment. As we move forward with our fashion project, I want to be inclusive. I want to touch on the issues that are important to all women, including women of color. I need to hear for those who are more mature than I and those who are less mature. I want to know how the portrayal of women of color in the media affects how you see yourself. If it is negative, I want to counteract those negative feelings and stereotype.
So let's not be invisible anymore. Let's get out there and be seen and heard. It is time and we are ready.
On the next post I will chronicle the emergence of black women in the media. I would love to have readers comment on the emergence of Asian women, Latina women, middle eastern women, etc. We all deserve to be visible. And by the way, if men want to comment, be my guest. We'd love to hear from you also. This has the potential to be a truly positive and healing dialogue, world-wide.
Debra
One of the really tough things about growing up in America in the 50's and 60's was the lack of women of color in the media. For me I can be specific. It was the total lack of seeing black women on television, in magazines, in print ads, anywhere. It was the promotion of a standard of beauty that someone of my complexion could not even hope to attain. It was hurtful; it was demoralizing; it was intentional.
As I have matured I have come to see those days for what they were. We were a nation clinging desperately to a past that made some people feel superior simply because they were white. It felt good to them and the way to make sure it continued was to limit and diminish me as a black woman.
Eleanor Roosevelt said that "no one can make you feel inferior without your consent". That is true but what she missed was the extreme pain caused when you do not feel inferior but are treated as if you are none the less. What really is true is that no one has the capacity to diminish you but you. You can think of me as less; you can treat me as if I am less. But, until I agree to diminish myself, in order to allow you to feel more comfortable, I am not less.
Last year there was great hoopla and consternation about the 'Black Issue' of Vogue Italia. There were even blog comments about how unfair and racist it was to devote an issue to black women and models. It is funny how you never heard those same voices when you had to venture over 150 pages into the magazines before you saw a black woman. Where were those voices when American Vogue had a cover with and LeBron James.
The caption was at the top of their game. Sereena & Venus Williams are at the top of their game. Is Alek Wek not at the top of her game? Is Chanel Iman not at the top of her game? There is never a problem pairing black men with white women. How often do you see that pairing reversed?
Despite all of the gains, there is still an unspoken theory that the standard of beauty is tall, blond, white and thin when it comes to women in the United States. Imagine being a little girl who will never be any of those things and how hard it would be to muster that positive self esteem.
I fortunately lived in a family situation where I was supported, loved and admired. It was the only thing that helped. I faced hostile teachers, hostile peers, hostile employers. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, I also faced a pool of black men who had bought into the blond is better hype hook, line and sinker.
Now at 50 something I am determined to make sure that women of color know how truly beautiful we are and that it is not about being 'exotic'. It is about being beautiful without being white. I salute Vogue Italia and its efforts to bring to the forefront the racism in the world of fashion. I challenge editors of fashion magazines to be more responsible and stop asking questions about who is responsible for the dearth of black models in its magazines. They are the editors so ultimately, they are responsible.
And to those few black editors who do sit in the meetings where the content of the magazine is decided, shame on you if you are afraid to speak up. I fault you more than anyone. Beauty comes in all shades from the palest almost translucent skin to the darkest almost blue black skin. Let's define beauty in a way that is attainable by all women. It would be a much happier world and there would be so many more options open for people.
I want to do this blog to invite comment. As we move forward with our fashion project, I want to be inclusive. I want to touch on the issues that are important to all women, including women of color. I need to hear for those who are more mature than I and those who are less mature. I want to know how the portrayal of women of color in the media affects how you see yourself. If it is negative, I want to counteract those negative feelings and stereotype.
So let's not be invisible anymore. Let's get out there and be seen and heard. It is time and we are ready.
On the next post I will chronicle the emergence of black women in the media. I would love to have readers comment on the emergence of Asian women, Latina women, middle eastern women, etc. We all deserve to be visible. And by the way, if men want to comment, be my guest. We'd love to hear from you also. This has the potential to be a truly positive and healing dialogue, world-wide.
Debra
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