I’m all for celebs getting real about what it takes to look as good as they do. Hell, I’ve even been known to enjoy me a little of US Mag’s “They’re Just Like Us!” section because it pokes holes in the perceived perfection of A-listers. What I don’t like, however, is Oscar nominees Octavia Spencer… Continue Reading →
“Elle” makes a mockery of Gabourey Sidibe’s cover girl moment
What do you call a top fashion magazine that features a plus-sized African American actress on its cover? Progressive? Revolutionary? If you’ve read recent Internet reports of Gabourey Sidibe’s October Elle cover, you might call it “racist,” “offensive,” or, as Salon puts it, “a weird fetishization that borders on patronizing.” Allow me to explain. In… Continue Reading →
American Apparel’s Classy-Vintage-Chic-Late ’80s-Early ’90s-Racist-Sexist-High end brand
We’ve talked about American Apparel before. You all know how we feel about the company’s creeptacular history and about how AA ads constantly and consistently make women’s bodies into objects for public consumption. Just when I thought they couldn’t get worse, something new and insidious surfaced. Gawker wrote recently about AA’s looks-based hiring policies, leaking… Continue Reading →
Playing Housewife: Beyoncé in “Why Don’t You Love Me?”
Beyoncé’s new video for her track, “Why Don’t You Love Me?” has been a hot topic of debate recently on a bunch of blogs we read. The clip features Beyoncé as “BB Homemaker,” a character that pokes fun at stereotypical depictions of both the pin-up model and the seemingly-happy-but-secretly-unhappy 1950s/1960s housewife. “Why Don’t You Love… Continue Reading →