Beyonce's Blackface

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Intent to disparage is irrelevant.

Exactly. Besides, what exactly is she supposed to be emulating and glorifying?

Alumiyum, thanks for that explanation. If people do a search engine for ANTM blackface they will find articles like this http://community.livejournal.com/ohn...09.html?page=2. The backlash about ANTM came after Lara Stone had done a photoshoot in "blackface" http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2009/...ara_stone.html

Beyonce's browner skin didn't make her look like Fela Kuti (google image him...LOL) and I don't see "Africa" when I look at her browner face and upper neck. So, I call a FAIL on that end if they are going to pretend that they were clueless as to how random her browner face/neck and yellow chest are.

[knight_shadow]

Beyonce's browner skin didn't make her look like Fela Kuti

Co-sign

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Exactly. Besides, what exactly is she supposed to be emulating and glorifying?

Alumiyum, thanks for that explanation. If people do a search engine for ANTM blackface they will find articles like this http://community.livejournal.com/ohn...09.html?page=2. The backlash about ANTM came after Lara Stone had done a photoshoot in "blackface" http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2009/...ara_stone.html

Beyonce's browner skin didn't make her look like Fela Kuti (google image him...LOL) and I don't see "Africa" when I look at her browner face and upper neck. So, I call a FAIL on that end if they are going to pretend that they were clueless as to how random her browner face/neck and yellow chest are.

I remember the "switch races" episode of ANTM, but I think the makeover with Xiomara is close to this situation:

Real Pic:



Model Pic:



This is an obvious homage to Grace Jones, so I don't see it as sporting blackface (blackbody?), but I remember people being upset about it. I just looked at Lara Stone's spread and didn't find it offensive either. I think that they're playing a specific character and the makeup fits. It's not like they're tap-dancing in a minstrel show.

While I'm not offended by Beyonce, I think it's odd because of 1) the half-makeup and 2) the fact that she doesn't look like the person she's supposed to be paying respects to.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

Model Pic:



This is an obvious homage to Grace Jones, so I don't see it as sporting blackface (blackbody?), but I remember people being upset about it.

I love Grace Jones and that's a kick-ass depiction. A kick-ass depiction in that context is not automatically "blackface" in the historical sense that it is used. However, I also know that it is a thin line. I damn sure wouldn't be as cool with a white model wearing black makeup just because she looks like Grace Jones.

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I just looked at Lara Stone's spread and didn't find it offensive either. I think that they're playing a specific character and the makeup fits.

Her photos were beautiful. Buuuuut, why get Lara Stone's white self to play a specific character when there are nonwhite women who could do it? If a specific character who is of a specific race and ethnicity (which isn't the same as being of a specific skin hue or complexion) is what they wanted.

Oh yeah...they wouldn't be Lara Stone. So...the photographers, et al. probably weren't clueless of the potential pros and cons (blackface was/is an international phenomenon) but perhaps felt the pros outweigh the cons.

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

It's not like they're tap-dancing in a minstrel show.

Blackface was/is not limited to tap-dancing in a minstrel show.

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

While I'm not offended by Beyonce, I think it's odd because of 1) the half-makeup and 2) the fact that she doesn't look like the person she's supposed to be paying respects to.

I call shennanigans and bullshit on Beyonce.

Some things are a FAIL based on outcome and regardless of the intent; and regardless of how cool/funny/awesome/clever/whatever it was when it was thought up. Case in point:

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Some things are a FAIL based on outcome and regardless of the intent; and regardless of how cool/funny/awesome/clever/whatever it was when it was thought up.

This is (a little) more in line with what I was getting at. I'm not saying the photo wasn't a fail because it was, despite the masterpiece of awesomeness it was intended to be. The intent does not change whether or not it's a fail but rather the type of fail it was. This shoot did not in any way reflect the spirit of blackface for me. But it's still a fail for lots of other non-racial yet completely valid reasons that have been listed.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

This shoot did not in any way reflect the spirit of blackface for me.

I see what you mean but I also think that is contingent upon what you consider to be the "spirit of blackface."


http://straightfromthea.com/2007/08/...s-controversy/

Google images has some great blackface photos. Some done tastefully in the world of blackface and some not. The tasteful ones don't appear to be in the "spirit of blackface" if people think blackface requires Sambo and a minstrel show.

I laughed when I saw Robert Downey, Jr's images. LOL. His character was obviously blackface in Tropic Thunder because they were imitating and mocking for a purpose. (That's honest and Tropic Thunder was hilarious. And Downey, Jr. is a hottie.)

Originally Posted by christiangirl

But it's still a fail for lots of other non-racial yet completely valid reasons that have been listed.

When these types of disclaimers are offered, the reasons sometimes boil down to race once you get beyond the surface level. Her photo seems random, her makeup wasn't particularly well down, they kept her chest light, a lightskinned Black woman doesn't need to wear darker makeup to depict Africa...that boils down to race and its correlates, as far as I'm concerned. This wouldn't even be a Blackface topic that needed disclaimers if it had nothing to do with race. Basically, what Ch2tf said.

[Ch2tf]

While I'm not offended by Beyonce, I think it's odd because of 1) the half-makeup.[/QUOTE]

Same here, to say I'm offended would be too strong, but it makes no sense to me that they didn't paint all her exposed areas. Why is her chest lighter? Did she need to remind us and self that she's not really that dark?

I hadn't paid much attention to the controversy till now, but when searching for more info/articles, I came across this statement: "A return to her African roots". Well where the hell did they (the roots) and/or she go" that a return was needed. Last I checked, blackface or not she had African roots that didn't go anywhere.

And psssh to the hommage to Fela Kuti.