America's next top model Creates Stir After 'Bi-Racial' Photo Shoot

[fashionsense]

What do you guys think about this? http://www.accesshollywood.com/ameri..._article_24854

I don't think it was a big deal. And the photos came out beautiful. I know she did something like this a few seasons back, but it had the women with different children of different races. I just think they are thinking outside the box to create art. I don't think any harm was meant.

[Laxplayer]

I don't see anything wrong with it.

[Blueboy1938]

. . . artificial anyway, not only runway modeling but also most runway "collections." Any pretense that either the clothes or the people in them have anything to do with reality is purely coincidental. Models are always in makeup. That they should be in makeup of one particular color tone or another is just marginal theatrics. That anyone should be "offended" by this particular instance of strangeness is ludicrous.

[FrankDC]

Modeling can be an extreme sport:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0eIN...eature=related

[Howard]

I don't see anything racial about it.I mean,women want to portray different races,it had to be part of the shoot.

[Bermuda]

I think this is meant to be "thought provoking" and to change people's perceptions

[eagle2250]

There are those in our society, who are willing to expend whatever energy it takes to find the offense for which they seek! It seems to me that this is an example of such foolishness.

[Mad Hatter]

I remember on the Tracey Ullman Show, she periodically played in blackface. Nobody raised a fuss when it ran.

But in the 21st century, a black woman is the architect of this exercise, and it becomes a fuss? From the looks of things, wait about five years and there will be a lot of bi-racial girls entering modeling.

I think this will be as controversial and as long-debated as the "blended" face of the new Betty Crocker was a few years back. That is to say, a few days.

[ksinc]

Not thought provoking; and not offensive either.

[Pentheos]

Who cares? It's obviously a stunt to drum up interest in her show.

[Sufferable Fob]

Usually when there's "racial controversy" with an image, I expect to see something contrived (like photoshopping in a "multi-racial" constituency).


This seems more like some makeup artists got bored and wanted to show off.


I'm not going to call it "thought-provoking", but I have a low tolerance for "art that tries too blatantly too be intellectual". It's just not my thing and I'm highly biased against it.

[theCardiffGiant]

They were trying to make a link to Barack Obama since they were shooting in Hawaii, and used a Hawaiian term for people of mixed parentage.

It was funny though that one of her convoluted combinations was so inaccurate that she prefaced it by saying something like, "this isn't how they dress today, and it isn't necessarily how they have dressed in the past. This is FASHION interpretation of the culture."

So I watch it with my wife. So what?

[Svenn]

I dunno, if I was African-American I might get a little annoyed if some ditsy model donned black makeup and starting calling herself "exotic" looking as she did. Besides that though, I see no problem. I find it odd that Tyra Banks always claims to be trying to promote 'black beauty' when she herself is about the least black-looking you can get without appearing white. She has gotten some heat for that from black American models who have the more traditional west African appearance.

[Epaminondas]

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

I think this will be as controversial and as long-debated as the "blended" face of the new Betty Crocker was a few years back. That is to say, a few days.

Yeah, well, she's depicted far less attractive than she was in the '80s - I've never got over the let down.

[Sufferable Fob]

There are relatively "ditsy" Asian girls that dress up in a pseudo-American fashion.

I can't say that I'm really offended or bothered by this.

[Svenn]

Originally Posted by Sufferable Fob

There are relatively "ditsy" Asian girls that dress up in a pseudo-American fashion.

I can't say that I'm really offended or bothered by this.

True, but isn't that because we Americans were never subordinated by Asians? If you have that negative history, a patronizing innuendo by the dominant class that enforces the idea of you being the 'other', e.g. by saying they feel 'exotic' when they mimic your skin tone, would make you feel a bit alienated and offended wouldn't it?

[Relayer]

Originally Posted by Svenn

True, but isn't that because we Americans were never subordinated by Asians? If you have that negative history, a patronizing innuendo by the dominant class that enforces the idea of you being the 'other', e.g. by saying they feel 'exotic' when they mimic your skin tone, would make you feel a bit alienated and offended wouldn't it?

I'd say yes, but only if I try really really hard.

Lord knows, in this country we try really really hard all too often.

[Mad Hatter]

Originally Posted by Svenn

True, but isn't that because we Americans were never subordinated by Asians? If you have that negative history, a patronizing innuendo by the dominant class that enforces the idea of you being the 'other', e.g. by saying they feel 'exotic' when they mimic your skin tone, would make you feel a bit alienated and offended wouldn't it?

Some American girls dress like Japanese girls-LoliGoth is a good example, not cosplay. Maybe the Japanese borrowed the individual styles and combined them, but they made it their own with added flourishes.

[Howard]

So why can't women in today's world dress up as a different ethnicity? I'm sure it's ok just as long as it doesn't go as far as it should.

[ksinc]

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/11...y5494649.shtml

[Sufferable Fob]

Originally Posted by Svenn

True, but isn't that because we Americans were never subordinated by Asians? If you have that negative history, a patronizing innuendo by the dominant class that enforces the idea of you being the 'other', e.g. by saying they feel 'exotic' when they mimic your skin tone, would make you feel a bit alienated and offended wouldn't it?

I think it would be interesting to hear from someone who feels offended by this.

On one hand, basically every element of my heritage has faced adversity in some form - we faced genocide, discrimination, revile, being invaded by any nearby nation - and getting kicked out of France when the Revolution came.



However, all that happened a while ago. But, so did a lot of adversity for others. It would be interesting to hear a perspective on how much they feel is still there today.

[Scoundrel]

Looking like your own race will be so in next season.

[Literide]

Originally Posted by Svenn

True, but isn't that because we Americans were never subordinated by Asians? If you have that negative history, a patronizing innuendo by the dominant class that enforces the idea of you being the 'other', e.g. by saying they feel 'exotic' when they mimic your skin tone, would make you feel a bit alienated and offended wouldn't it?

I seem to recall they did try to subordinate us. WWII Pacific Theatre

[Literide]

To the whole topic, Yaawnn

[mombi]

Originally Posted by Howard

I don't see anything racial about it.I mean,women want to portray different races,it had to be part of the shoot.

I think it wasa compliment to the people of mixed races.. If models are trying to impersonate them then they must be trying to be something beautiful. My favorite mixed person has to be Maya Rudolph. I think she is so pretty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys0M9u0wQUA