Blackface backlash in the Fashion Industry

Caucasian Model Lara Stone painted in full-on blackface for a recent editorial in French Vogue

Does this disturb you? Well according to a slew of US entertainers, fashion folks, intellectuals and everyday folk, it should. For most people, just the image of a white person in blackface/acting or aping a black person is enough to raise their ire.

But for me, it's a big deal, but not THAT big of a deal. What's just plain stupid, however, is that there are loads of gorgeous black models who were denied a job, because the editors of French Vogue chose to paint on blackness, instead of just hiring a black model!

Beyond that blatant point, the issue stops there for me. I refuse to give narrow minded people the benefit and glory by feeling upset that a white person is putting on blackface. In 2009. Really. It just says to me that these folks are obviously mentally stagnant and backward.

As I've said before, growing up in the Caribbean where there are other very, very - did I say very? - harsh societal and economic issues to worry about, and where hardships are real and not 'relative', you don't focus on race, really. It's not to say that there isn't a slew of racial issues in the region, but it's definitely not the main focus, and people generally give attention on other things.

So I was kinda puzzled when folks began to kick up a royal brass about the editors of French Vogue - and even V magazine - doing editorials with white models painted in blackface.

I'm very aware of the negative, mocking racial connotations and the sick tradition of prejudice that it grows out from: who hasn't felt disgust upon watching one of those early vaudevillian stage acts with white actors in blackface, or upon reading one of those books or cartoons with demeaning illustrations of golliwogs and pickaninnys; their faces unnaturally black, their eyes stark white and their lips a vulgar red?

But you know, I've always said, "thank God those early black folks had the spirit to endure and fight through those times, so that I can have some measure of a decent life now." And because they went through that disgusting period, I feel that although I must always remember and be appreciative of what they did, I must also honour them by demanding and doing much better. And by focusing on better images, too.

What do you say?

LMN Harris.

NB Image courtesy French Vogue