American Vogue is a flipping joke. That cover they chose was the worst they could possibly choose, not to mention they did the same thing to Jennifer Hudson.

I agree with the posted comments about the “King Kong” aspect, a lot of people don’t know the story behind that movie anyway.

Since black celebs read this blog, remember this. If you ever get a call from Vogue never pose with your mouth open. They will get your ass.

I understood they were trying to do a contrast and show his shape and all but still I feel that cover is racist he really does look King Kong kidnapping a white woman I don’t think whoever chose the cover did it on purpose but still they could of had him in a suit on the cover and left that picture as one of the pictures in the article

vogue was really wrong for that cover….MJ has a good point

Ok I saw this on espn show PTI and I just don’t like the cover. They could have went with the other one. His mouth open like that and she’s all graceful, whatever. I just don’t like how they do African-Americans who happen to grace their covers is all. But I can’t hate on a young brotha making the cover….Vogue just could have went in a different direction is all

Damn theres more?!?!

All i can say is a picture can be interpreted in many different ways……. i’ll leave it at that.

Even Gisele looks better in that other pic…I just don’t even know why they hooked the two of them up together in the first place it just seems awkward, why not just put only Lebron on the cover? Oh well I’m not a subscriber and I don’t buy their mags, so it’s not a big deal to me.

well as I see every one has there own opinion on certain things.n there is no right or wrong about this pic.to be really wit the first thing that came to my mind was “why is he wit that white girl out all the black other athletes”.but people don’t think now days on wat people going to really think.n yea the first pic is not on point but the second kinda is.but this may start gossip like terrel Owens and the other white girl in that one chermercial they shot for football.but the point is nothing really matters no more on what people think its more like let’s go forward on what we want to do.

Vogue has a tendency to make African Americans look less attractive on many of their covers. I have a problem that because Lebron James is the 1st African American male and Athlete to make the cover in their…….116 YEARS history and they chose that tacky cover! That is nothing to jump for joy about my brothers and sisters.

Thank you CL, thank you Thank you!!!!

I think you very well answerd your own question, by sheding more light, and bringing a new perspective to the situation *Aaaaa-ha!!!!

Seeing this leaves No doubt in my mind of the Editor’s intentional desire to place that particular photo as the cover, moreover make it the ‘cover story’. What the desired effect was………Not only that, but you guys unintentionally illustrated(by putting some on blast, sorry Realistic), some’s desire to rationalize, and justify the undefensible, and sometimes the extremes some go to, to do so.

..This is very disturbing to me, because, I more likely than not see this trend among Blacks-it’s this notion of: ‘Black people always complaining, and crying foul, for no damn reason….’we too damn sensitive over every lilttle thing’! Not that I’m accussing anybody in particular, but in my opinion, these are most likely the same people to be ‘Bamboozooled(sp), ‘Hoodwinked’, or ‘Okey doked’…call me a conspiracy theorist, a rabblerousser(sp), or whatever, but the truth is in the pudding! That photo INSIDE the mag, would have been absolutely beautiful, and yet still have maintained its ‘artistic integrity’.
It’s like somemany have said:’If you stand for nothing, you’ll fall for anything’!

Since black celebs read this blog, remember this. If you ever get a call from Vogue never pose with your mouth open. They will get your ass.

Say it again chile lol.

something just doesn’t sit right with this cover. everything looks awkward. the majority of times they have placed a black person on a cover of Vogue, the pictures turn out terrible. remember Jennifer Hudson’s cover?

You really have to take a critical analytical approach to looking at art. For some reason this reminds me of the elections>>> Obama and Clinton. just a thought.

They could have easily had Naomi Campbell or another supermodel beside him so it doesn’t look so racist…or maybe a different pose. just a thought

think those quotes you chose are dead on.

Gisele doesn’t even look all that comfortable in the pics.

Lebron tries way too hard outside of basketball. He should take a q from the 90’s superstar b-ballers. They never appeared in photos, commercials, or tv shows that made them or the product look foolish.

I think he need to hire a real p.r./entertainment agent for such matters.

I like the second picture no doubt, it’s more subtle and gracious.

It’s crazy that Lebron is the 1st African American male and Athlete to make the cover in their…….116 YEARS history and they chose that tacky cover!

THAT J. HUD ONE LOOK DUMB! THAT AINT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS FAULT, JENNIFER JUST DON’T KNOW HOW TO MODEL LMFAO! AND W/ THIS LEBRON ONE… WTF, ITS JUST A PICTURE. IF HE WAS ON THIS COVER ALONE, U WOULD THINK “OH, ITS SHOWING HIS ‘ATHLETIC ABILITY’ OR ‘LOVE FOR BASKETBALL’ , OBVIOUSLY. SO JUST SHUT UP W/ THAT PUTTIN BLACK PPL DOWN SHIT. SHUT UP. I THINK YALL THAT SAID THAT WANT TO BE SLAVES. LMFAO. STUPID.

Lebron looks like a damn gorilla and Gisele looks like a damn fool. Agree with the King Kong comment. Those vogue editors knew exactly what they were doing, I’m sure it wasn’t the first day on the job. The should have gone all the way and shot these pictures at the side of the empire state building.

The other photo…MUCH better. I agree they should of used that one too.

hahahahahhahah It’s just funny, seeing both pics… This is my thing…Either way, they’re playing him… the second would have been better (though the “white” woman literally on his shoulders might have drawn a bit of criticism as well. lol) BUT, I think they didn’t go with it as the cover because it looks more serious. And, that would have been Vogue, playing itself…they chose the other, with his mouth gaping and the basketball and apelike stance (lol) because the second looks far more ridiculous to fashion intelligentsia…it’s like they’re trying to mainstain some semblance of soul… A basketball player in uniform in some serious model pose with Giselle balanced meticulously atop him?? lol ???? To the insiders, it would have gone over way worse than putting the man on the cover in a way more informal shot, with his ball and stance…this way seems irreverent… But, they’re just playing him…using him to move copies and playing him to save face.

#15
Jennifer Hudson is a trained model… If you’ve seen her Avon ads, you’d see… They look VERY professional…

It’s good to know that Lebron made history being on the Vogue cover - BUT - for this momentous, history making ocassion, could they have had him in a suit or flexing his muscles with his basketball without the model? But thinking from a marketing point of view, having a black man on the cover alone would probably affect sales (because “the majority” are still very prejudice like we back in the 1800’s), so they threw a white woman on there to make it a controversial issue so that it would catch people’ s attention and sale through the roof. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

i’m lovin this shoot

All I have to say is this:

The covers were intended to highlight their bodies right?
So what does the actual cover highlight that the second picture doesn’t?
I can see her shape more clearly. His arms are better defined, and you can even view more of a calf muscle. All in the second picture.
Aside from that, on the cover she and the ball look like a prop.
And as a subscriber, they will be getting a letter.

remember vogue is still a high fashion pub, so they are always going to reach out to their target audience regardless of them breaking down barriers. it’s a little unsettling to see so many posts talking about apes and gorillas but i will hold my tongue as everyone is entitled to their own opinion i guess.

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IDK Y they chose this tacky cover! All the king kong stuff aside, the other picture is

just much better and looks more like a cover than the one they chose! Everybody

knows he’s a basketball player so they coulda saved the “cover” shot for the inside of

the magazine. Hell, he has on the same outfit ANYWAY (except for the stitching in

the shirt) and they let her change dresses. I just don’t get it! And looking back on

the J.Hud shoot, I coulda took those pics with my phone. She had already taken

wonderful pics for other magazines and u get to VOGUE (of all mags) and they had

her mouth hangin open in MORE than one pic.. Just WOW @ Vogue.. :smh:

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I agree. I do not care for the cover. I do see the artistic vision that perhaps this photographer could have been making. However, this is VOGUE not Sports Illustrated. Its about looking fabulous.

I feel like when it comes to the way blacks are displayed in the media, we cannot win. There is always going to be someone who is not satisfied. There are going to be Blacks who feel that we are always shown in a negative light or that only light skin or Uncle Tom Blacks are given play in the media.

The best way to solve all of this is to get more Blacks in behind the scene positions in the media.

As a future journalist–I am taking a lead and making it my business to display Blacks positively. That is all there is to it.

yeah i was mentioning to my homegirl the other day that the J.hud cover looked the same. it’s almost like they love to see black people with their mouth wide open, laughing as opposed to a more modelesque, serious look. are white people still afraid of black people? vogue did the same thing to the first black supermodel INSIDE (not on the cover) of vogue Donyale Luna in the 1950’s. They made her look innocent and happy as opposed to “fierce”. the same with Beverly Johnson. When BJ graced the cover of vogue as the first black woman in the august 1974 issue she was smiling, big too…like “hey look at me! see i’m a happy negro!”

Vogue would never be sensitive to any racial stereotyping because Anna Wintour is completely clueless. I’m sure they were falling all over themselves when the photos got back thinking they did something amazing. WAIT until they get the letters pouring in on this one….
Aside from the stereotypical athlete pose and the white woman/Mandingo thing….although technically Gisele Bundchen is a Brazilian woman….despite her smile she looks like she’s trying to escape…..

I’m sure he posed in those clothes to sell his athletic line, but a bad choice by his people even if they want to sell clothes. He could have showed off his beautiful athletic body in a variety of outfits…and I’m personally tired to basketball players always having to pose with a damn basketball! Sheesh…..is that tired or what? I realize a lot of them aren’t mainstream crossover stars, but I’d figure if you’re going to put a black man on a Vogue cover who’s that damn tall, folks will figure it out….

Kobe would have been a better choice, he’s more stylish anyway…..

At first, I thought people were blowing this whole thing out of proportion. However, now that I have learned that it was the same photographer who shot Jennifer Hudson’s picture for the cover of Vogue, I am a bit skeptical. This same photographer made J-Hud look like a monster, and now he Lebron looking like a monster on this cover as well… hmmmm.

I also agree that ppl are making way to much fuzz out of this.
Its just what it is, period.

honestly giselle looks horrible on the cover just like lebron does so why all the comments about how they made him look bad b/c he’s black. vogue US is slipping anyway. besides i think they did the whole black guy/white woman thing to copy french vogue (even though the black guy on french vogue was that guy who wears wigs and dresses but has a beard)

THEN PLEASE EXPLAIN THAT PICTURE. PLEASE.

I dont like this cover nor do i like the j hud cover. Its horrible and I agree 100% with CoCoCoLa.

Note:
( I also cant recall other vogue covers to take notice of how other black celebs’ covers look or what animalistic faces white celebrities have on their vougue covers.)

yall are putting to much thought and don’t know what your talking about at the same time as well you would think with so much thought it would make sense damn

While I can see where a lot of people are concerned with the Vogue cover.. has anyone thought how “racist” it is to assume that Lebron looks like KING KONG. Annie Liewbotiz obviously has become the photographer she is by causing a stir with her photoshoots..

#15 Bamboozooled Central!!

Consider This —
If the inside shot had been the cover, just how much attention do you think it would have gotten?

On this and many other blogs, the cover has proven to do exactly what they intended, bring attention and discussion abour Vogue magazine.

I am wondering how could Labron and his people approve this type of depiction. Has anyone noticed the PowerAid Bottles with Lebron’s face on em? Well, he is there with his tongue sticking out showing green die representing the fact that he drinks the sport beverage. This image has disturbed me, as well as the ones here because I do agree that it is feeding into a stereotype of black males. Also, it seems that with Lebron being clean cut and good hearted, they are trying to undermine his existence and stature by making him stoop to these type advertisements. Dude has plenty money so I just don’t understand why these type advertisements are being used and approved by him and his camp.

this is what black people choose to get upset over????

i thinkk theres 100 other worse things going on,,, but my bad its a celebrity blog,

I still you guys are making too much fuss over a mag cover. You guys can complain all you want but its done. It’s Vogue not Essence, Ebony or Jet. I seriously doubt if they care about your opinions anyway. Would you post the cover if a black person wasn’t on the cover? I mean there’s way too much analyzing going on? So that’s my opinion. If you hate then hate it. It is what it is.

I don’t know how I feel about this cover. This is a business so I am just trying to figure out what market strategy they were trying to accomplish. I don’t get it. This reminds me of the T.O., Nicollete Sheridan commercial with her looking like the little helpless white girl with this mandingo looking brother. Hmmm

38. Yeah, youre on a celebrity blog and there’s a comment section to this article so we coment on this issue, not the hundreds of other things going on. Media has ruined the image of Black folks, even we have a negative view of ourselves, so this is a big issue.

BLACK PEOPLE ALWAYS WANT TO PLAY THE RACE CARD OVER SOME BULLSHIT. GROW UP AND GET A DAMN CLUE. AINT EVER HAPPY WITH SHIT AND ALWAYS WANT TO COMPLAIN LIKE ITS ALL ABOUT YOU. BLACK NEED TO QUIT THAT SHIT ITS RIDICULOUS AND ALL OVER A MAGAZINE COVER THAT MOST LIKELY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WANT YOU GUYS WANT IT TO MEAN. LEBRON AND JENNIFER LIKE IT SO SHUT UP. DAMN I HATE WHEN PEOPLE ALWAYS MAKE EVERYTHING ABOUT RACE. MY CHECK LATE..ITS CAUSE IM BLACK LOL MY PHONE BILL DUE CAUSE MY ANCESTORS WERE SLAVES SMH LOL GET A CLUE PEOPLE

This is tactic used to diminish sales….then they can use it as an excuse not to have more afro-americans on the cover. How many times have we heard that ” when there is a ethnic person on the cover the issue has low sales.” Naybe this would not be an issue if they used a photographer who knew how to photograph afro-americans in a flattering way.

Tha shot is great..I love it.

Big ups to CL for spotlighting my comment! Glad there were no typos! LOL!!

Anywho, I still stand by what I said even though the 2nd pic is a lil bit easier to digest (it’s not as aggressive). I don’t understand the photographer’s artistic direction nor do I understand why Lebron would approve this as the cover (assuming he did approve the cover). And this photographer is well respected and normally does excellent shoots so she def lost me on this one!!

But like a few have said, the cover is bringing attention to Vogue which was probably their intention. And true you can’t see his “shape” in a suit, but that doesn’t negate the fact that they could’ve chosen a different pic for the cover and possibly even Naomi Campbell as his counterpart. Talk about shape!! Or they could’ve done without a sidekick at all. Bottom line: this came out ALL wrong!

I absolute HATE the cover!!!!!

* absolutely

Has anyone ever heard Gisele talk? If you haven’t, don’t. Save your ears the trouble. It’s like listening to nails scratching on a chalkboard.

oh god !!! black ppl calm the fuck down. How come we think every single thing is racist?? If we learn to love ourselves then we won’t have to jump to conclusions.

and besides, gisele is not white…she’s brazillian.

as for the cover, it’s just ugly and taky…he shouldnt have done that pose. He had full control over that one

Great woman. I like her

@42…..Looka here Ms. Mixed Ma,——Black people have fought and died for us to have alot of the rights we have today. So, if it looks as if we’re a little BENT OUTTA SHAPE, it’s because we want our people to be presented in the BEST light. Not mediocre, half-assed,reminding us of the shuck n jive shit, the “Yessir Boss, I is rite here,Boss. Not to mention us being beat to death when we forget who’s SUPERIOR. So be it, “Mixed feelings”, Mixed Blood”, or just plain ole “Mixed up!” WE… who know better have earned the right to expect, Bigger, Better and Best. Besides, it is one way to honour those who’ve paved the way. Got that?!!!

This criticism is NOT out of proportion. Image is very powerful people, it affects the subconscious tremendously. If you see a picture of a black person in an “ape like” pose…sooner or later your going to connect black people with….APES! This is what they have been doing for soo long. Dont get mad when we point it out! Look at what this kind of thing has done to the psyche of black people, not just in this country, but all over the world.

And, Gisellle is white, even though shes Brazillian

…yea im not feelin the pics either. no fault of lebrons or gisele, just the photographer and his “vision”

CLEVELAND ALLLLLL DAY
216

*or her

Lemme play devils advocate and say, when choosing cover, u def. wanna choose somethign that stands out. its gotta be an arresting image thst stpps people in their tracks. I think tha cover they used just that.

personally, i think it does give into stereotypes though

I have to agree the photos are not working at all. Get at me next time I will show you how to do this.

#38. THANK YOU.

Side Note: Giselle is not white.

THIS VOGUE COVER IS THE REASON WHY I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER VOGUE MAGAZINE

I READ A STATISTIC THAT STATES THAT 70% OF BLACK WOMEN ARE UN PARTNERED OR UNMARRIED.

ITS COVERS LIKE THIS ONE THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THIS EPIDEMIC OF SINGLE BLACK HOUSEHOLDS.

WHY IS THAT DARK SKINNED BLACK WOMEN ARE LEFT OUT OF MAJOR MEDIA?

BECAUSE THE MONEY IS IN EXCLUSION AND NOT INCLUSION.

OUR COMMUNITY AND FAMILY VIABILITY IS BEING TARGETED BY THE MASS MEDIA AND US BLACK PEOPLE ARE SUPPORTING THESE ATTACKS BY REINFORCING AGE OLD STEREOTYPES.

THERE ARE MILLIONS OF LITTLE BLACK BOYS WHO WANT TO BE JUST LIKE LEBRON JAMES. IF THEY SEE HIM PROMOTED IN THIS MANNER WITH A NON BLACK WOMAN, THEY WILL DESIRE NON BLACK WOMEN. CHILDREN DO WHAT THEY SEE THEIR ROLE MODELS DO.

THE MEDIA CIRCUITS USE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS PLAYERS AND ENTERTAINERS BECAUSE THEY ARE TARGETING THE YOUTH.

THE SAME THING HOLDS FOR THE RAP VIDEOS WITH NON BLACK OR STRICTLY LIGHT SKINNED WOMEN.

AMERICA IS PSYCHOLOGICALLY BRAINWASHING BLACK BOYS AND MEN AGAINST THEIR OWN WOMEN.

WHEN JUVENILE’S DAUGHTER, HER SISTER, AND BABY’S MOTHER WERE KILLED BY THEIR BLACK MALE BROTHER AND SON, MY HEART DROPPED BECAUSE THIS SYMBOLICALLY REPRESENTS THE END RESULT OF THIS TYPE OF BRAINWASHING.

I UNDERSTAND THAT LEBRON IS TRYING TO BE THE FIRST BLACK BILLIONAIRE IN THE NBA BUT WE GOTTA PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM THESE KINDS OF IMAGES.

OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY SHOULD NOT BE SACRIFICED FOR ONE MAN’S DREAM OF BECOMING A BILLIONAIRE.

WE GOTTA OPERATE LIKE A UNIT AND STOP WORSHIPING INDIVIDUAL MILLIONAIRES WHO DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE HOOD OR THE MAJORITY.

IF WE DONT, WE WILL BE EXTINCT IN AMERICA

Giselle’s parents are from Germany…she looks white…SHES WHITE!

#52

I NOTICED YOU DRAGGED WHITNEY HOUSTON’S NAME THROUGH THE MUD BUT YET YOU CALL A WOMAN WITH EUROPEAN FEATURES DANGLING ON A BLACK MAN’S HIP “GREAT”

(NOTHING AGAINST GISELLE BUT THIS REALLY ISNT ABOUT HER)

IM CURIOUS TO KNOW ARE YOU BLACK?

AND IF SO ARE YOU MALE OR FEMALE?

I ain’t gon’ even front — when I first saw those pics, the first thing that came to mind was King Kong for some reason!

#40 MEGAN

I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ARE CONFUSED

ITS VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT AND INTERPRET SUBLIMINAL ATTACKS AGAINST YOURSELF- ESPECIALLY WHEN YOUR OWN PEOPLE HELP EXECUTE THEM.

BLACK WOMEN ARE PUT IN A VERY TIGHT SITUATION BECAUSE WE ARE SINGLED OUT, BERATED, AND EXCLUDED BY THE VERY MEN WE WISH TO LOVE AND SUPPORT

I THINK BARACK OBAMA WINNING THIS ELECTION WILL DO WONDERS IN REVERSING ALOT OF THIS MEDIA BRAINWASHING BECAUSE HE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A STRONG, INTELLIGENT, HARD WORKING, SUCCESSFUL BLACK MAN.

HIM WINNING THE PRESIDENCY WILL WORK WONDERS IN REVERSING THE DAMAGE THAT SO MANY OF OUR MEN IN THE PUBLIC EYE HAVE HELPED ESTABLISH

THE FACT THAT BARACK ISNT AN ATHLETE, RAPPER, OR ENTERTAINER WILL ALSO HELP GIVE OUR YOUNG BOYS SOMETHING OTHER THAN SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT TO ASCRIBE FOR.

THEY CAN NOW ASCRIBE TO BE INTELLECTUALS WHO WORK HARD ACADEMICALLY AND MAKE HISTORY WITH A STRONG BLACK WOMAN BY THEIR SIDE

THIS ALONE IS WHY IM VOTING FOR OBAMA

AND I THINK YOUR PICTURE IS ADORABLE LIL SIS

CHECK OUT THESE 2 SITES WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE

http://whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com/
BLACKWOMENVOTE.COM

OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND NOW THAT I LOOK AT THE SECOND PICTURE, I ACTUALLY THINK ITS WORSE THAN THE COVER

THE SUBLIMINALS ARE JUST RIDICULOUS

FIRST OFF, GISELLE IS WEARING A WHITE DRESS WHICH SYMBOLIZES PURITY

SECOND, SHES PROPPED ON HIS SHOULDER LIKE A TROPHY

THIS PROMOTES THE “TROPHY” WIFE IMAGE

THIRD, LOOK AT LEBRON’S FACIAL EXPRESSION

GRANTED- AT LEAST HIS MOUTH IS CLOSED THIS TIME BUT HE STILL LOOKS LIKE HE’S ON SOME “LOOK WHAT I GOT”

THIS IS HIGHLY SUSPECT

ANDRE LEON NEEDS TO PUT IN HIS 2 WEEKS NOTICE BECAUSE THIS CERTAINLY PROVES THAT HE IS NOT RESPECTED BY THE WHITE WOMEN AT VOGUE MAGAZINE

“AND WHEN YOU TURN YOUR BACK, THEY’RE LAUGHING AT YOU”

I don’t have an issue (a big issue anyway) with a black man and white woman on the cover together. I have an issue with the “artistic” direction of the cover. It could’ve been more tasteful but as usual they went in the same racist direction. As a photographer Im sure that he/she could’ve thought of dozens of poses that would make them both stand out in their respective celebrity roles , but instead the photographer took the easy, predictable, stereotypical, and superficial way out. It lacks an artistic approach altogether. Hell, i could’ve been the photographer if that was the case. I don’t know if it was consciously or unconsciously motivated but that just goes to show what was going on in the photographer’s head as well as VOGUE’s.

I agree with #61 as well as others on here. I’m happy for the brother and the well-deserved shine that he is getting, but the cover was not done in good taste and it does nothing for minimizing the stereotypes and bias that we are already trying to still overcome. It can’t be all about self, at some point you have to do what is right for the people as a whole. He’s has enough power to say “no, I rather pose this way” or” I’d rather take another direction with this shoot”. Instead he said nothing and that just goes to show what’s in his head as well. It wasn’t too long ago when brothers were hangin from a tree on any given Sunday… and we aren’t too far removed.

At the end of the day though we have control over our thoughts and how we perceive things. Black parents, teachers, pastors, and those in the community have the power and the responsibility of teaching our kids their history. If they knew their history then a lot of soul selling wouldn’t be happening and it would take more than a magazine and other psychological outlets to push black men and women further apart (among other things that are hurting the black community). The fight isn’t over, it just took on a different form. Racism and stereotypes still persists today, it’s just displayed in different ways now. This goes for all of us no matter what educational and income level ur on. It doesn’t matter what we acquired and achieved, we all still feel and experience racism one way or another. This is not the time to get comfortable by doing bafoonery poses on VOGUE covers such as this one. Now that we can all sit in the front of the bus, let’s now work on the images we allow to be projected of us and being conscious about the impact it has on us all. The fight isn’t over…it just begun.

DONT ADDRESS ME WITH SHIT I SPOKE WAT I FELT AND YOUR INSECURE COMMENTS DONT MATTER TO ME. LIKE I SAID PEOPLE READING “WAY” TOO MUCH INTO THIS ITS PURE IGNORANCE. BLACK PEOPLE WILL RATHER RANT AND RAVE ABOUT A MAGAZINE COVER THAN SHIT THATS ACTUALLY MEANINGFUL. IGNORANCE AT ITS BEST.

All yall are funny..

LeBron is the one who posed like that, in that lady studio..Haha..He knew that lady was taking his picture and he was actin a real monkey. So whatever, i am not getting riled up over this one.

Damn look at Gisele, she’s just out shinning Lebron. Sexy.

Who wants to see his big ghetto ass on the Vogue cover.

OOk at first I didn’t see nothing wrong with the pic b/c it Lebron’s style and Giselle’s a model I can see the contrast between the two to agree with the last person…
But now that I see the same person shot Jenn Hudson and I see the resemblence in the animalistic way…

That’s what made me raise my eyebrow…but we’ll see what this person does the next time they shoot a black person.

I can understand the arguments from both ends. I can see the artistic side of yet there was no reason they couldn’t choose naomi campbell, tyra, iman, eva, yaya, or even hispanic supermodels for this shot. It’s almost like I’ll give you some but I refuse to give you all type of thing. Giselle is not the only supermodel out there that is famous. Her body is also not as shapely as people keep trying to make it out to be.

If any male athlete was chosen for the cover, it would look the same way, but they wanted to choose a male athlete and chose not to let race be a factor in choosing him. Giselle is a model, she is suppose to look graceful. Lebron is a basketball player, he is suppose have a rough demeanor in comparison to her and thats what made it work. If it was Tyra she would be on the cover looking graceful too. Thats how you get people’s attention with a magazine cover. If anything I think we are still blind with still calling black people with african physical attributes ugly. Thats us doing that. Those black folks with small lips and small noses and any other historically caucasian are called gorgeous by us. Not that they are not, but thats what ya’ll have excepted as the look of beauty.

They wanted it to look like this aggressive, athletic black man is estatic that he’s got himself a white woman!

so….what you’re saying is that you guys think labron looks like a monkey. that’s what i’m hearing. would this be an issue if that was yao ming making the same face? or would it be godzilla and the white woman? how about her boyfriend tom brady? come on…labron makes the same face when he’s slamming the ball through the hoop and nobody complains that he’s hanging off the rim like king kong on the empire state building. they take pictures of that that people put on their walls….POSTERIZED!

ok so if you prefer the second one then i could argue “why does the white woman have to be standing above a brotha and leaning on him like he’s property? And is she wearing a white dress to make her even more white?”

and BTW as pale as she is, giselle is brazilian by the way….if that makes anybody feel any better.

if they put him on the cover with a black woman i could say “so they can’t have him on the cover with white people? they still have to keep up separated? they want people to think this is the Black Vogue issue or something?”

everyone is letting their subconscious get the best of them here. yes there is still racism, but we try so hard to find it sometimes and put it where it was not intended. if we can’t stop being so racially sensitive when will everyone else? i’m not saying just take whatever they give us like “oh lawdy thank you Jesus they be lettin us po negroes on the cover of a picture book.” but do we really have to make an issue out of EVERYTHING! there are so many other bigger fights to be fighting. we have enough REAL problems within our own society to make up some problems with a magazine cover.

and i saw the j-hud pic. i think she looks like chaka khan…not an animal. i think you’re letting your OWN race issues and subconscious get the best of you.

obama ‘08….and then again in 2012.

y didn’t they choose the second pic. THAT ONE IS MUCH BETTER.

Even today I just can’t stop laughing! I mean, it’s upsetting…but, really??? I saw the behind the scenes video of the shoot and he was absolutely 100% taking direction… He was like some little uncomfortable child doing everything he was told to do, including dancing with Giselle in this sort of chaotic ballroom style, beaming as she roared in laughter… He wasn’t in blackface, though… I don’t know why he wasn’t because it definitely looked like a minstrel show…
BUT I think this comes down to his being a kid with 0 life experience OR maybe being overly ambitious…Maybe this was his attempt at self-promotion… He’s made history, alright…

We may be reading too much into what went into the choosing of the cover, however I agree they could have allowed one of tne most sought after, dynamic players in the game since “The Air” to be a little bit more debonair that this I mean its Vogue for goodness sakes!!

The cover is TERRIBLE. Both of them look awful, they should’v chosen the other picture. However, I think alot of you are over analyzing it. It was, like other said, meant to be a contrast between a fashion model and the aggressive attitude of a sports player (as in an aggressive determination, not an aggressive personality). You could say it looks like King Kong rescuing a woman but that’s what you get from it, I don’t belive it was shot with that intention.

I didn’t even consider anything about the colour of either of their skin untill I started reading these comments, I thought it was just meant to be a contrast and then I thought what a terrible cover it was. I think you all need to stop associating everything you see with the colour of our skin.

Oh and I agree with Nakia. If they had put LeBron with a black model there would still be people saying ”What? we’re not good enough to pose with white people?”
I think everyone needs to take a step back and realise that not everything has racial intentions.

I canNOT take some of these comments seriously…

Honestly, READ yall. It’s the SHAPE issue of VOGUE. I believe the tag line was: “Secrets of the Best Bodies: Gisele & LeBron + the World’s Top Models and Star Athletes.” ALL the other articles referenced on the cover are about appreciating, perfecting, and accentuating the human form.

The shot used for the cover plays on how and why those two are in the shape they’re in. Gisele has to stay pretty and have one of the world’s best bodies to make her living (thus: stand there in this dress that shows your curves, be cute, don’t talk), whereas LeBron puts food on his table by being a beast on the court (hence: you don’t have curves, so show your biceps and calves, hold this ball, and show us the same on-court aggression that got you the biceps and the calves).

::shrug:: When you think about it, his picture SHOULD scream “beast,” and artistically the contrast chemistry is great.

And another note on the fight against ignorance: do you really think that with her features and a name like Gisele Caroline Nonnenmacher Bündchen this woman is WHITE?! Take off extra points if you’ve ever heard her speak…

Besides, coulda been worse, right? Ya boy coulda been shirtless.

^Obviously most these people didn’t consider the fact that she’s brazilian. If there had been a dark skinned brazilian this would not be an issue but just because her skin is lighter..it’s an outrage they got him posing with a white woman!

It goes to show two things:
1. Most the of the people that commented are extremely short sighted. Especially the person who said ”She’s brazillian but she’s still white”
1. IT’S JUST A SKIN COLOUR. They’re both people, they both have a right to be posing with each other, the only thing that’s different between these people right now is their skin colour and their culture, why is it such a big deal that they’re on a cover together?

Everybodys complaining about how bad LeBron looks on the cover but Gisele ass look hella shitty too. She looked coked out and like she having a stroke. wth is up with all those veins in her neck and her awkward ass pose and face…. the whole cover sucks from LeBrons wack ass pose to her wack ass face. Scrap it.

#83 and #85
As I said in the other post, the playing on opposites is too simple an idea for a publication like Vogue. It’s too simple an idea for any publication, actually but they definitely wouldn’t be so backward thinking. This is the thing…I think they knew the idea was a horrible stretch, the proverbial jumping of the shark BUT they couldn’t resist throwing their hats into the celebrity pool. So, like US Weekly, People, Star and all the other garden variety fluff, they used celebrities who would generate attention/move copies. But, because the second picture would have seemed a ridiculous attempt at serious pulling off a VOGUE COVER featuring LEBRON JAMES, they went with the shot of him appearing in motion, grimacing with the basketball and hooking Giselle’s waist as if he were at once rescuing her and fending off opponents on the court.. This cover is a way of seeming irreverent, a way of saying FUCC YOU to the MANY insiders who will shred this whole thing… It’s like making fun of yourself before someone else can… They wanted the money and the attention of the celebrity-obsessed, but not necessarily fashion-obsessed public, BUT they wanted to preemptively defend themselves against what they knew would be ridicule from the fashion world. And, I think it was sort of inadvertently racist, having him pose that way and going with that shot. Though, as I said, I saw a video of the photoshoot and everything he did was pretty stereotypical…but I think that was inadvertent, too…I think there was absolutely nothing to do with Lebron, nothing Vogue could really do with him but play up the strong man/athlete perspective…It’s just a racist thing to do, to always do to a black man…it’s phallic and ominous, really…but, they were being insincere from jump, so it all ended badly.

Ignorance isnt cool people. Yes, there is a tendency for people from Brazil to be mixed with African as well as Indian ancestry. BUT, this is not always the case. There is a region in Brazil with people of pure European heritage. Giselle is one of those people..in fact both her parents are German. Meaning, white!

whats all the hype about maybe im lost …. i see a beautiful top model and a top nba lpayer so wats the problem lololol

I just think the editor for Vogue magazine has a lot to answer for, as that is the person who chooses what pictures are used for the final print

I hate when people are to quick to justify WRONG doings. In some instances I do believe the RACE issue does not exist. However, in order for me to agree with this notion, for each instance I have to weigh the facts based on HISTORY….

1) The history of Vogue…. what has Vogue done in the past? Is it currently happening? Well, most likely, there is good reason to suspect something isn’t legit.

2) People kill me when they say who is WHITE vs. who is NON- White…. Well, people please research your history….

a) Brazilians can be “White” or “Non White”
b) Puerto Rican’s can be “White” or “Non White”
c) Cubans can be “White” or “Non White”
d) Americans can be “White” or “Non White”
and the list goes on….ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME???

3) The photo shoot was taste-less…
4) RACISM still exists…and it is just as strong as it was in the past…ONLY difference is it is MORE HIDDEN…..MORE HIDDEN….MORE HIDDEN…..RACISM will never be abandoned in the world… It is the strongest divider of ALL Races of People, and of all CULTURES….So, look at this way…THERE WILL BE NO END TO WHAT SOME MAY CALL COMPLAINING…I choose to call it what it is….INJUSTICE of EQUALITY…

People, please read up on your history. Once you’re more aware of your history; you become more tolerant of your plight as well as others in this world.

This totally a beauty and the beast thing….I hate the cover. So, stereotypical…

Vogue took the behind the scense video of this shoot. tells you a lot right there…

@ LisaLisa — Race in Brasil is complicated… most everyone is biracial somewhere down the line regardless of physical appearance. So she’s not white.

Giselle is a White Brazilian

Giselle’s parents are German. Her family is WHITE.

I agree with the Racist King Kong observation.

I’m so over tired-ass American Vogue. Completely irrelevant to me and so many others who refuse to patronize, too much subliminal white supremist bullshit in white fashion mags.

Many of the people commenting on this post are morons. I say that with sadness, yet unapologetically, because I won’t go with “ignorant” just for the sake of selecting the word with the “safer” connotation. No matter how often the two are treated as interchangeable, they aren’t. Ignorance is lack of knowledge or information; there are many things I am ignorant of, and I always welcome the opportunity to be educated. Stupidity, however, is the lack of intelligence or common sense.

I cannot believe how many people refuse - REFUSE - to be an example of the non-racism they profess to espouse. Here people are, INFORMING you that Gisele is NOT White (an attempt to remove ignorance), and instead of applying knowledge you already have, i.e. a life of “hyphenated” ethnicity, you cling to the same views you had when you were uninformed (lack of desire to improve upon one’s base of knowledge = stupidity). Her parents (#88) and the vast majority of the people in her hometown are of German DESCENT.

I’d be hard pressed to find any one of you who is of purely African descent. Her last name is Bündchen the same way yours might be Jones. Her eyes are blue the same way yours might be green. Amerie’s last name is Rogers. Are her eyes any less slanted, her hair any less straighter, jet blacker, or longer (until a couple weeks ago)?

[...] Concrete Loop weighs in and so does Sandra [...]

If Vogue used the 2nd image, where would the cover lines and the Vogue banner go? From a design perspective, the 2nd shot isn’t viable because you’d have to crop Lebron at the knees or higher, so he’d be barely peeking out from the bottom of the cover. Giselle’s head would then be sticking up in the middle of the Vogue banner. Visually it would be a disaster. They probably had a dozens of shots to choose from, and possibly tested three with online focus groups before settling on this one.

The good news is that people are talking about it, which will surely increase newsstand sales, and that’s the entire point of the cover after all.

Damn EVERYBODY on the net AGREES… that cover is RACIST as hell. But WTF can you expect from VOGUE… they did the SAME shiznit to Jennifer Hudson!

I don’t have a problem with the racial composition of the cover. It’s 2,008 years after the birth of Christ, if we haven’t evolved to a point that two different minorities can’t share a cover then we are fizucked…..That said, remember that the magazine industry is in a scramble to make their heydey money and one of the best selling magazines of last year was “Time” magazine’s ‘Exercise & The Brain’ issue with a woman smiling and sprawled on an exercise ball. I think Annie Leibovitz is iconic and earned her stripes but is getting soft—perhaps those lame ‘Vanity Fair’ yearbook-style spreads where you have to make Jude Law look ‘hot’ or ‘rakish’ or whatever. Lebron doesn’t look like an ‘ape’ to me–he just looks like he got slipped a mickey and no one told him to look at the camera. It’s just not a flattering shot. Shaq could have killed it! ……Loving this discussion, can’t wait until ‘Meet The Browns’ comes out and we see if it raises any racial ire, re: ebonics and black slapstick. I’ll check back! Peace and love y’all….I.D.

Check out this blog post about the vogue cover as well…

http://evilbeetgossip.fil...es-on-the-cover-of-vogue/

I think it’s offensive that some people are saying Lebron looks like an Ape…I wonder if people would be speaking that King Kong mess if that was Melo or Kobe on there??? and yea they could have found an African American but a Giselle is the business…how many of yall read Vouge anyway?? i swear Giselle is all over that magazine…b/c she is a great model…one of the best and Tyra and Iman are doing other ventures so they don’t model as much and dont need to…Eva is wayyy too short for this shoot…and Giselle is not even white she’s hispanic, so what is the big deal??? America really does have race issues and it’s really sad…instead of over analyzing shit people need to stop thinking about color and just see people as people…not black people, white people …asians… indian… etc..

Uh-oh! glad to get some love from Angel. I’ve already commented so I’m done with this mess…I will say however, that we have to get our voices heard if we want change.

I emailed VOGUE and posted on their comment board. Y’all should hit them up if you really want to see something different.

Hit them up here: talkingback@vogue.com

I really don’t think this picuture should be made as a big of a deal as some people do! I mean come on seriously let it go with some of the comments. Is just a picutre that they wanted to do and if it would of been a bad one then the photographer wouldn’t obviously ditributed and put it out in the open like that

Get it concrete loop they had you on Today this morning! I also like how you pulled the notable comments.

[...] Links: - Is the Vogue Cover racist (video link) - COMMENT SPOTLIGHT: LEBRON & THE VOGUE COVER (link) - Is Vogue’s “LeBron Kong” Cover Offensive? [...]

I came here after catching “The View’ this morning, which sucked. I just started to read the comments, but I HAVE to say - that other picture looks pretty racially motivated to me as well!! It is certainly more elegant, but for god’s sake, she’s wearing WHITE, he’s wearing BLACK (subtlety is NOT Annie Leibowitz’ game), Giselle is standing over him, while he’s gripping her knees, looking VERY subservient. White woman with power over the black man. I’m an art historian, and believe me, THAT is the message. Both images are racist. Leibowitz is a hack.

Ok, done reading comments. I want to say also that for all you who say “it’s just a picture”, you do yourselves a disservice when you dismiss it. Pictures are composed and planned, just like comments or literature. If someone made a veiled “king kong” reference in conversation, I’m sure you wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss it, nor accuse those who noticed it of racism themselves. Visual references exist, and even cheesy hacks like Leibowitz are professionals and visually literate, so are VERY aware of what they’re doing. I’m not saying everyone needs to be persoanlly offended, that’s up to you, but what’s going on SHOULD be recognized.
god bless.

So… anger over a cover for a mag that wouldn’t COULDN’T exist if women were happy with themselves and their bodies, a magazine that regularly features half-nude, underage models made up to look like Holocaust victims, shilling fur, blood diamonds and thousands of dollars in near-useless designer goods made by slave laborers. Pick your battles, I guess…?

[...] Vogue is getting flack for their recent cover of LeBron & Gisele. In the April Issue, Vogue does a pictorial of [...]

Until Vogue, Lebron, Gisele, and anybody else with a shit load of cash decides to write me in on their fortune I could care less who, how or why an image graces a magazine cover. Get real folks.

How can anyone black fix their minds and mouths to holler offense to this? Look at a rap video, you love and support the hell out of those entertainers and they make black women look like human sex toys all day! But you wanna holler because a black dude got his arm wrapped around a white woman? This is outrageous. I don’t see hordes of black folk crying ‘offense’ to the imminent amount of black ass and boobs on TV and all the negative, derogatory and defaming lyrics of our own people. Why not boycott that mess that is Flavor of Love. One of the only reality shows that has a damn near full cast of black women every season and those girls on there are absolutely insanely ignorant and belligerent and whether you like it or not DO represent how ‘others’ see black women as generally behaving. Its sad how we pick and choose our battles. Vogue and anyone else should continue to insult black people, because we do it to ourselves.

[...] and other bloggers, like Concrete Loop, make the argument that African-Americans have long been photographed like they are animals or [...]

Lebron being on the cover in this manner is no different than Halle winning an oscar for being a whore and denzel winning one for being a gangster..its not the first time we’ve been portrayed this way and it certainly won’t be the last…just like winning an oscar was a big deal for our history, lebron gracing the cover is a big deal, but at what expense do we want to be recognized

This cover is not offensive whatsoever! This cover is capturing a top basketball player and a top model doing what they do. Him bouncing a basketball and looking pumped for a game, and her looking beautiful and glamorous. Many wonder why they didn’t use the other pictures for the cover. Well, my best guess is because he’s not a model. Why would you make the cover of a popular magazine of a basketball player pretending to be something he’s not? I mean he pulled it off in those pictures but that’s not who he is. He makes money by playing basketball, so don’t you think that should be what he’s doing on the cover. Others also say, “He’s got this good ole prize, a white woman on his arm.” To that I say WHATEVER!! If LeBron didn’t have his arm around Gisele they wouldn’t look like they should have been in the same picture. In other words, it would have looked funny. This picture is amazing. LeBron doesn’t look like an ape. I wouldn’t have even have thought about that unless I had heard it from someone or read it, and even so it’s not true. I don’t think Vogue just decided one day they wanted to insult the black community. I just don’t think that is what they strive for. So just get over it and accept this picture for what it is, a brilliant and beautiful cover.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Image is everything.

All those that can not see ANYTHING wrong with this picture, do NOT know the meaning of the word SUBTLE.
kmt @ Nakia, Em, Msblacknasty1, and all other airheaded people that c nothing wrong with this pic

For those of u who say giselle isnt white, is she then a negro or a mongolid??? Blind fools, white is a SKIN colour NOT a nationality.

I read about this yesterday on a Swedish blog, and a couple of hours later I passed Coca-Cola Company’s ad campaign for Coke Zero with a black woman on all four beside a black panther (speaking of black savages). I asked Coca Cola if this campaign ran in the US, and the answer was of course no. I’m thinking that it’s not a coincidence that the woman in the Coke Zero campaign is black ….

If you want to see an image of the campaign, I’ve got it on my blog (the post is in Swedish, but the image speaks it’s own language)

I’ll try this one more time…. though it’s a bit annoying that the moderators felt the need to filter-out my previous post from Weds evening.

If you’re looking for the source of Annie Liebowitz’s inspiration for the Vogue cover photo, just check-out this WWI era (!1917) US military recruitment propaganda poster.

http://www.digitaldesk.or...aganda/destroy_brute.html

I don’t think any person could reasonably argue otherwise.

Here’s a side-by-side photo, for easier comparison…

http://home.comcast.net/~...n/du/lebron_as_brute2.jpg

I only wonder who was “in” on the concept. Was Liebowitz aware of the original, or was the idea given to her? Were LeBron and Giselle tipped to the original, or were they unwitting subjects? W.T.F. was Annie Liebowitz thinking?

[...] Concrete Loop has posted the alternate cover that they didn’t go with. Radar Magazine says: “While no one questions the historical importance of James’ cover appearance–he’s the first black man ever to be so featured–word in the black blogosphere is that the cover plays into the old stereotype of the black man as a savage in search of a prized white woman. Some have gone so far as to say it evokes the dreaded imagery of King Kong and question the choice of photo when a less highly-charged alternative was available.” This post was written by amaka [...]

[...] before I say much, here’s an image, linked from http://concreteloop.com/2...ht-lebron-the-vogue-cover (interesting mix of comments there, btw… well worth your time to [...]

It’s obvious from reading many of these comments that very few of these people are familiar with Annie Leibowitz’s work as a photographer. She has photographed many of the most famous celebrities in the world (black, white, asian, etc) and has very often brought about controversy in the resulting images.
You also have to consider what the article is about. It is their SHAPE issue. They are contrasting the power and intensity of the athletes (not just LeBron) with the sensual, lithe and glamorous models. If they posed LeBron (or some white, hispanic, asian, black athlete) in a very clean, elegant suit all cleaned up and looking pretty (as has been suggested) posing with the beautiful (white, hispanic, black, asian) supermodel in a beautiful gown, then people wouldn’t be interested in seeing what the story is about. No one would go out of their way to buy the magazine.
News Flash!! Magazines (especially Vogue) are in the business of selling lots of magazines!!
SO, athlete in suit, standing up straight and tall posing with supermodel standing straight and tall, does not sell the idea of shape.
LeBron James posing in his ’signature’ brand athletic apparel showing his power, his great strength, his imposing stature (the guy is 6′9″ tall - he is huge and imposing regardless of how he is dressed), showing his ‘best’ game face. Sports is all about psyching out your oponent (I know that I would be intimidated if I was squaring off on the court with a guy that size). He pulls this off very well. The second image he just looks like a mild and meak black man wearing athletic clothes.
Gisele is showing her ‘game face’ just as much as LeBron. You have a top athlete and a top model showing off their best ‘game faces’.
I’m sorry, but as a photographer, that second image just lacks in so many ways to hit the intended subject matter of the article. Fashion photography, like so much of the fashion industry, is an exageration of reality. Just look at any high fashion runway pictures you’ve seen. How many of these clothes have you seen women (or even men) wearing in your workplaces, or clubs, walking the streets?
Controversy draws attention, sells magazines, newspapers, books, clothes, shoes, coffee, anything.
Does LeBron look like King Kong snatching up a timid and scared Faye Wray? When I first looked at the cover, I thought “WOW, what in intense photo!” Great contrast of power and grace, light and dark skin tones. Not what I’m used to seeing on Vogue. Seeing the cover story tag stating that it was the shape issue and paring super athletes with super models - I thought “well done”, it works. Not a great image stylistically, not Liebowitz’s best, but it works. Then I read about the controversy and after being ‘told’ by the media hype that I was supposed to see “King Kong and Faye Wray”, then I could start to see the analogy. Yeah, there are similarities in the poses and the skin contrasts and sizes differences between the characters. Now, if they showed a big white athlete dressed the same way, posing in a similarly powerful, intimidating way, would we be sitting here hashing out this debate ad nauseum? I doubt it. I’m sure it wouldn’t even register the slightest ripple in the media. Not controversial enough, can’t find anything negative to raise peoples hackels over.
So, from a magazine editorial standpoint, this cover is highly successful. Annie Liebowitz does it again. Another 3 pointer from half court at the buzzer.

The short of the long here is that too many people are so hypersensitive about too many things and have to go out of their way to get pissed about something/everything and has to make sure the rest of us know that we are supposed to be pissed about it as well. And if we aren’t then we are being racist, sexist, religionist, faschist, insensitive, or what ever.
There is after all only ONE RACE - the HUMAN RACE (like it or not, we all evolved from one African tribe (evolutionist theory) or one man/woman (creationist theory). We are all related, we just look and act different from one another.
GET A LIFE PEOPLE!! Lighten up and smile life can be a wonderful experience if you allow it to be.

Have you all see the actual ad that has an ape in the SAME mouth open position as James and holding a woman confidentially wearing the SAME dress that Giselle is wearing? I wish I could email it to you or post it as apart of this comment…. I think the people who have see this photo understand why the cover is offensive… it took the ape out and put James in…

But I will say that I’d seen the cover in passing and thought nothing of it… but that’s just it… people are sometimes victims of perpetuating stereotypes simply because they don’t know.

Here’s the link to the other photo that it LOOKS as if this cover was fashioned after.

http://www.digitaldesk.or...aganda/destroy_brute.html

[...] through a trickle on Thursday, then a flood on Friday, that VOGUE’s cover picture not merely insinuated LeBron “King” James play Kong to Bündchen’s Fay Wray—MEDIA ASSASSIN readers [...]

Hi my comment is about the beautiful women that are advertised in the Essence Magazine that look awesom for their age those woman are all ages 40 and up which none of the ladies look their age well I have been told since the age of 16 that I dont look my age so I would like to know how do I go about being contacted to also have my photo looked at and maybe get an approval to join the ladies in the Essence I feel I dont look my age but do you agree I would like to know contact me at shonwindsor313@yahoo.com or 313-995-8294 with info about joining this article in the Essence Magazine with these beautful black women of today.

I think this is just another instance where subtle racism is at play. I detest the cover and I agree that images are very important and some of these images do in fact teach Blacks self-hatred, while leaking in drip by drop into the subconscious. To my eyes this cover is absurd, playing into stereotypes but I do not prefer the 2nd cover either. The second one looks like she is saying ” yes. white america we will always continue to hold these unsuspecting Negroes down. We will keep our foot on their necks and continue to oppress and mislead.” The whole damn world has gone mad. This shit sickens me. And to all you real clueless people who want Blacks to forgive and forget slavery and the dehuminization, rape, brutalization of Black people as a race can forget it. The whole idea that we will forget being viewed as inferior 2nd class citizens is also absurd. And please don’t ever say “Go back to Africa” I have more right to be here than anyone else. This country was built from the blood, sweat and tears of my enslaved people. Although, at times I would love to go back but apparently the natives believe I have been demonized by Europe and all their ideals to take whatever they want. Weapons devised to take, Plots and schemes developed into laws designed to take, Their whole legacy is built up on the take, b-cuz they never had anything. In the hills, robbing and killing to survive, its in thier nature. Europe was not rich with any raw materials. Africa has Gold, ivory, diamonds etc. China has silk, technology , etc

I think that those commenting that can’t see the symbolism but concede that there could be something are feeling the subconscious effect. I don’t think the intent is in the picture or the picture taker (Annie Leibovitz) but the end result is clear. This picture evoked images and feelings that can not be denied.

Hi Ursula,

Regarding big ticket items, I want to splurge on a GREAT flat iron! One that I can use, not only on my weaves, but on my natural hair as well. I hear ceramics are definitely the way to go, and I’m told that FHI’s Runway and Platform lines are really good. Exactly which type and brand of flat iron would you buy? Really need your answer to this one!! Thanx!!