Greetings! Candice Ammons in the Online Course sent me the link below with the hopes that we might delve into the numerous issues it conjures up in the realm of sociology. In the next chapter, Race and Ethnicity we surely have plenty of fodder for related discussion. Our chapter on Gender may raise questions and concerns as well.
Mostly I want this one to be a free-for-all. Please follow the link below and read the article and then share your initial thought here on the blog.
Enjoy!
Tom
http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/vanity-fairs-quot-new-hollywood-quot-issue-completely-lacks-diversity-578862
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Okay, this is ridiculous. So I magazine publishes a editorial about young Hollywood actress’s that happen to be all white and people are upset. Come on people! Really, isn’t there something better to be upset about? Maybe like the fact that our Congress is spending our Great-Grandchildren into debt? That our President is so far in over his head and is making a debacle out of our Nation and braking Constitution law daily? That the Federal government is using a socialist agenda to take over our nation’s institutions like banking, automotive and education? THAT THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS NO LONGER CARE WHAT THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES, WHO ELECTED THEM, CARE ABOUT AND WANT? I could absolutely care less about Hollywood putting some young “attractive” young female in movies or on TV, so they can take her clothes off and use your lust to make them wealthier. To be honest, I DON’T CARE.
ReplyDeleteNow, I understand there are many people from different ethnic backgrounds that are beautiful and talented in many things like business, science and education. That being said, the term “Tolerance” has been twisted to mean acceptance of things or actions, 10 or 20 years ago that would not and should be accepted, not to mention, that “Tolerance” has allowed terrorist to kill many Americans of all ethnic backgrounds, 9/11 Towers and Pentagon, Ft. Hood and the Underwear Idiot that caught himself on fire. There is a reality that liberals just do not seem to understand, the terrorist that want to kill Americans are mainly of Middle Eastern descent, profile them, pull them out of airport security lines and search and question them. If peaceful Middle Eastern people are offended by this, then they need to find a voice and speak against and fight against the terrorist. The majority of crime in inner city is commented by young black males, Police need to profile them and in order to fight inner city crime. If you speak, act and look like a “gangsta”, do not be upset when you are treated like one. You have the “Miss America Pageant” and the “Black Miss America Pageant”; how much backlash would there be if there was a “White Miss America Pageant”? It is just plain stupid and shows people’s ignorance. People but themselves into groups and allow the media to group them. There is no such thing as an African-American, a Latino-American or a European-American. You are just an American that happens to have a lighter or darker skin tone that has heritage from a different region of the world. Stop letting the mulit-media group you and determine who are and accepting their classification.
Two points:
The media encourages racial diversion because it makes news and sells magazines.
Your social-economic situation of your youth does not influence and determine who are as an adult.
I have mixed feelings about this topic. It is the right of the publication to put whoever they want on their cover nomatter what race or gender. Yea im sure there were plenty of upcoming females with other ethnic backgrounds that will be great actresses in the following year but once again, their right as publisher. I personally am a fan of beautiful women from any race and as a consumer would like to see more, but dont read the magazine personally so dnt really care. I was trying to find the word that would define when someone gets picked for a job just because of their race and this happens on both sides. Stumbled upon this dudes post that i thought was kinda interesting: http://www0.epinions.com/content_3501826180
ReplyDeleteStarting to lose my train of thought though and have one more comment; which is I dnt like how every person of a certain color is lumped together. White people come from everywhere, black people come from everywhere, hispanics, asians, etc. Yes all those women on the cover were white(even counting the ginger) ;) but that doesnt mean their all the same. One could be german, one canadian, one french and so on. Im just saying that diversity shouldnt be judged just by the color of skin but by the person as a whole, and hopefully all this made some kind of since.
Nick H.
The stars that were already featured on previous covers should not have been on the magazine cover this year, because they have already been introduced as break-out stars in the previous editions. They could have at least picked different people. It doesn't really matter to me that they were all "rail-thin" and had white skin. What bothers me is that the magazine did not give a chance for a newer starlet to shine. I could see where people would get the idea that it was sort of prejudice by not having people of a more ethnic background on the cover, but it is seriously their choice. I am a bigger woman, and it didn't bother me than plus size people were not mentioned.
ReplyDelete~Ashton Showalter (ONLINE)
Ashton Showalter's response to Nick H's blog post:
ReplyDeleteAMEN!~ White people do come from different backgrounds as well. Thank you for saying this. White people all come from different cultures and backgrounds just like everyone else. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Vanity Fair's target audience is young, thin, attractive, and wealthy white women. They are in the business of selling magazines, and probably not interested in making social statements. Ebony targets blacks, for they too are interested only in selling magazines. Sports Illustrated targets sports fans, inparticularly male sports fans(hence the very popular swimsuit issue), which results in the highest level of profit they are capable of. Hopefully you see my point by now. Don't agree with the author of the article.
ReplyDeleteKeith Hendershot
I concur with Keith Hendershot; succesful marketing targets/is selective towards areas of interest amongst a majority of readers. The main goal of any producer is to optimize profits. There is no evidence of inclement bias nor any slant towards segregation; furthtermore, any suggestion of such lude bias would surely damage Vanity Fair's reputation causing loss of readers and profits. Although it seems guaged towards homoethnicity, this is not an issue out of the 1950s; people have come to a greater understanding of tolerance and should not see issues from a racial standpoint. This scenario is strictly business oriented. Perhaps the author of the article smearing Vanity Fair is employed by a competing magazine; otherwise, I see this as a hasty generalization concocted by a novice journalist in efforts to gain publicity through controversy.
ReplyDeleteTiffany Jordan online--I am not upset about he article but it seemed to me that there was no thought that went into the pictures. All three of the pictures looked basically the same. All white women skinny and pale. Come on, i mean is that the look they were going for? they could of at least changed it up a bit from picture to picture. And as far as actresses it seemed like they were focused on the overall look of the ladies than there acting ability. I think they could of put better actresses on there, of course it would of interfered with the all white and pale look they were going for. Of course, i dont really read that magazine so whatever..i just thought they could have been more "open" to the people they picked for the cover pictures.
ReplyDeleteTiffany jordan online - respnse to joseph gates--I agree i put my sense in about the pictures but all in all i do not care. Magazines are going to do what they want reguardless of what people think. And really neither should anyone else
ReplyDeleteAs to Joseph Gates post i 100% agree with you! i dont care about what is going on in the media. I aint got no time to be glued to the tv waiting to see who the next big star is, whethers she's white black asian etc. It dont matter to me. As far as the race problem on that stupid magazine, the magazine has the right to chose who ever they want. Like Nick Horn said all those white women could of been from different countries. So why do we judge ethnicity and race on the color of our skins? I think its ridiculous, and this is exactly why i dont read those magazines and dont watch that much tv. There are more important things going on with that so-called President, our fellow americans elected, and the congress. If you dont like what u see on tv or in magazines why read them?
ReplyDeleteStephanie Smithwick
Online-Colleen Hester
ReplyDeleteThere are to many other things ging wrong in the world today to get upset what a magazine puts on the cover. They are just trying to get high sale volumes and are targeted a certain marget.
online-colleen Hester-responding to Joseph Gates.Joseph is right to many other things happening tday to worry about the cover of a magazine!
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree with many of the posters that magazines are putting whatever they need to in their articles to sell to their target audience, I disagree adamently about many other things that some of them wrote about. I do not wish to get on a political rant, however, I will state that I do not believe that profiling is ever okay. I do not agree that "most terrorists" are of middle eastern descent as Mr. Gates stated. I think that people are quick to say that other groups' rights should be violated, but would be up-in-arms if their rights were violated in that same way no matter the reason. It is a fact that historically most serial killers have been middle aged white men. Should we profile them, illegally search their homes, tap their phones, open all of their mail, just to be sure that they are not raping and murdering? It is the same concept. Once you take away the rights of one, the rights of all others will eventually be stripped. It amazes me that so many people will jump on a bandwagon of stripping rights when so many others had to fight so hard for so long to get them implemented in the first place.
ReplyDeleteMy views on this magazine article are this: to each his own. If you want to see a more diverse group of up and coming actresses and actors, get more than one magazine. There is something out there for all of us. I am not offended by the fact that this magazine chose all white women just as I am not offended by Ebony featuring all black women. I am also not offended by a Black Miss America Pageant. If there was not (at least at one time) a need for it because these types of events were discriminatory, then it wouldn't be out there. And in response to Mr. Gates statement about what would happen if there was a White Miss American Pageant -- there was one. It was called the Miss America Pageant. It used to be all white women.
Jacqueline Williams - Online
I don't think I've ever actually READ a Vanity Fair magazine, but I've seen a few and as far as I can remember all I've ever seen on the cover have been white females. Maybe it's just a coincidence and they do have other races/males on there, but maybe that is just the norm for this particular magazine. I don't really know.
ReplyDeleteAs far as all them being super white, super skinny, and having 'button like noses' (lol that part was my fav), hollywood always does this. They always seem to find the 'perfect ones' to set the standard for the rest of the world to live up to. Which never happens for most of us. Which does a great job at lowering everyone's self esteem except the select few who fall into this category. I feel that plenty of people compare themselves to all these people so even if you do get complements on your features you still may not feel 'good enough' or like the complements are true.
Ashley Lawson
This magazine cover did not bother me one bit. I am a white woman but my dad is from Argentina so I am 50% of him. I can't tell you how many times people will start speaking to me in Spanish and I don't have a clue as to what they are saying to me. I guess I "look" like I could speak Spanish. But I never take it personally. This magazine cover does feature up and coming young Hollywood stars. A few of them are featured in the Twilight movies which we all know has taken over the world. Maybe they were going for the pale white vampire look all of young America is so into now. I think this article was a waste of time to write...who cares really. It seems no matter what situation is brought about it always turns into a "race" issue. This magazine has the right to put whomever they want too on the cover. I wonder if an article would have been written like that if lets say on the cover all the women were all Hispanic....or if they all were African American. I actually saw this being discussed on "The View" last week. One of the girls on the cover was a guest on the show and they asked her what her thoughts were about everyone being white on the cover. She said she never even thought about. She was surrounded by other girls whom she thought were all great actresses and it never even came to her mind that they were all white.
ReplyDeleteKamiila McNac
ReplyDeleteYeah it would have been nice to see the girl from precious in her big evening gown, posing with them little girls. I bet they would not have been all smiles and that is when it becomes a form of racism.
In response to Joseph Gates.....I totally agree with you that there is way more important things going on in the world. I think making something out of this magazine cover is a complete waste of time. I think if you don't agree with whats on the cover of a magazine then DONT BUY IT. Simple. Buy one you do agree with.......
ReplyDeleteThis magazine article is not offensive to me personally. I do agree that is very "Caucasian". It looks as if the magazine editors didn't put much thought into thinking that this article might upset different groups of people, or maybe they didn't care. I do believe it would have been in their best interest to diversify their up and coming picks. Generally speaking, I don't think there was any intent to offend different racial groups. I think that sometimes people get offended to easily and take everything so personally.
ReplyDeleteErika Bryant (online)
In response to Joseph Gates: I totally agree there are more important issues going on. I don't necessarily know if I am as passionate about these other issues, but I do agree. I also agree with Victoria Blair, if you don't like it, don't buy it.
ReplyDeleteErika Bryant (online)
As you can see by the photo next to my comment, I am a black women. Am I offended that all the women on the cover of this magazine are white? No. It's not about being offended that all the women on the cover of the magazine are white. I think all of the women are beautiful, and one of the women, although I think her acting is just 'OK', is a co-star in one of my favorite t.v. shows (Amanda Seyfried is in Big Love on HBO). But, I do know that I like to identify with the things I read. Most people do. If you're interested in cars, you read a car mag. If you're interested in sports, you read a sports mag. I don't think that Vanity Fair is made for white people. I know that Ebony is a mag specifically targeted for black people, but that mag is more of an empowerment or news magazine. Vanity Fair is made to highligh fashion and entertainment. It is targeted to a larger crowd than Jet or Essence. I don't like the fact that in our country we are always putting people into pots...white, black, hispanic, asian...I agree that we just need to be 'people'. But, since there are still people in this world and in this country who want to continue to put black people down, there is still a desire there to be fully equal. Is it wrong to want to be recognized on a magazine cover that is supposed to be for the masses? I don't think it's asking too much. Let everyone who has a presence in this nation be seen. Does it matter that much? No, I can agree with what Joseph Gates and others have had to say in that it is a trivial thing compared to so many other things going on in our country and the world. But one thing Joseph fails to mention is that it was more than the media that put divisions in the races of this country. Truly, it was the people themselves. People who owned slaves considered blacks as a posession so they wouldn't feel guilty about they way they treated them. That 'consideration' led to later on to hatred and segregation. For years black people just wanted to be treated like everyone else, and now we are. Except for a few, people are more than accepting of blacks, they treat us like anyone else. But, the comfort level is still to 'stick to your own kind'. People want to be a part of what they already know because it makes them comfortable. Therefore, a magazine that is made for everyone should depict everyone if they want all people to enjoy it. Not that I wouldn't just because someone black isn't featured, but I'm just saying that since they market all people, use a little bit of eveyone!
ReplyDeleteCandice A. (online)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI personally think its pretty crazy that there was such an uproar. No, this particular magazine issue was not diverse but so what. Does everything that is published have to have someone from every single ethnicity in it. Just because it doesn't have any other race in it does NOT mean that it isn't diverse. If you look at the image, you see all types of different people. Although they may all be white, they are all different.
ReplyDeleteKerri Bertram- online
I am neutral in this topic. It's not a big deal and it doesn't bother me at all.. But I was thinking that these fotos would have been less controversial if the editors whould have broaden their selection of young and thriving stars to a more divers group of women. Although they have the liberty of putting whom they like on any front cover of their magazines. Although these big time magazines don't publish just anything without thinking it throughly. Maybe thats what they wanted.. Yes all of these caucasian women are young,beautiful,and shooting for stardom But that only sells so much. They might have been putting it out their so this exact topic would arise and it cause polemical topic.
ReplyDeleteI don't know just a thought...
I agree with Keith Hendershot... We have a variety of magazines that cover all types of readers. It just happen to be that Vanity Fair focuses more on attractive,young,white women for the most part as so do other types of magazines that solely focus on one type of reader. Although this article does not bother me at all I do believe that Vanity Fair would have more profit if they expand their horizon and widen their audience. They would see much more of a profit instead of limiting their possibility to just one type of reader.
ReplyDeleteI really don't see what the big deal is. A magazine can put an assortment of any kind of people on the front and there will always be controversy about it. There will always be critics lurking just waiting to see some reason to start drama over this and drama over that. I say it's their magazine and whoever they want to put on the cover for whatever reason is fine with me. Personally I really don't care to waste my time worrying my pretty little head over matters that couldn't effect my life any less.
ReplyDeleteThere's no need for affirmative action anymore. I could care less about the magazine's bias opinion. I personally being black am not offended; I am targeted by numerous of magazines strictly for black people or people of color, and I rarely here people of other ethnic backgrounds stating their disturbed feelings towards the magazine. For the people that commented on how "there are many other issues we should be worried about ", such as congress or the president's agenda, have no idea what socialism is if the didn't have a dictionary beside them, and how congress doesn't care for what the American people want are utterly unknowable about today's issues.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Christina. It doesn't directly affect my life, so I see no point in critizing it. The media has this perfect image for all of us, but none of us really fit it. Most women in the world are not 5'7" rail thin, with perfect breasts and a nice ass and white. And we all know this. I personally don't feel the need to debate over whos and right and whos wrong, because we all critize one another everyday.
ReplyDeleteCheyenne M
I can completely see the point that this article comes from, in the sense that, yes there are no color on the issue of Vanity Fair for their new upcoming stars, but I am pretty sure they have had plenty of colored women on their covers too. Also the article seems to just be trying to start drama, and get higher views online and more attention, and by going after a magazine as famous as Vanity Fair, they seemed to have done a good job, after all all of us read the article... To go back to my beginning statement in seeing a cause for the "problem" with the cover, I think today's time, people are so sought after making sure every little thing is politically correct that a magazine which has always been fair is receiving such controversy now due to not having a colored woman on the cover. To be blunt, maybe they thought these women were more deserving, or had better talent, than that of the colored women. The article mentioned just one name Zoe Saldana, I believe as being a talented colored woman, in my opinion I would be more frustrated with only mentioning one colored woman when the entire article talks about how the magazine editors only chose white women, yet the author of this article could only name one colored woman with talent. I am positive there are plenty of colored women with talent in Hollywood, probably not as many as white women, but still a good number, so why name only one and then write negative comments toward Vanity Fair for only choosing white actresses. Maybe in the editor's minds the top upcoming actresses were all white, or maybe the colored women were already stars. I think what it comes down to is someone just trying to write an article which will get attention and be talked about.
ReplyDelete-Tyler Stevens
I do not read Vanity Fair but Vanity Fair is not the only media publication that is not diverse. This is the way of the world. It is a shame that our children mainly look to images in the media for self esteem. This is probably the main reason why people do not like when the media doesn't show diversity. They want their children to identify with positive people who are like them. However, the parents and the surrounding community should be what the children should look at to identify with. Unfortunately, not everyones community has those positive images. Also, the influence of the media isn't going anywhere therefore there should be more diverse and positive images for people of color.
ReplyDeleteRashida Matthias online
In response to Christina Denton, yes there are other things that we should be paying attention to. However, this issue is also important. Not as important as healthcare or finding a job, but it is important. Many people do not care because they make up the majority of people who are featured in magazines like this. It's not their problem. Well, just because it does not affect you does not mean that it is not important.
ReplyDeleteRashida Matthias online
I think that they do need to have some diversity on the covers. Eventhough some of these girls are not just plain white girls they might be from different backgrounds but people just see white girls. I think that the magazine should add some other cultures on the cover.Also the magazine will atract a larger group of women. Diveristy does not just mean color it also means sizes and shapes which is why they need to have normal sized girls not just those super skinny girls. There are attractive girls that are not a size two and alot more of them in the world as well.
ReplyDelete-Radwa Hassan
Why does it have to be about diversity/race, why can it be about what kind of image this gives to the young girls these days? Those girls look sick in the first article. They look like they do not eat a thing and how can that be an example for girls..no wonder a lot of girls have eating disorders. It seams these days everything has to do with race...IT DOES NOT...this has to do with what sells. The only color that those magazine people see after it is printed is green. The target market to them are the young teens and they have to make what sells..as sad as it sounds. If the targer market was black or Asian, they would change it but it is not these days. I just get really sick of everything being an issue with diversity/race..it is gettting old and very much annoining. We need to worry about things that are going wrong with out country rather than some stupid article.
ReplyDeleteNatalya W.
This magazine is really ridiculous. Race is not the main issue. The main point of this article for publishers is money and thats all they want. What they can sell is what they will put on the cover. Whether the girls are white, black, asain or any other race is beside the point. I believe there are bigger problems than what color are these people's skin. Who cares, its a way for these people to make money. What is this society doing with their spare time or what they call a job.
ReplyDeleteCraig Z.
I think the person who wrote this article had a little too much time on their hands. First of all I am of mixed origin; however I "look" white, but I proudly claim the Filipino side of me. If you want to complain of Vanity Fair having only "white" women on the cover, than could "whites" complain that Ebony, Jet, Essence Magazine, Vanidades Continental, China Daily, etc. don’t have other races on their covers? After all it is the audience the magazine is marketing to, they know the risks they take if the don’t market every race. Ebony, Jet, and Essence know their target audience is the “black community” the China Daily targets the “Chinese” society; Vanidades Continental targets the “Hispanic community”. Every country is going to have different races, but if the author of this article where in China, would they be complaining that there are no white, black, Hispanic, or Arabs on the cover? My opinion is, if you don’t like the magazine because of the cover or contents, don’t buy it. We are in a Country where there is freedom of press. Vanity Fair is not defaming any race, or person of a particular race, so they should not be questioned about their actions or choices for their cover. However, the author of this article’s integrity should be questioned because they are trying to defame Vanity Fair because the actresses they chose to use for the cover of THEIR magazine!!!
ReplyDeleteJasmine
Jami Phelps:
ReplyDeleteThis magazine is definitely superficial. and i agree with everything in the article. There are PLENTY of women from diverse races that could have been on there. They are doing all of it for publicity and good and bad attention, they don't care. Either way, they are getting money out of it and that is their main focus. I think magazines like these should be burned!! Only in America people! It makes us look like we are just money-thirsty animals. people will do whatever the can to get a piece of the pie.
Really I dont care, but really they need to diversify the people onnthe cover. There is nothing but white, thin, and up and coming actresses. They need to expand and widened their audience.
ReplyDeleteDana Cook - Online
ReplyDeleteRegarding this magizine covers - All I can say is this is why so many young women today are under the idea that beautiful is thin and light. Many young women become unhealthy with eating disorders because of this. Not to mention, how it can destroy the self-image and confidnence of many beautiful girls that do not fit the thin and light profile.
And in regards to the article, some could say that discrimination played a role in who is plastered on the cover. This magazine is purely entertainment and it is only their opinion about who are the fresh new faces and upcoming stars. If we do not agree with this magazine, we can always read a more diverse and intellegent magazine.
Dana Cook - Online
ReplyDeleteIn response to Keith Smith. You are right. They deinately need to expand their mind set but I feel that this is the second issue at hand with this magazine.
The actress' that i have heard of and recognize on the cover are those that were in either a successful movie box office film, are frequently in the lime light of the media, in a hit tv show or have been in an exceptional number of movies within a year or recently. As beautiful as they may be, diversity is lacking and I can think of a couple actresses of a different race who deserve to be in there that aren't.
ReplyDeleteHannah McAlpine
ReplyDeleteI'm not one to follow Hollywood. I saw Twilight and hated it. Kristen Stewart sucked. So I agree that there were probably some actresses of color who deserved to be there more than some of the ones who made it. But the article never said if Vanity Fair has never put a women of color on the cover. So is it really unfair that none of them made it to this particular cover? I don't know. I don't read it. Are there magazines out there who have never had a white girl on their cover?