October 3, 2010

Elle Magazine prefers skinny white chicks...

Elle Magazine is turning 25, and they are celebrating with a special issue and four collector covers. Happy birthday Elle!

And during this fab-u-lous celebration, Elle is courting some controversy, which I read about at http://uk.eonline.com/ and in some other places.

Elle did four covers, pictured above. Three of are full-figure shots of skinny Hollywood starlets, the fourth is a close up of young actress Gabby Sidibe, who is black and overweight. So they are not showing or celebrating her body, and her skin tone looks very light, like not naturally light.

Sidibe is the Oscar nominated star of Precious. I saw Precious, and she was dark in it, like Whoopi Goldberg black. Okay, okay, I didn't see Precious, but I saw the trailer like 48 times, and have seen the poster at the video store. And she is black.

So did Elle lighten her skin tone and hide her body? Elle's editor in chief vehemently denies the skin lightening thing, of course. And the cropped photo is just an artistic decision. Uh-huh...

15 comments:

Lauren said...

They clearly have something against brunettes too. But seriously, I don't know why the world is so against people being themselves. White, black, twiglet or over weight... don't get it.

Kelly@TearingUpHouses said...

Yup.

Rusty Hoe said...

Gotta love those artistic decisions. Apparently they can also airbrush out anyone nudging 40 and sagging in all the wrong places (not that I'm bitter or anything).

The infinite variety of man/womankind seems to be offensive to the eye of many, which makes me kind of sad.

Jane Turley said...

In general, women's magazines bore me rigid. More or less the same pictures, poses, articles, adverts etc every month. Therefore I don't buy them - just flick through them at the dentists when I've nothing else to read! Always handy if you've run out of loll roll though - although a tad glossy at times:)

Wouldn't it be nice to see a woman in a natural pose for once?

Gigi said...

Elle isn't the only culprit here. All the magazines commit the same offenses. And is it any wonder that so many of us have body image issues?

vanita said...

As with all magazines, Elle wants what history shows WILL sell. if we all stopped buying the mags with the retouched models on the cover, they might get it.

Jabacue said...

That's right Vanita (above). We allow this type of thing to continue by buying what they are selling! We condone this practice by not speaking up or not 'buying' into their ploy.
Jim

Brahm (alfred lives here) said...

Agreed on all counts - as celebs or pseudo-celebs clearly matter here, why arent they putting Candice Bergen on the cover, beautiful in her 60s, and not pencil thin?

I also dont get the multiple cover thing, why do you need 4? And if you are going to put a large woman on the cover, dont crop our her body --- isnt that worse than not putting her on at all?

Aunt Juicebox said...

I don't read that magazine anyway. I stick to my daughter's Siempre Mujer. That way if they are telling me I'm too fat or need a makeover, I can't understand it.

madtexter (corey james) said...

Interesting. And it's now rare to see an actual model on a magazine cover. It's always celebs. I guess it could be called an artistic decision, but I don't think anyone would notice if all four covers weren't distributed at the same time. Who knows Gabby coulda had a tacky dress on. Ain't is amazin' what you can do with a bright light, a fan and an airbrush? We know it's all fake, but we still buy into it.

Kevin said...

I agree with the comments about not buying these magazines. Hit them were it hurts: in the pocket-book. Only then will they get the message. Until then, we will continue to see the same crap.

injaynesworld said...

It's Elle. Nobody on their covers ever escapes photo shop. The whole magazine and others like it are about fantasy -- and if you look at them that way, they're fun, relaxing to leaf through and my "guilty pleasure." I will say that Elle has one of the best book and music recommendation sections.

jules said...

Interesting. I would love to hear Gabby's thoughts on this.

Brahm (alfred lives here) said...

Jaynes - interesting about their book and music section, have never checked it out.

And Jules totally agree - what does the photo subject have to say about all this?

Paige said...

ive worked on a lot of photo shoots with pre and post work and honestly it just looks like that was an effect of the lights they used on the set

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