*
Why Photograph A Black Woman In A Cage?Amber Rose’s photo shoot for the latest issue of Complex magazine has some wondering about fashion’s ongoing fixation on the idea that black women are animals.Most of Amber Rose’s Complex shoot, which was photographed by Matt Doyle, refers to iconic shots of Grace Jones. The image of Amber with jewelry in her mouth, for example, is a recreation of this picture of Grace eating diamonds, as photographed by Gordon Munro for Interview in the ’80s:There’s Amber smoking in a tux…And Grace smoking in a tux, on the cover of her 1981 album, Nightclubbing.

 

There’s Amber in a cropped grey tee, with boxing hand wraps…

And Grace, on the cover of her ‘82 single “Pull Up To The Bumper,” wearing a cropped grey tee and boxing tape.

There’s Amber, her naked body covered in oil, posing with a whip…

And Grace, her naked body covered in oil, with a whip.

Perhaps most offensively, there’s Amber in a cage.

And Grace in a cage.

The French artist Jean-Paul Goude shot that last image of Jones; the two were involved in a tempestuous and sometimes violent relationship. The objectification and exoticization of black women isn’t incidental to Goude’s art: it’s the whole point. “Blacks are the premise of my work,” the artist told People in 1979, “I have jungle fever.”

In case anyone thought that was a joke, Jungle Fever was also the title of Goude’s 1982 book. The shot of a caged Jones made the cover.

So it’s no surprise that Goude shot Jones surrounded by raw meat, under a sign that reads “DO NOT FEED THE ANIMAL.” But why would Complex choose to emulate images, some of which come across as not just dated, but riven with deep and troubling statements about black women as animalistic, primitive, and uncivilized creatures? Latoya Peterson has noted of such pictures that the women are always “looking like they are ready to fly off the page and attack.” Claire Sulmers of The Fashion Bomb says of the Complex photos the message is that “these women are so wild they must be caged–they’re sultry, snarling sex beasts.”

Modeling opportunities for women of color in general are slim; as we know, far too many designers consider diversity on the runway and in their advertising to be entirely optional. The industry’s slowness in even inviting black models to the metaphorical table is probably why, thirty years on, Grace Jones remains the most easily identifiable short-haired black model, and therefore a ready subject with which for Complex to associate the close-cropped, bi-racial Amber Rose. (Imagine if Jerry Hall were still considered the only and ultimate blonde model, or Paulina Porizkova were still the touchstone brunette, and white models starting their careers were constantly booked on jobs that recreated exclusively those women’s old spreads.)

The industry’s general unwillingness to embrace models of color as anything besides the exoticized “other” is thwarting the development and popularization of other kinds of black beauty. Even Alek Wek, the Sudanese supermodel, noted that she was often asked to pose in spreads that she felt fitted into a wider and more troubling tradition of black people’s representation in the mainstream media, particularly with regard to a Lavazza calendar where she posed inside a coffee cup, her skin intended to represent the espresso. As Wek wrote in her memoir, “I can’t help but compare them to all the images of black people that have been used in marketing over the decades. There was the big-lipped jungle-dweller on the blackamoor ceramic mugs sold in the ’40s; the golliwog badges given away with jam; Little Black Sambo, who decorated the walls of an American restaurant chain in the 1960s; and Uncle Ben, whose apparently benign image still sells rice.”

It’s worth noting that in re-creating these pictures, Complex did tone them down; gone are the chains from the whip photo, and so too is the raw meat and the sign explicitly referring to the model as an animal in the cage photo. The choices the Complex art director made are almost certainly intended to mitigate the offense of the original images; we’ve come at least some way as a society since Jean-Paul Goude’s day. But how long will it be before we automatically recognize any picture of a black woman caged up like an animal as offensive?

Amber Rose [Complex]
Caged Black Women: Amber Rose & Grace Jones [The Fashion Bomb]
When Disco Queen Grace Jones Lamented ‘I Need a Man,’ Artist Jean-Paul Goude Prowled Too Near Her Cage [People]
Darker Skinned Glamour Girls [Racialicious]
Bitter Coffee [NY Post]

Earlier:
How Did New York Fashion Week’s 116 Shows Treat Models Of Color?

Send an email to the author of this post at jenna@jezebel.com.
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Image of feministabroad feministabroad
08/17/09

I don’t think Amber Rose is Black. I am not even sure if she is mixed with Black. But she is bi-racial. And calling bi-racial people Black without thinking is a problem in this country. And I am not talking about bi-racial people identifying as only one race because people have the right to identify as whoever they are. Although it is okay for a black and white mixed person to say that they are Black but not okay to say that they are white. I know a girl who filled out an application at a fast food restaurant and checked Black and White and the manager interviewing her erased white right in front of her. These one drop of Black Blood/Only whiteness can be diluted ideas seem to be so mainstream and no one seems to be questioning anything. I was bothered by this in another article that Jezebel had that was talking about a bi-racial girl and it was just titled African-American. I’m not about to go deep into this but it just bothers me. In short it robs people of their identities and enforces racial stratification.
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Jenna promoted this comment feministabroad was starred feministabroad was unstarred
Image of Jenna Jenna
08/17/09

@feministabroad: If you are “not even sure” about Amber Rose’s ethnicity, then why are you commenting? Go learn to use Wikipedia.
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Jenna was starred Jenna was unstarred
Image of feministabroad feministabroad
08/17/09

@Jenna:

Oh did you read the sentence after that? Because I am for certain that she is mixed. And I think Wikipedia said that like a month ago when I read it. And her biracial ethnicity is the point of my comment. Did you not understand that? I can break it down for you if you want. Also, my uncertainty on any subject doesn’t exclude me from commenting. Thanks.
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feministabroad was starred feministabroad was unstarred
Image of Sarah Sommeliera Sarah Sommeliera
08/15/09

I think a bit of history might help put into context why the image of a caged black woman is so deeply problematic. The story of Saartjie Baartman (“The Hottentot Venus”) is archetypal of European colonial brutalization of African women and their sexuality. As a slave from South Africa in the 19th c., she was taken to Europe and put on display, behind bars, in a traveling circus. After she died, they put her genitalia in a museum. She was absolutely seen as somewhere between human and animal and was subjected to poking and prodding and testing and gawking. This view of Africans as not-quite human/not-quite-animal was central to European colonialism and slavery.

This shit ain’t innocent, folks. Imagine a FASHION photoshoot of a black model being lynched. Then imagine trying to defend it on artistic grounds.

I didn’t think so.

I am also tempted to think that Grace Jones, being a pretty serious artist in my views, could perhaps have seen these photos of herself speaking back to that history with power and rage. I’d like to think.
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Adora Belle Dearheart promoted this comment Edited by Sarah Sommeliera at 08/15/09 10:53 PM Sarah Sommeliera was starred Sarah Sommeliera was unstarred
Image of cassis LOL cassis LOL
08/16/09

@SarahSC: Thank you. The Hottentot Venus is something people simply must research before they are proclaim that this is simply a sexy photoshoot.
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Dogtanian promoted this comment cassis LOL was starred cassis LOL was unstarred
Image of PhoebeCormorant PhoebeCormorant
08/15/09

Check out The Amazing Grace Jones in her own words along with her incredible photos: http://www.theworldofgracejones.com/

I recently saw her perform in LA and she was incredible and as strong as ever.

As for the photos – ANY person – male or female – in a cage is shameful. But – I don’t really object to exploring verboten worlds in art/photos. I do object to a lame attempt at imitation of an icon.
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Diziet_Sma promoted this comment momentsofabsurdity approved this comment PhoebeCormorant was starred PhoebeCormorant was unstarred
Image of Diziet_Sma Diziet_Sma
08/16/09

@PhoebeCormorant: What you said. And in addition, the Grace Jones photographer is an artist; the person who took the Complex photos is a hack.
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Edited by Diziet_Sma at 08/16/09 6:38 PM Diziet_Sma was starred Diziet_Sma was unstarred
Image of Keep it cool Keep it cool
08/14/09

You are ignoring a key intellectual point: Grace Jones is the shit.
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boxspelunker promoted this comment Keep it cool was starred Keep it cool was unstarred
Image of boxspelunker boxspelunker
08/15/09

@themorethemerrier: I agree completely. This is of utmost importance.
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boxspelunker was starred boxspelunker was unstarred
Image of juniper juniper
08/14/09

I for one am interested in the stories behind Grace Jones’ photoshoots here. Did she have any creative control over the images? Were they her idea? How much of a role did she have in the creative process?
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Crackers In Bed [aka SF via AL] promoted this comment juniper was starred juniper was unstarred
Image of GiovannaSpider GiovannaSpider
08/14/09

An interesting analysis, but I think the more interesting question is, what do your observations do to Jenna’s objection that the images exhibit the fixation on “black women as animals”? Does it mitigate it, or amplify it?

For me, at least, my knee-jerk reaction was softer=less animalistic=better, but now that I’m thinking about it, that doesn’t really make any sense. Grace Jones is “animal” in a “don’t fuck with me, I will eat your face” kind of way, while Amber Rose gives off an “I’m a fierce sex kitten who just needs to be shown who’s boss” vibe.

So, I guess my question is (and I’m not really sure what my answer is, even) which is worse: black woman as literally an animal, or black woman who is animal*istic* in the sense that she is exotic/wild/sensual? On the one hand, Jones seems to demand more power, but on the other, she seems not even human. But then, it is Grace Jones.
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Devonna promoted this comment GiovannaSpider was starred GiovannaSpider was unstarred
Image of Devonna Devonna
08/14/09

@GiovannaSpider: Im having a similar reaction as you did. The Amber Rose photos look like a Megan Foxification of Grace Jones’s photo shoot. For myself, as a WOC, I would rather not have either portrayal.
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Devonna was starred Devonna was unstarred
Image of boxspelunker boxspelunker
08/15/09

@GiovannaSpider: Grace Jones has always seemed to exude a supernaturalness to me, both with her personal style and music – an animal seems more of an extension of that. Jones seems to take on new personas, and make them herself for awhile. She takes that power and makes it herself. Amber Rose doesn’t seem to be taking on the “animal” part, just the “sexy” part, which makes the message totally different.
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boxspelunker was starred boxspelunker was unstarred
Image of History Major History Major
08/14/09

Not to be crass but is Amber Rose even black? I was under the impression that she was white/hispanic?
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Dodai promoted this comment History Major was starred History Major was unstarred
Image of Dodai Dodai
08/14/09

@PogoStick09: Not to be crass, but did you read the post? It states that she is biracial.
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Image of LVA83 LVA83
08/14/09

@Dodai: Hmm that doesn’t necessarily mean that she is part black…white/hispanic would be biracial, right? But I suppose it is implied in the post…
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LVA83 was starred LVA83 was unstarred
Image of LVA83 LVA83
08/14/09

@LVA83: Oh a couple posts down Malaise said according to wikipedia she is Italian and Portuguese…I think those are both considered Caucasian though…I’ve been told the Portuguese in me is considered white anyway…
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titilayo-yo-yo-yo promoted this comment LVA83 was starred LVA83 was unstarred
Image of t-yo3 t-yo3
08/14/09

@LVA83: She’s part Cape Verdean and part Italian, as I understand it. The Cape Verde Islands, off the West Coast of Africa, were a Portuguese colony, so I would guess that Amber Rose is part (black) African with some Portuguese ancestry mixed in there, and part Italian.
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t-yo3 was starred t-yo3 was unstarred
Image of bess marvin, girl detective bess marvin, girl detective
08/14/09

@LVA83: no, she is italian/irish/cape verdean the latter, an african country that was colonized by portugal. very different.
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Edited by bess marvin, girl detective at 08/14/09 6:57 PM bess marvin, girl detective was starred bess marvin, girl detective was unstarred
Image of ninles ninles
08/14/09

I don’t think race is the issue here, it is simply that Grace Jones is fucking ferocious. Amber Rose, on the other hand, looks like the weaker link juxtaposed with Grace. Grace Jones is of another species, from another planet. An icon forever for me, whatever her skin colour.
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ninles was starred ninles was unstarred
Image of History Major History Major
08/14/09

@ninles: Right Grace Jones was a GROUNDBREAKING take no prisoners artist. Her iconic life has yet to be rivaled. People need to stop jocking her swag.
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Cunning_Linguist promoted this comment History Major was starred History Major was unstarred
Image of Raised-byHeathens Raised-byHeathens
08/14/09

@PogoStick09: y’know? Every time I see Amber Rose, I feel like I’m looking at a weird mannequin- not even 80’s flick mannequin come to life– just a mannequin. Grace Jones scares the hell out of me in such an awesome way, she seriously looks like she could single handedly defend earth from invading aliens.
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boxspelunker promoted this comment Raised-byHeathens was starred Raised-byHeathens was unstarred
Image of Wishnick Wishnick
08/14/09

@ninles: Grace Jones looks like she just stepped out of an episode of Aeon Flux. All long limbs and intensity o__O
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meritxell promoted this comment Wishnick was starred Wishnick was unstarred
Image of MizJenkins MizJenkins
08/14/09

@ninles: Seriously. Amber Rose needs to sit her behind down and wait for a Maxim spread. Grace Jones is a baaaaaaaaad bitch…this is just sacrilege!
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MizJenkins was starred MizJenkins was unstarred
Image of SisterSonny SisterSonny
08/14/09

Grace Jones is so fucking awesome.
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boxspelunker promoted this comment SisterSonny was starred SisterSonny was unstarred
Image of sshacker sshacker
08/14/09

While I see the Jenna’s point, I often wonder if this constant criticism is one of the reasons that there are so few black women visible in the modeling, television, and film industries. I wonder if the restrictions directors, photographers, etc feel make them hesitant to use black models. I am sure there have been shots of white models in cages at some point. I understand why the reaction would be different but would this different reaction prevent black models from working.

As an example, I find myself coming up with various complaints some black people would have had with Eva Longoria’s character if they had cast a black woman/family in that role. Another is Jada Pinkett’s show. It is so boring because they’ve made the character so perfect it is nauseating.
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sshacker was starred sshacker was unstarred
Image of embarcadero13 embarcadero13
08/14/09

@sshacker: I feel that blaming the victim for the oppressor’s ignorance kind of ignores the point of the article. Saying that photographers are “restricted” implies that Black people are just “sensitive” to the issue. It seems to ignore the historical context and degradation… It would be better to have more POC (particularly WOC) involved in the production level of these shoots such that these subconscious colonial ideas don’t seep onto the images.
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embarcadero13 was starred embarcadero13 was unstarred
Image of Artemis47 Artemis47
08/14/09

@sshacker: I doubt that worries about shoots coming off as racist are preventing black models from working. From what I’ve seen, most magazines use black models in the most offensive, stereotypical shots and use white models for everything else. If anything, it’s the total lack of seeing black women as multidimensional people that can do more than just “ethic” or “exotic” shoots that hurts black models’ careers.
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Devonna promoted this comment Artemis47 was starred Artemis47 was unstarred
Image of sshacker sshacker
08/14/09

@embarcadero13: My intention wasn’t to blame the ‘victim’ (I hate the idea that because of my race, I am perpetually a victim). I don’t see any point in denying that Black people are sensitive to issues regarding race, with good reason. I am not sure having a WOC behind the scenes would necessarily change things. Isn’t Complex magazine marketed to a Black audience?

They’re not a lot of things that are fair when it comes to issues of race or racial privilege but it doesn’t preclude that fact that our human response to racial issues given our history may prevent people from wanting to work with us because of the delicacy of the situation.
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greengrey promoted this comment sshacker was starred sshacker was unstarred
Image of embarcadero13 embarcadero13
08/14/09

@sshacker:
Okay, instead of using the term “blaming the victim” I will now say “justifying the oppressor.”

And I’m with Artemis– it’s not the Black response that is the problem. It’s the act that elicits said response. Here, it’s the manner in which Black women are seen through the lense of the dominant white gaze, reduced to the Other, and at best, the Normalized Other.

If producers had enough complex (ha) knowledge about the subjects of their photos, then there would be less need to tiptoe around the subjects, as there would be less likelihood of offense. . . As everyone has suggested, blonde/white models are treated differently because they are seen as familiar human beings, rather than confusing, exotic, Others (not to say that white women aren’t objectified, but I speak re: this particular subject). White women are mothers/ sisters/ cousins. Black women are Strange, viewed as if exhibits in a zoo.

Shows like Jada Pinkett’s are boring because they don’t know how to write a “realistic” Black character without the stereotypes. It’s as if the producers ask themselves, “What do Black women like besides finger-snapping, hyperrsexual, neck-rolling or drugged out crackmom roles?” It follows, producers don’t realistically portray Black women because they know what is “real” about us.

Also, BET has shown me that just because a market aims towards Black audiences, it is not immune from the same trap. Complex is not guaranteed to be in Black people’s best interests just because it throws up some images of POC, nor is it a guaranteed to be run by POC at its very top level (again, see BET vs. Viacom).
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embarcadero13 was starred embarcadero13 was unstarred
Image of Pugnacioun Pugnacioun
08/14/09

There’s also a marked difference between the feel of the two sets of photographs. The pictures with Amber Rose seem far more submissive and sexual, whereas those featuring Grace Jones show her as powerful and dominant – this is perhaps best illustrated by the contrast between the two cropped grey tee photographs. Grace Jones is in a strong, unyielding stance – arms held up and a set, determined face, etc. – Amber is posed with only one arm – in a weak position and with a loosely clenched fist -, more visible boob, and a suggestive sexyface. It seems like Grace is posing as a strong figure, while Amber is posed as an object of desire.

I don’t know what this says or reflects, but it’s an interesting contrast.
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cate3710 promoted this comment Pugnacioun was starred Pugnacioun was unstarred
Image of slowpoke.r slowpoke.r
08/14/09

@Pugnacioun: Very good point. In each photograph Rose is shot in a very different way from Jones- a 3/4 portrait rather than a straight on portrait, a full body profile rather than turning her back to us as Jones does. I think the cage photos show the greatest variation. The different hand position (Jones’ hand facing outward, Rose’s inward), the supportive arm (Jones’ bent, Rose’s straight to the point of hyperextension), the forward leg (Jones has the back leg forward, with her hips “open” to us though not in a sexual way, whereas Rose has her front leg forward, giving her a protected look), and finally the cage itself: it can barely contain Jones, but Rose could easily crouch or hunker in hers. Jones is busting out- her foot is cropped but the entire cage is in the shot- whereas by cropping Rose’s shot so that we cannot see the right side of the cage, they took all the tension out and completely contained her inside. It all goes to framing the emotion of the shot and the photographer for Rose was obviously not interested in portraying her as powerful or strong.
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slowpoke.r was starred slowpoke.r was unstarred
Image of dandelionbrowne dandelionbrowne
08/14/09

Because of the fact that we don’t control our own iconography, images like the ones Goude shot ends up being representative of blacks as whole as opposed to what it is-an artist’s exploration of his own fetishes.

Grace Jones is an amazing artist and always willing to test limits/boundaries. It makes me sad that her general arty freakiness is colored by the legacy and existence of racism and that her explorations/collaborations can’t just be representative of the exploration itself.

She, herself, has compared herself to a lioness/panther/big cat and her energy is nothing less than regal and fierce. I think the cage image represents more the artist fear of being dominated by her power and the need to reduce her to something that he can contain/control. The image isn’t as disturbing as his need.
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JerseyGrrrl promoted this comment dandelionbrowne was starred dandelionbrowne was unstarred
Image of Highsmith Highsmith
08/14/09

Doesn’t Shakira put herself in a cage in her new video. Women unfortunately often willingly participate in their own objectification. Shakira is at a stage in her career where she’s calling her own shots, so wtf?Having said that, Grace Jones OWNS her image. I’m a HUGE fan. And Amber, sorry, I don’t REALLY know who you are, but you are no Grace Jones.
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Edited by Highsmith at 08/14/09 5:39 PM Highsmith was starred Highsmith was unstarred
Image of embarcadero13 embarcadero13
08/14/09

@Highsmith: I JUST saw the Shakira video last weekend and I disgusted. But I don’t know– did she really “put herself” in the cage? And if so, is it any better that a woman feels the need to do this in order to sell records.
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titilayo-yo-yo-yo promoted this comment Edited by embarcadero13 at 08/14/09 6:58 PM embarcadero13 was starred embarcadero13 was unstarred
Image of t-yo3 t-yo3
08/15/09

@embarcadero13: There was a quote (maybe here on Jezebel?) from Shakira about how she found the video concept sexy and empowering, or some shit like that. I haven’t seen the video, but I was like “You found being in a cage empowering? Really?” Hmm.
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t-yo3 was starred t-yo3 was unstarred
Image of spitneybeers spitneybeers
08/15/09

@titilayo-yo-yo-yo: I’m pretty sure the cage isn’t necessarily an inherently empowering image, but rather an interpretation of the lyrics. She’s in a relationship with a man who expects her to be domestic and monogamous, but she wants something more, and wants to be “let out so [she] can breathe.” It’s more part of the situation she finds herself in than a “being in a cage makes me feel powerful” kind of thing.
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t-yo3 promoted this comment spitneybeers was starred spitneybeers was unstarred
Image of sybann sybann
08/14/09

we ARE animals.

Came back to add: most of these shots pretty much suck for MANY reasons, but mostly beccause of the traditional objectification of all women – and yes, bondage is VERY disturbing outside of someone (else)’s bedroom.
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Edited by sybann at 08/14/09 5:40 PM sybann was starred sybann was unstarred
Image of otherginger otherginger
08/14/09

I’m reminded of when they created the Spice Girls-at first Mel B was something really awful, like “Urban Spice” and then they went “subtle”, put her jungle prints, and called her “Scary Spice.”
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superconnected (is it time to leave?) promoted this comment otherginger was starred otherginger was unstarred
Image of ThaLza ThaLza
08/14/09

Any woman in a cage is wrong.
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Rooo sez BISH PLZ promoted this comment Edited by ThaLza at 08/14/09 5:34 PM ThaLza was starred ThaLza was unstarred
Image of slowpoke.r slowpoke.r
08/14/09

I don’t know that we’ve actually progressed at all. Taking out the more offensive elements makes the subtext just that much more subtle but doesn’t remove it. Goude’s shots are shocking but at least you know where he stood. The new shots are more insidious; it’s going to harder for people to see what’s wrong with these photos even though the exact same issues can be raised with both sets.
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slowpoke.r was starred slowpoke.r was unstarred
Image of RStewie RStewie
08/14/09

It’s a blot on the already blotty Fashion Industry that they are so regimentally racist to any other race than Caucasian.

Yeah, I said it. That’s why I’m not down with the Fashion Industry. Vogue and it’s ilk holds no temptation for me–they are completely removed from my reality.

The reality that women are women are women, and none of us deserves to be objectified or demeaned based on weight, race, or class.
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Evie Havok promoted this comment RStewie was starred RStewie was unstarred
Image of GirlyQ is a manta ray GirlyQ is a manta ray
08/14/09

Question (And I really am asking here). I find it offensive to have a picture of any woman in cage. To me, it speaks to women as chattel. Did it bother anyone else when they did it on ANTM with a white woman as well, or was it just me? Or is it only the particulars of black exoticism that make this offensive to people?
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Dodai promoted this comment GirlyQ is a manta ray was starred GirlyQ is a manta ray was unstarred
Image of greengrey greengrey
08/14/09

@GirlyQ: I was about to say, I don’t think it’s necessary to photograph ANY woman in a cage, however, it IS different for black women because of the history.
On the other hand, I think it could be a cool picture if it looses the “animal/chattel” association and just shows a “dangerous” looking woman. I mean, think of the animals that are usually (historically? in cartoons?) caged. Tigers. Lions. The “big cats” (which women are often associated with cats, hmm). Tigers/lions/etc are very powerful animals, and a man (himself, no gun) doesn’t stand a chance against one.
A woman caged has the ability to be a really cool imaged. The Amber Rose one misses the mark, the Grace Jones one comes close, but something about it still feels wrong.
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greengrey was starred greengrey was unstarred
Image of GirlyQ is a manta ray GirlyQ is a manta ray
08/14/09

@greengrey: Amber Rose doesn’t have the power Grace Jones does. Grace Jones has this…incredible vibe around her, that she just might fuck you up, and the cage isn’t going to do much good in holding her. Frankly, the image where she’s got chains on her ankles, a whip around her throat, and is sort of smiling..that bugs me way more than the cage shot. And is way more evocative of the slave history to me.

But, you know, your mileage may vary.
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GirlyQ is a manta ray was starred GirlyQ is a manta ray was unstarred
Image of greengrey greengrey
08/14/09

@GirlyQ: Yeah, as someone else said AR just looks porny, mainstream, and marketable. I’m not scared of AR. Grace Jones, however, looks like she could beat the crap out of me. Even though she’s in a cage, she still has a powerful expression. AR is “playing” at being someone else. AR is basically a knockoff and doesn’t pull it off.
As I said downthread (upthread? who knows anymore), I’m more disturbed by the chains/whips than I am by the cage.
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Image of Jezebabe Jezebabe
08/14/09

@GirlyQ: There’s a gorgeous Chanel perfume ad with Vanessa Paradis (Johnny Depp’s wife) pretending to be a bird inside a cage. Is this problematic too? Isn’t objecting to images of Black women in cages pretty much taking for granted the stereotype of Black women as wild and untamed creatures?
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slowpoke.r promoted this comment Jezebabe was starred Jezebabe was unstarred
Image of slowpoke.r slowpoke.r
08/14/09

@Jezebabe: Don’t you think caged bird imagery is different than caged mammal imagery? To me it is.

Caged bird = hope and broken dreams

Caged mammal = dangerous beast

In the former we’re trying to keep the bird for our own pleasure, whereas in the latter we’re caging the animal because it’s dangerous to us. I know it’s not that simple- zoos are for our pleasure- but I think that’s the feel I get and it makes a difference to my reading of the images.

And I also think that showing a black woman caged is more problematic than showing a white woman caged. I also suspect I would have more of a problem with an Asian woman, Latina, or any minority woman being shown that way.
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slowpoke.r was starred slowpoke.r was unstarred
Image of JerseyGrrrl JerseyGrrrl
08/14/09

@GirlyQ: I share your feelings. Obviously there are more layers to the cultural criticism and implications of seeing a black woman (even, to a lesser degree, any non-white woman) in a cage. But to me, ANY image of a caged woman problematic.

What I don’t understand is why we still need to see it. Are art directors and photographers so starved for fresh ideas that they fall back on the tired image of a cage again and again? It seems to seek a cheap “edginess” by being offensive… But to me, it’s not doing anything new or thought-provoking, it’s just tired and harmful.
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JerseyGrrrl was starred JerseyGrrrl was unstarred
Image of lavenderstain lavenderstain
08/14/09

Amber Rose has got NOTHING on Grace Jones.

But really WHO does?
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lavenderstain was starred lavenderstain was unstarred
Image of Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin) Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin)
08/14/09

Also, and maybe this is minor, but where Grace seems strong, Amber seems boobular and porny. Its even less empowering, if that’s possible.
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Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin) was starred Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin) was unstarred
Image of commieginge commieginge
08/14/09

@Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin): I was struck by that constrast as well. I don’t think it’s just their different body types either. They attempted to tone down the offensiveness of the Jones images, but only ended up making both Amber Rose and the image styles all look less individual, less intense, more mainstream porny and, well, weaker somehow. The photos of Grace Jones might have been offensive, but that woman’s strength (I’m not talking about muscles here) showed very clearly in those images, but Amber Rose just looks like a doll in hers (compared to, say, the presence she has in red carpet and paparazzi shots).
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greengrey promoted this comment commieginge was starred commieginge was unstarred
Image of Gumbina80 Gumbina80
08/14/09

@Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin): Yes! I was thinking just this. Amber’s voluptuousness and sexual availability is emphasized in all of her shots, but Grace’s photos emphasize strength.
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Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin) promoted this comment Gumbina80 was starred Gumbina80 was unstarred
Image of Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin) Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin)
08/14/09

@Gumbina80: right? I’m glad you guys agree. Its like Grace will cut a bitch but Amber will just suck a dude. And commieginge, I totally agree, AR looks so tough and bad-ass in candid shots that these images are extra surprising to me.
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Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin) was starred Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin) was unstarred
Image of greengrey greengrey
08/14/09

I was more “shocked” by the chains around the ankles (in Grace’s shot) then I was by the cage…
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greengrey was starred greengrey was unstarred
Image of CurtCole CurtCole
08/14/09

@greengrey: Yeah, that was distasteful.
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CurtCole was starred CurtCole was unstarred
Image of librariesare4lovers librariesare4lovers
08/14/09

@greengrey: Right? It looks like some one decided to do a photo shoot on La Amistad. The whip, the chains, the nudity. You can’t even try and make an excuse for that one.
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librariesare4lovers was starred librariesare4lovers was unstarred
Image of Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin) Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin)
08/14/09

@greengrey: I was initially more put off by the cage shot because I thought it was in reference to slavery, slave markets etc, so yes, I totally agree about the chains.
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Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin) was starred Mmmmkay (gellin’ and Jezebelin) was unstarred
Image of wundersmack wundersmack
08/14/09

This speaks to the lack of imagination of photo editors, not racism.
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Dodai promoted this comment wundersmack was starred wundersmack was unstarred
Image of GirlyQ is a manta ray GirlyQ is a manta ray
08/14/09

@wundersmack: This was my thought…not that they were trying to be different or anything (or trying, for that matter)…but they just said “Iconic black women! Grace Jones! Grab some arty-looking shit”
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greengrey promoted this comment GirlyQ is a manta ray was starred GirlyQ is a manta ray was unstarred
Image of Dodai Dodai
08/14/09

@wundersmack: You clearly know very little about history; black people are often referred to as “animals” less-evolved, monkeys, “wild,” primitive and savage.
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Dodai was starred Dodai was unstarred
Image of Hana Maru Hana Maru
08/14/09

@wundersmack: Both factors are at work here.
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Hana Maru was starred Hana Maru was unstarred
Image of Rooo sez BISH PLZ Rooo sez BISH PLZ
08/14/09

@wundersmack: *sigh*
It’s not a binary.
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Rooo sez BISH PLZ was starred Rooo sez BISH PLZ was unstarred
Image of Malaise Malaise
08/14/09

@wundersmack: I think the photo editors in this case are pretty racist. This either amounts to 1) intentionally sensationalizing Amber Rose via overdetermined, racialized/bestialized semiotics or 2) perhaps worse, overlooking the iconic significance of putting women of color in chains, cages, leopard print, etc.

1 is an example of primary ignorance, and 2 is secondary ignorance where:

Primary ignorance=the photo editors are ignorant racists.

Secondary ignorance=they’re such ignorant racists that they don’t even realize how racist these images are.
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Dodai promoted this comment Edited by Malaise at 08/14/09 5:55 PM Malaise was starred Malaise was unstarred
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Posted on November 10, 2009

by hrcadmin

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