Vogue magazine sparks racism row over article on 'slave earrings'
Italian fashion gobbledegook gets into trouble:
"Fashion magazine Vogue has sparked a worldwide race row after it ran a trend story on what it labelled 'slave earrings'.
The article, which has been roundly criticised for being 'overtly racist', appeared on the Vogue Italia website and recalled the style of earrings worn by 'women of colour' who were brought to the southern United States during the slave trade.'
The article in full read: 'Jewellery has always flirted with circular shapes, especially for use in making earrings. The most classic models are the slave and creole styles in gold hoops. 'If the name brings to the mind the decorative traditions of the women of colour who were brought to the southern United States during the slave trade, the latest interpretation is pure freedom.
Source
Italians generally seem rather resistant to political correctness -- as their amazing Premier, Silvio Berlusconi, often shows. But as an international outfit, I suppose Vogue has to disown the doings of its Italian tentacle.
But anyhow, what's wrong with celebrating the good taste of American blacks? You generally get praise for that. Just mentioning history is incorrect, apparently.
7 comments:
Calling the earrings "African inspired" would not have generated such a fuss, it was the choice of "slave" to describe them which set off the noise.
They look scary to me, just begging to get caught on something and rip...yuck! Do earrings have quick-release fittings, kind of like ski bindings that pop open if there is too much stress on them? Comments ladies?
Yes, the word slave would sound the alarm bells of all the professional race-pimps around the world. Because they are offended? No, because they smell cash, as in, "settlement". (see: shakedown)
Best not to mention anything at all that refers to blacks, negatively or positively. The best course of action is to avoid the topic and probably avoid blacks as well. There is no telling what innocuous phrase or word might offend them.
The earrings were inspired by someone's notion of what 1800's forced workers from Africa may have worn.
Can we not even mention that slavery existed???
Looks like a cynical advertizing tactic to get more publicity and thus sales.
But did actual slaves have the opportunity to acquire any type of earrings?
Anon 1:29,.... if that's the case, perhaps we should stop speaking alltogether, since almost every word uttered these days "offends" someone or something.
I have a better idea. Speak your mind and FCUK anyone who doesn't like it!
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