Gabby Sidibe’s Elle Cover Is Another Reason Why Black Fashion Directors Are Necessary
This is my opinion and I own it.
When I read the report that Gabby Sidibe was covering the 25th anniversary of Elle magazine’s October issue, I nearly jumped out of my office chair with utter excitement. To discover the Oscar-nominated uber talented actress would anchor an issue about Hollywood’s favorite 25 year-olds in celebration of Elle‘s quarter-life, well, this kind of made my still-fashionably tainted day.
But then I saw the cover. Sweet Jesus, be a fence! Who, what, when, and just why?
Gabby Sidibe’s hair has been flipped up and laid, particularly on her appearance on the “Oprah show.” We have also seen Gabby on a plethora of red carpets, giving it to em’; hands on hip, and that weave was just right. Now what happened at Elle? Gabby Sidibe is too poppin’ and Tinsletown buzzing to go out like that. The weave looks like an old used up brillo pad that has seen too many greasy pots and too many anti-humidity products.
I blame Gabby’s own team, her glam squad (she does have one right?), her BFF (you know every starlet has a sidekick on the set), and the entire Elle staff. I even blame the newly minted Black staffers, and the lone intern girl of color who likely giggled off on the side of the set, instead of quietly holding up a sign from the back of the room reading, “Gabby, girl, they got you looking wrong!”
Here we have yet another reason among a trillion why Black fashion, beauty, and creative directors are necessary. Clearly Elle dropped the cue or is on some demented hiring freeze.
The fashion industry is seemingly damned if they do, or damned if they don’t. We don’t want to come off ungrateful; we’d be the very ones complaining or dishing critical commentary on why no Black actresses are making glossy covers. We just ask one simple thing: always have an expert, weave/wig/Black hair specializing stylist on the set. Black women’s hair is sort of a serious matter.
Rant concluded. *turns and whips hair like Willow*
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I think hair falls under beauty editor not fashion director. Fashion doesn’t mess with hair and vice versa. So, I disagree on that point. However, the wig does look a little askew and her complexion was clearly lightned. Gabby is beautiful and has a wonderful personality that outshines her size. I don’t understand why people are so offended by her being fat. As long as you’re maintaining your size, why do you care? (Please don’t give me that crap about other people’s health problems cost the country money because fat people pay taxes too.) And, let us remember, people didn’t want to see black people at all on the cover on magazines because they didn’t represent what was typically thought as beautiful.
Why are you equating something that can’t be controlled (like skin color) with something that can (morbid obesity)? Gabby is willfully obese. And people need to stop making this a race thing because if a morbidly obese white or Latina woman were on the cover of a fashion mag, heads would roll, and women of that ethnic group would be equally offended that a better looking, in shape woman of that race was overlooked for a woman that takes up literally the entire cover.
@emelyne,
Agreed!!!
When did people start equating being dark skinned with being obese?
There are tons of beautiful dark skin women who could have graced this cover, tons of dark skinned models who would have looked fabulous, but no, no Elle chose Gabby Sidibe to cover model on the rare occasion that they use a black model.
I get the cover is due to her being a “starlet” but come off it, Gabby Sidibe is not a starlet, she’s a one hit wonder. They should have just used Zoe Saldana because she more fits the “starlet” bill anyway.
@ObesityIsADisease: Thank you. It’s so funny to me how in this society, we can call out anorexics and bulimics but an equally (if not more so) dangerous eating disorder like compulsive overeating is left untouched. If a 90 pound girl were on this cover, we’d have a fit, but throw a 400 pound girl on there and all of a sudden it’s ‘mean” to point out her unattractivness and unhealthiness? I am laughing all all these people that pretend to not understand why she’s considered unattractive or deflect and try to pull the race card when she receives any crtiticiam. News flash: Gabby was chosen for the role of Precious because she’s fat and unattractive! It was typical typecasting. As has been pointed out by many before, Gabby’s only done one movie and is no starlet. Her face and body, however they would look otherwise, are both distorted by layers of fat. We shouldn’t see this woman as an icon any more than the emaciated models of the 90s. There are just too many great black actresses, models and singers, light and dark, thick and thin, that Elle could have chosen from.
Evelyn,
This is going to be offensive, but you are ignorant. Willfully obese? Seriously? But all that aside, Why are you making an issue of equating race with obesity? They actually are really similar. Race, as a concept, did not exist prior to the 1900′s; similarly, obesity, as a concept, did not exist prior to the 1900′s. These are concepts introduced through prejudiced, a view you seem to understand pretty well. Difference is what guides the devaluation of black beauty and of those who are conceived as overweight.
As for the weight issue and other races, White “overweight” and healthy weight models have been trying to break back into the fashion industry for years. We have not always had the same standards of beauty. Standards of beauty change and I think that is all that is being said. The only thing that you did with your comment Evelyn is reveal your ignorance and prejudice.
Don’t hate, congratulate.
@Lynwellyn: First off, hon, my name is Emelyne. Please read the name of the person you are attacking. Secondly, race as a concept may be relatively new but people of all the major races (black, caucasian, asian) have existed for thousands of years. The reason why obesity as a concept seems so new is because it IS new. There were virtually no obese people if any before the 1900′s. Do some research. the reason for this was the fact that all the different societies had one thing in common: work. people worked to keep their homes nice and labored to earn a living and provide for their children. Gluttony was also not considered an admirable attribute. We live in a society that has made it concievable to literally not even move and still earn a living and not even cook but still eat. Yes, Gabby is willfully obess. Read a biology book; color is not something one controls but even if a person has a predisposition for weight gain and might be fat, there is no excuse besides laziness and gluttony on that individual’s behalf to be obess. There is a big (pun intended) difference. From your skewed logic, one could also make an argument that we could also equate unintelligence, violence, and a host of other perfectly controllable things with race.
Lynwellyn wrote: “…you are ignorant. …Race, as a concept, did not exist prior to the 1900′s; similarly, obesity, as a concept, did not exist prior to the 1900′s.”
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It’s always funny when someone calls another “ignorant” then proceeds to spew ignorance.
Outside of the “mongoloid,” “negroid,” and “caucasoid” boxes established in the 1800′s, you’re off by a couple of centuries as race (as a social construct) did exist prior to the 1900′s. It began in the 1600′s with the Transatlantic slave trade’s furthering of race-based slavery.
““Race” emerged as a social classification that reflected this greatly expanded sense of human separateness and differences. Theodore Allen (1997) argues that the “invention” of the white race took place after an early, but unsuccessful, colonial revolt of servants and poor freedmen known as Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676. Colonial leaders subsequently decided it would be useful to establish a division among the masses of poor to prevent their further collaboration against the governmental authorities. As African servants were vulnerable to policies that kept them in servitude indefinitely, and European servants had the protection of English law, colonial leaders developed a policy backed by new laws that separated African servants and freedmen from those of European background. Over the next half century, they passed numerous laws that provided resources and benefits to poor, white freedmen and other laws that restricted the rights of “Africans,” “mulattoes,” and “Indians.”
Different words have been used to describe obesity, but you’re also dead wrong if you think the concept “did not exist prior to the 1900′s” as the ancient Chinese and Egyptians considered it a disease, Aztecs considered it a curse from the gods etc., and Emelyne is right. It’s an epidemic now and, in addition to the processed and fast foods of today that are laden with all kinds of unhealthy and fat-producing substances — you can’t compare today with the past without acknowledging the differences. There was a time that if people wanted to eat, they had to get out and work the land (exercise) to grow the food (healthier) in addition to other physical activities in and around the home. In other times kids used to go outside to play ball, ride bicycles and climb trees or – at least – had an hour of PE at school (which didn’t always have vending machines full of soda and junk), and if people weren’t walking to school, work, church or a friend’s home overall they were doing many other physical activities and getting way more exercise.
Well, I prefer to error on the side of caution. My concern is what young Black girls reading this who resemble Gabby will think about some of these harsh comments about her. I prefer to support her.
Heavy White & Latina women do not face the same predjudices as heavy Black women. That much I do know.
@Interested: The fact that Gabby, at 350+ pounds made the cover of a fashion magazine when no Latina or white woman of that size ever has and probably never will shows that they in fact suffer more dicrimination, at least in the fashion industry. It’s also a job that Elle sees Gabby as pretty or fashionable but has never even placed a black, Latina, or white plus size model on it’s covers.In fact, obese white women probably suffer more discrimination, especially in their own communities, because in Latino culture a woman with kids is “allowed” to be any weight she chooses and in the black community, we defend the enormous women and call them role models. That ish does not fly for most white men and obese white women are openly discriminated by their own; I see it every single day. This isn’t even a race issue, its a matter of extremes. Gabby shouldn’t be on the cover any more than an obviously anorexic girl; they are both horrible role models. Period.
Arobinson wrote: “…did someone just send me back to the 1950s when women judged their own value and accomplishments by what those around them do. Evidently Akai believes that medical knowledge can somehow be obtained via some form of osmosis as a result of having continual sexual intercourse with one doctor and then sharing the same genetic pool with another…”
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Know what? You’re absolutely right, Arobinson, and my bad. I’m not a doctor, but I’m not too dumb either; when close to people it’s par for the course and only natural to hear about their day, talk and learn things over the years.
Since I was 3, many times my father would hoist me on his back and take me to the hospital with him to do rounds and check on his patients on Sundays after Mass. He is a surgeon and, in the last 10-15 years, he began to suggest delaying necessary but non-life threatening surgeries to his obese patients to give them a chance to drop some weight. Now…I shouldn’t have to point-by-point lay out the reasons why but, if you can’t figure them out, I’d suggest cracking a book, consulting a physician, taking some classes or whatever you need to do.
And could people please quit with the “They don’t care about obese people’s health!” line???
I don’t know if people get together at a meeting and reach a consensus on which over-used bullet points to retort with…but it’s tired and straight bullsh!t. The fact is…many obese people don’t work, so taxpayer my @ss. Some of them live off taxpayers, have government-funded medical cards, and collect disability checks (oh and want to be accommodated for free on airlines when taking up more than one seat). Many of them that do work often cost employers in either increased premiums (hogging health care resources) or missed work due to frequent various illnesses.
Regardless of weight, and especially for people of color, my belief is all should strive to eat right (healthily), control their portion sizes, exercise, exercise, exercise, bypass all fast food joints, get off dat @ss, never smoke, limit alcohol intake and use one’s own personal power to be as proactive as possible to increase the chances of living a lengthened life of quality.
Maybe these conversations wouldn’t go to places that appear to aggravate were it not for people trying to guilt and ‘bully’ others into lying and proclaiming an individual they find unattractive as attractive, calling a morbidly fat person pretty, and pushing for society to change it’s idea of beautiful from a healthy weight and pretty face to 400 lbs., back fat and a double chin (which will never happen, thank goodness)!
Yes, I also thought it was strange that ARobinson failed to quote all of the very valid statistics which you proceeded to state in that last comment…
Yep, Emelyne. I so appreciate you seeing right through that and you know how it goes. If an individual can’t disprove the facts stated — they resort to trying to talk about and/or personally ‘attack the messenger’ (kiddie sh!t).
Often *some* will project their own issues and insecurities then look for one thing to nit-pick and this fact (projecting) was a dead-giveaway. Note how neither of them had any complaints/commentary over Roschelle ‘bragging’ about being a nurse and my statement had “validity” as a direct to her comment that “obesity doesn’t equal unhealthy.”
It is what it is, I see it for what it is and (out of extreme respect for the owner) I try to keep it moving, stick to the topic and issues raised, and learn from others.
@Emelyne
I think it’s the fact that when she mentioned her father and husband are doctors added no validity to her argument. It’s like she mentioned it to brag or make herself some kind of expert on obesity. Not that I necessarily disagree with her argument.
I AGREE. They need a beat down for sending our sister out for print looking like this. Their efforts, or lack thereof, tells a message. While seeming diverse, as if they are down for the cause(changing the mirrored images of beauty), but really they are saying ‘you get what you asked for.’
But, get this… the bottom left corner reads: “TOP 5 HAIR & MAKEUP STYLES EVER”
Who the hell would buy this?
So, once sales are down, they have proof as to why they dont put Black beauties on the gloss covers.
[...] Sidibe’s Elle cover = unbeweaveable. [...]
Maybe I’m alone here, but I like this cover. The green is gorgeous on her. So shoot me.
I’m so sick of seeing her being interviewed on the telly and everyone constantly saying, “OMG, Gabby, You are soo beautiful”! We all know darn well they are avoiding the 500 lb elephant in the room. These same people wouldn’t give her the time of day if they saw her on the street. Gabby, please get some help, you might be a beautiful person on the outside and have a great personlity, but on the inside you are dying. One doesn’t have to be a doctor to see that.
I have something to say on this matter. I don’t think the photo was lightened- coming from a black woman, i was watching this story just now, and i realized,i had to add my opinion. Maybe it wasn’t retouched! I have so many pics’ taken of …me where in some i look really dark and in others i look really light, if i posted these same pics- side,by side, Folks would swear there’s been some retouching done….I’m just saying! Don’t be quick to judge, if there’s no proof or admission of wrong doing… think about what i just posted.FYI~ My skin color appears to change, in a lot of my photos, my guess is lighting conditions,location- whether taken indoors, or outdoors- I appear lighter at times when my pics are taken outside, and at other times i appear darker when my pics’ are taken outside, so i am not saying for certain it wasn’t done! Just offering a different point of view!
I agree with you; lighting makes a huge difference and the difference is more noticeable on a person of color. I’m black (with whatg some would call high yellow complexion) and when I tan (yes, we black people can get tan), I look anywhere from a medium to very dark skin tone. that also makes a difference. when I actually where sunscreen and have a picture taken during the day, it’s a world of difference from a tan me photographed in the evening.
[...] believe me? Check out Gabby Sibide’s recent Elle cover and this great response at Clutch magazine online. A hot, of-the-minute black actress can’t even [...]
@Emelyne and ObesityIsADisease: Who are either of you to determine whether or not a woman who is fat can grace the cover of a magazine? I’m sick and tired of overly-critical/judgmental people who’ve never had a weight problem spewing out their rants about what is and is not acceptable for the rest of us. Yes, obesity is a problem, but so is bias toward others who don’t fit into this society’s ever-changing idea of “acceptability.” People need to be accepted for who they are and for what they bring to the table. Gabourey IS a talented young woman regardless of her size and we all should support her successes. Elle magazine should have done a much better job with preparing her for her photo shoot. There’s no excuse for a bad hair weave done by someone who obviously doesn’t know what they’re doing. If Gabourey were skinny with a bad weave, the results would be the same…it’s still a poorly-done magazine cover.
As I have stated before in previous posts, I am not against a woman who is heavy or fat. I also said that I’d have LOVED to see Monique, Jill Scott, or Raven Symone on this cover. All 3 have years and even decades on Gabby as far as acting and Raven and Jill also have singing carrers. Are any of them thin? No. But the are not morbidly obese either. I may not have ever struggled with my weight, but I have friends who have and instead of just throwing up their hands and gorging themselves, they ate healthily and excersied. Gabby obviously suffers from compulsive overeating, but everyone’s dodging that to be PC. I personally struggle to keep weight on and so I go out of my way to strength train and build muscle and eat more so that I don’t look skeletal. Also, I do not find Gabby one bit pretty physically and the majority of Americans would agree, so regardless of anyone’s angle, I will not be bullied into saying that an unattractive, morbidly obese girl with a one-hit wonder acting “career” is a good role model for American teens (many of whom are overweight themselves) or deserving of a fashion cover over more fashionable and more deserving black actresses and singers.
[...] question Elle’s selection, as well as Sidibe’s less-than-flattering styling (Clutch nailed it dead-0n). And before we pull out the hater card, the issue is not about Sidibe being on the cover. [...]
Whether they had a black fashion editor or a black beauty editor, I think they should hired a black hairstylist or someone with experience styling hair for women of color. I’ve been to a white salon before and they had absolutely no idea what to do with my hair. So it would have helped for them to hire a black hairstylist and even better to find out what Gabby’s beauty/styling needs would be before the photoshoot. We don’t wear our hair the same way and our skin needs different care as well. What looks hot on our fairer sister doesn’t always pull off on us.
I am sorry but this girl is obese and unattractive – I can’t think of one black woman who would want to look like her. I think most black young girls have enough self esteem not to look to her as a role model. I believe Elle portrayed her that way on purpose and they deserve all the criticism levelled at them, but what about Gabby herself? Is she blind? I know when I don’t look right in a photo and she should have had the sense to refuse permission for those awful pictures to be published. I feel she did herself a great dis-service.