More Drama At Glamour
After the original Glamour magazine incident, yours truly was contacted with a letter of apology, which I chose to hold off on. (They sent the same apology to lots of other righteously pissed off bloggers, and you can read it here at Ask This Black Woman).
I responded politely to the editors, and they wrote back in a friendly and hey, we really like your blog, interested in Afrobella manner. I’ll keep it real with y’all — I’m a professional writer and editor. So honestly, I’ve held longstanding hopes and dreams of someday working with a magazine of Glamour’s caliber. I thought someone like me could be a valuable contributor to their publication. Not sure anymore, in the wake of all this anti-afro business. And especially following the latest fallout. Heavy sigh. OK, here we go, delving back into this hair drama.
Page Six ran a tidbit about the blow-up inside the Glamour offices. Which was followed by a pithy response by Gawker, elaborating that everyone at the magazine hated the now-fired, Glamour editor in question, Ashley Baker. Oh wait, later in the afternoon Gawker ran another bit, explaining that everyone actually loved the now-fired Ashley Baker. OK. Then Gawker’s sister blog Jezebel (which I read almost daily and really enjoy) posts this “lay off, you guys — she really isn’t racist” response. Jezebel, I love you. But you need more people. And reading these Ashley Baker is really a cool chick posts does nothing to diminish the sting of what she actually said — which you can read here.
All of this back-and-forthing does nothing to address the root of the issue. Maybe she’s a really nice, well-meaning gal. But that doesn’t change the fact that what Ashley Baker said was racist, ignorant, and according to so many of you who have commented and e mailed me about this issue, completely wrong. There are proudly natural black women who are well respected doctors, lawyers, bankers, and professors. There are women rocking these quote-unquote political hairstyles on television and (for example, yesterday’s Afrobella of the Month), hosting popular radio programs. We’re here, we’re proudly wearing the hair God gave us, get used to it.
The whole story makes me tired. Tired that the offices of Glamour magazine seem to be like so many other backbiting BS corporate environments. Tired that hair like mine is still an issue to be debated by people who will never understand or identify with me. Tired of the same old outdated standards of beauty that are continually shoved down our collective throats.
What say you, bellas?
** edited on Wednesday October 10 at 8:22 a.m. – Jezebel editor Dodai offers an interesting personal perspective that I think is worth a read.
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Afrobella,
I totally agree with what you’re saying. I read about the original bit a while back and held off commenting because they weren’t releasing the name and I wasn’t sure it really happened. I mean, some woman is truly going to stand up in front of a bunch of lawyers and say something like that? Can’t be.
Then a few days ago I got my mediabistro email and sure enough. I’m sad. This is just bullshit, no other way about it.
My locs are dreadful? My locks are beautiful. My fat ass and wide nose are supreme. My fro was kickin’ and my naps are where it’s at. I don’t view my hair as political because this is my natural state. Political is straightening it to make other people feel more comfortable and I better “fit in.” When I was in broadcast school I was told to straighten it or I would fail TV.
That’s the only time a white woman has or ever will tell me what’s acceptable. Is Baker a racist? Who knows. She’s an idiot who was tasked with a simple job that she obviously couldn’t handle. But in truth, why is it shocking? When’s the last time you saw a natural haired black woman gracing the cover of Glamour?
AK
@ Aziza
I hear where you’re coming from, but I must say that the only thing that one of the things that you said I find very disturbing.
You wrote:
“We are the ones who were convicted at birth to spend a lifetime fighting discrimination.”
Sister, I must say that if you feel as if God (the Creator or whoever you believe put you on this earth) gave you a life sentence, a “conviction” of being black and therefore must “fight” for the rest of your life against discrimination, etc. then you are sadly mistaken. Perhaps this is truly how you feel and you have every right to feel this way. I don’t know what you experience on a daily basis, but what I do know, is that I and I think perhaps other people were not put on this earth to “fight” against this that or the other simply because we have more melanin in our skins than other groups of people. I enjoy every second of my life in whatever skin I”m in, and it happens to be chocolate at its best.
Enjoy life, don’t let society encourage you to play the victim role. You are not a victim. Ok?
Aziza, I’m not saying that we went and got her fired on purpose, but I’m sure if Glamour Magazine didn’t get the response that they had gotten from our community, this girl would probably still be working there. I mean, who wouldn’t know that? I’m sure they only fired her just to save their reputation. Other than that, they probably agreed with the things she said in the back of their minds.
The reason why I zoomed in on this was that we had the type of impact that made this girl lose her job. We put all of our energy in only situations like these, without using that same type of energy for the bigger things that need to be attacked.
I never said that we shouldn’t have addressed the Glamour issue either, but then again, I didn’t make it clear enough. Sorry about that, sis. However, I did say that issues both small and big should be addressed. To me, this is a small one, and like I said before, there’s another one, that’s much bigger, that needs to be tackled.
@NappyStar: You know what? I went back and read what you wrote. And I find that I actually agree with you.
@NearandFar: Hi sister. I apologize that you received my words not as I intended them to be perceived. Notice that I “never” said that God gave us a life sentence. I never said or implied that. However, I will state that we have the burden of dealing with extra issues (racism, discrimination, etc.) that other people don’t have to contend with. Other races of people have the luxury of dealing with issues of race when they feel like it. We are living in a society and times where the mainstream is trying to make it seem like slavery never happened and diminish its impact upon us. And no, I, you, we are not victims. I never said that either. I, you, we, are survivors and come from a long line of survivors. It is the grace, mercy, and blessings that God affords us that keeps up alive. That’s where I’m coming from.
Glamour made the decision to fire her, and I’m sure she’ll find another job. I don’t think we should take responsibility for that. But it does show the power of our voice if we are all in accord. It reminds me of an incident in the Korean community regarding a black rapper. He disrespected women in his song (surprise), including Korean women. Well, the Korean community rose up and said NO, this is not okay, and furthermore you owe us an apology, AND you need to take that reference out of any future performances of that song. And guess what, he did those things — and I doubt very much they are part of his fan base. I wish I could remember the rapper & song. It was a few years ago, I read about it in Essence. Anyway, we could do that, too. A collective voice is a powerful voice, as has been demonstrated in this and other situations. I think this isn’t just about hair, it’s also about respecting people. What she did was not only ignorant, it was just plain rude, and somebody dealing with the public would need to correct that sooner rather than later. But the more you respect yourself, the less inclined other people are to disrespect you, and I agree with what has been said about we as a community loving ourselves and our characteristics more. Remember when big lips and big butts were so not cute to the mainstream? Now it seems like 80% of the white people on TV look like somebody slapped them hard in the mouth. Thin lips, big lips, kinky hair, straight hair. We need to stop calling any of it ugly.
@Aziza
I don’t agree with you when you say “we”. You wrote: “we have the burden of dealing with extra issues (racism, discrimination, etc.) that other people don’t have to contend with…” YOU may feel this and this is of course your right to do so, but I don’t think that I have to deal with anyone’s perception of me, especially negative. I treat people the way I’d like to be treated and if they throw me shade for whatever reason, I push on and wish them all the best. I will have what is meant for me, the opportinities, the blessing, etc. no matter who is involved. My being a certain color or a certain ethnicity has nothing to do with me getting up in the morning and liking what I see.
NearandFar: We “will” have to simply agree to disagree. Me viewing racism and discrimination as a burden does not “prevent” me from pressing on everyday. But I will not be one of those people who says that racism and discrimination do not exist. I will not turn a blind eye to it. And it’s not what the mainstream thinks about us in terms of perceptions; it’s about the “actions” they do to us. Some of us are misled to think that once we become academically, professionally, and financially accomplished that we are home free. Not so. I’ve been there. The work continues. I recognize it for what it is and give extra attention to go out of my way to help the brothers and sisters whether they be at my job, in my community, in my family or anywhere else, because I “know” what road blocks are thrown in front of the them by systematic racism. I will stand with them forever likewise as they have stood with me. This subject is many times complicated than what we have discussed. But I will say that although I don’t agree with you, I still respect you and will leave it at that. I liken this to a Malcolm and Martin discussion. Their approaches may have greatly differed, but they were seeking a similar outcome in uplifting the lives of black people. For that, I will not continue to go back and forth any longer in this particular discussion. I will just humbly say God bless you and I wish all the best for you with sincere and great respect.
Aziza
Now you make sense to me. I will also respect your views as well as wish you all the best and may God continue to bless you and yours.
I am just really sick that now certain blogs, Jezebel in particular, have given her a pass simply because she apologized for her ignorance and stupidity. If this didn’t leak out to the news would she have apologized and seen the errors of her ways? She blatantly said African American hair in a natural state is bad for the workplace. Why is it o.k. for her to say such things simply because there was an apology for it. She should have been fired if she was truly representing the magazine at this function. She is biased and brainwashed like millions of white AND black people into believing natural hair is bad hair, and that isn’t acceptable.
I am a professional who wears her hair natural. I decided I will no longer apologize and accommodate others because they are not comfortable with my hair in its natural state. I wish more black women would take this stance.
She’s no racist, but her prejudice speaks for itself. It’s 2007 and the politics of Black hair is still a touchy subject. However, its unfortunate that Baker, like many others no matter their race, believe that the queen who’s rocking the ‘fro must be “down for the causeâ€â€“whatever that may mean.
Check out my website for more on what I thought. Shout-out to Afrobella on her candid perspective.