Appropriation to Absence & Aggression [Pre-J.6]

The Dark Side of Modeling

With its estimated annual revenue of $1.5 billion in the US and the global fashion industry valued at over $2.5 trillion, the industry offers significant financial potential.

Race- Absence and Aggression

Black women have been stereotyped as inferior, subservient (to Whites) embodied by the caricatures of “The Mammy,” “The Jezebel,” and “The Sapphire.” 

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British model Jourdan Dunn has been repetitively outspoken about being turned away from casting directors because of the color of her skin. Are casting directors to blame? They usually route the blame to the actual designers, who then reroute the racist accusation back to the casting directors. No one will overtly declare that they prefer a white aesthetic, and that it’s “more desirable.” “How can that be when the fashion industry notoriously, repetitively and unapologetically appropriates cultures of color, most often, black culture?” 

As if appropriation isn’t problematic enough, white models have been shot in actual blackface. This act excludes black aesthetics and cultures to satisfy the fantasy of “brown skin with white features.” The blackface phenomenon is an historic act of racism used to dehumanize and humiliate black people, and reinforced the idea of black people being the inferior race to whites. 

Although these appropriative spreads aren’t intentionally practicing overt racism, it becomes a racial microaggression–a verbal or non-verbal insult  that intentionally or non-intentionally communicates hostile, derogatory or negative messages to target people based solely upon their marginalized group membership. 

Mari Malek, a model from South Sudan said, “I was disrespected, verbally abused, sexually harassed, underpaid and never paid for some of my work and went to more dinner and events than castings as an eye candy,” Malek said. The 12-year veteran of the industry who has modeled for Prada also …recounted how she arrived at a casting only to find a sign on the door that read, “No Black Girls Unless Requested.” She added, “I was told, ‘Just shut up and model.’” 

But 29-year-old model Jeffrey Kissubi told the BBC, "I worked with someone on set, and they used a racial slur in my presence thinking it was okay. That racial slur had to do with the oppression of black people, and I'm not sure if they understood that you can't use that kind of language.”

Instances of discrimination and harassment reported by 40% of models in 2021

Nyaluak Leth, 26, also recalled an experience when another black model asked her to braid her hair before walking the runway during one of Australia's biggest fashion events. "In 2019 behind the scenes at Sydney Fashion Week, one of the black models approached me and asked me to braid her hair and I said 'but darling, there are so many empty seats in the hair section', but I could tell that she was really reluctant to even ask for help... because she didn't trust that anyone knew how to do her hair and she was definitely right."

Even supermodels and Victoria’s Secret Angels, the highest accolades in the modeling field known to normies, are not exempt from racism (and misogyny) in the fashion industry. In the description of her video, Tyra Banks encouraged her fans to post their own video "shouting out to a person [or entity] that hurt you." "Whether the source of your pain comes from someone you've dated, a job or a parent, now's the time to let it out like never before," the description reads. "Now's the time to use the pain that they caused you as strength. Now's the time to be heard and take your power back. Keep it real and raw, but no need to say names. They know who they are. It won't be easy. It will be uncomfortable. You may feel vulnerable, but just know that #TheUpRiXing has your back." 

The example clip sees Banks recite a kind of slam poetry as she reflects on the fashion industry's hypocrisy, racism, beauty standards and more, with the model delivering her message as if to a partner:  

           …Then I was too fat, then my a$$ was too big… Let's talk about how I had to mix my own makeup colors,                    because if I left it up to the people that you chose for me, I'd look like an ashy clown. Oh, and don't get me                  started on the hair. Do not get me started on the hair! she exclaimed. Today I am wise enough to know that                my beauty is not defined by you, she shouted. Beauty is all shapes and sizes. All colors and genders. Young and         old, tall and thin and thick! Real beauty lives in the land of 'and.' Yeah, I said it! …Every single day I will continue            to fight your oppression that makes people feel like crap about themselves.

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