Is Black the New Black?

With the influences of rap and urban style on almost everything, it is interesting to study the definition of what is "cool" today. As much as we buy into the lifestyle of the white middle class, minorities have been asserting themselves more and more in the media. Who doesn't think of President Obama as the essence of cool? (We can thank SNL for that.) We recognize a sort of typical demeanor of the African American male- He's smooth, he's strong, he's deep. (He has SWAG)




However, what worries me, is all the assumptions of familiarity that come with the incorporation of Black culture in the mainstream.

This week, French Vogue is embroiled in controversy for its depiction of supermodel, Lara Stone, in blackface.
Some site France's lack of historical connection to slavery. (This is a complete cop out. France was just as influential in the founding of the Americas as England. One of the largest slave rebellions in the history of the Americas was in Haiti, A French colony.)
Others say it is paying homage to the special beauty of black women, especially because Lara Stone is characteristically more healthy than other models. (She is of course still a size 4).





Frankly, I think people are getting a little too comfortable with this whole race thing. We keep saying that we are living in post-racial America, but the language of assimilation implies that the separate culture is some how diminished by this intermingling.

Don't get me wrong. I am IN NO WAY advocating separatism. I'm advocating invested study of intercultural relations, and dessimination of knowledge that will lead to thoughtful understanding.

I feel like things are getting out of hand when a judge refuses to grant a marriage license to an interracial couple on the grounds that their kids will struggle. Historically, mixed race children have been more accepted in society than their dark-skinned counterparts, so does the judge deny marriage licenses to black couples too? What about other minorities? Asians? Latinos? Middle Easterners? Come on now, we're bordering the absurd here. (Did you forget that our president is of mixed race? DUH)

All I know is we have to continue to portray positive images of Blacks in the media, not just as what's cool right now, but as a legitimate element and extension of American society and culture.

I'd like to take this moment to applaud clothing designer PPQ for staging an all-black model runway show at London's fashion week. AND THEY DIDN'T PLAY RAP MUSIC!