The cover of Vogue's April issue -- featuring an Annie Leibowitz photo of LeBron James and Gisele Bundchen, seen to the right -- has been thoroughly digested by this point. But the backlash against the imagery is coming to a head today.ABC News's Sheila Marikar (via CSTB) spoke with art professor Jason Rosenfeld of Marymount Manhattan College about the image's racial undertones.
"It's one thing to have an athlete in that kind of pose and with that kind of expression on a court after he or she has done something miraculous. It's another thing to couple it with someone who is of an entirely different ilk and gender. That turns it into a racially charged image."ESPN.com's Jemele Hill also composed a column on the matter, though she casts responsibility on LeBron and the NBA.
Vogue deserves criticism, but more blame should go to LeBron and other black athletes, who need to exercise stricter control of their images. If LeBron is brave enough to wear a Yankees cap at an Indians playoff game, picking up a history book and educating himself shouldn't cause a strain. ... As it is, LeBron was the first African-American male to grace Vogue's cover. Too bad it will be memorable for the wrong reasons.LeBron's
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. ITS A MOTHERF***ING PICTURE! WHAT DOES RACE HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING!? GOD I HATE THE MEDIA, GET A LIFE! ITS A STAR ATHLETE WITH A STAR SUPERMODEL, NOTHING MORE! YES IM YELLING!!! THIS IS REDICULOUS!
Posted at 2:25PM on Mar 20th 2008 by John S.
2. jemele hill is always writing alarmist pieces about things people "should" be upset about. really she's just upset that successful black men tend to prefer non-black women
Posted at 2:32PM on Mar 20th 2008 by dude
3. I found this part of the ABC article much more interesting:
"Rosenfeld [quoted above], in case you're wondering, is white. Robin Givhan, the Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion editor of the Washington Post and a former associate editor at Vogue, is black. And she doesn't see what all the fuss is about.
"It's so exhausting that every time people see an image of a black person they work themselves into a tizzy that somehow it doesn't adhere to the way in which they think a black person should be presented," she said."
Givhan also notes that the shoot is about Lebron's personality, not his race. Would they have put Tiger Woods in that pose, just because he is black? Absolutely not.
Posted at 2:40PM on Mar 20th 2008 by SR
4. Nice pic.
Posted at 3:12PM on Mar 20th 2008 by LB
5. I feel you, dude, Jemele Hill loves writing crap like this. Why is this even a controversy? I'm actually confused by this entire post, because I don't see anything wrong at all.
Posted at 3:30PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Justin
6. Jemele Hill is a complete hack. Loves to stir the pot when there's nothing to stir. If the cover was a black square and white circle she'd find a way to spin things and call that 'racist.'
Posted at 3:39PM on Mar 20th 2008 by D
7. Isn't it kind of racist to suggest black males should associate themselves with black females?
Isn't the whole point racial tolerance to teach us that race doesn't matter?
Posted at 3:52PM on Mar 20th 2008 by grapevinesooner
8. The only reason these people are portrayed this way is this: (cause/effect might be wrong)
Gisele is "in shape" to be a model, so she is dressed as a model. Lebron is "in shape" because he is a world class athlete, so he is dressed as a world class athlete.
That is all. Ms. Hill is a moron.
Posted at 3:57PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Gust51
9. Did ABC really call LeBron a 'black beast?' This is completely ridiculous. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this cover.
Posted at 4:29PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Ryne Nelson
10. he does look a little like king kong about to take ann darrow up atop the empire state building
Posted at 4:30PM on Mar 20th 2008 by jay
11. If race shouldn't be a issue, then why does the media constantly look for ways to bring it up. But what do I know, I'm not an elite member of society that should be able to tell people what to think.
Posted at 4:41PM on Mar 20th 2008 by angryguy77
12. I'm tired of these pseudo-intellectuals and their phony outrage every time they get an opportunity to scream 'racism' at a perceived slight.
Posted at 5:00PM on Mar 20th 2008 by rob
13. Did I miss something in the photo? Black athelete with white supermodel in a pose...what? Of all the idiotic issues in the world to be concerned with that is not worth the print. Get a grip!
Posted at 5:04PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Curt
14. Just another case of the media making an uproar over something that the rest of society with common sense doesn't think is an issue at all (damn, how do these anologies always come back to steroids!!!).
Posted at 5:29PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Grer The Sarcastic Bastard
15. Heh heh if this is racist, then let's make it sexist too. That's one ugly guy. Why can't the guy be as good looking as the woman?
Posted at 5:53PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Sharlet Marquez
16. BINGO!
Thats exactly how I saw it, King Kong with Fay Wray.
Posted at 7:16PM on Mar 20th 2008 by Lakergregg
17. Lebron is known as King James in Cleveland. Guess he's now King Kong James!
Posted at 7:31PM on Mar 20th 2008 by redboat
18. The Media is really grasping for straws here. I remember a while back, they caught Miley Cyrus with a Victoria Secrets shopping bag and wanted to make a big mess out of whatever they thought her underwear choices were. It is true, you can always find a "racial" element into anything if you want to. I suppose the safest thing would be is for LeBron to stay out of the public light. Never take a photo anywhere unless he checks with these little known art professors about his image first.
Posted at 4:35AM on Mar 21st 2008 by Alex Michaels
19. I am from Mississippi and live in Texas. According to the way the media talks about Mississippi I am supposed to look for reason to be pissed off at anything black.
Would someone pleas explain what is wrong with the photo? I do not get it. I see a black man with a basketball and a goodlooking woman. WHAT THE HELL IS THE BIG DEAl.
Posted at 8:29AM on Mar 21st 2008 by Mitchell B. Sandlin
20. There is something wrong with this photo - everything Jemele said. There is a difference between the media that cover Cyrus coming out of VS and Jemele. If you don't know that, you should check out periodicals that aren't on your way out of the grocery store.
"jemele hill is always writing alarmist pieces about things people "should" be upset about. really she's just upset that successful black men tend to prefer non-black women"
"Isn't it kind of racist to suggest black males should associate themselves with black females?
Isn't the whole point racial tolerance to teach us that race doesn't matter?"
Totally not what the column was about. It doesn't have anything to do with Lebron or successful black males preferring white females (which by the way, is a ridiculous statement). Race SHOULDN'T be an issue. That doesn't mean that it ISN'T an issue. Do you understand what racism has done economically to minorities in America? Do you think if we all just decide to not talk about it or say anything anymore that everyone is equal with equal opportunities? Do you think it is that simple? Brushing it under the rug just because we don't use the N-word in public anymore. Calling her a moron is pathetic.
She isn't saying that Vogue said, "Hey, let's make a racist cover" or "Guys! Let's make Lebron look inferior and brutish compared to a white woman!" The outcome was influenced by unconscious factors. It's not inherently racist, it simply extends the trend of how black athletes are portrayed visually in the media. She does not condemn Vogue or the media, but simply calls on black athletes like Lebron to be cognizant of how they are portrayed.
"Just another case of the media making an uproar over something that the rest of society with common sense doesn't think is an issue at all"? I don't think you realize how many issues that you care about wouldn't be issues to you if the media didn't report it. Are you in Iraq? Have you seen water boarding first hand? Taken any trips to Africa lately? And this common sense you speak of, would that be the common sense of unconsciously being okay with subliminal racism? Have you studied racism in America at any length, or is this just the answer that come from your heart?
Posted at 12:19PM on Mar 21st 2008 by chris