Is Vogue Racist?

I think this image can be used to analyze raced bodies, gendered bodies, and classed bodies. I will start with raced bodies. This image directly plays semiotics (something only has meaning in relation to something else) the fact that you can’t have black without having white, and that the white body (especially in this picture) is seen as absent and neutral. As Stuart Hall said that classification is a fundamental aspect of human culture, this classification system in today’s society is used as a system of power. When looking at Lebron you see the representation of the black body as being animalistic, huge, and mean. It is clear in this image that although Lebron is a big guy he is slouched over and screaming possibly even roaring giving him an animalistic representation almost ape-like (Darwinism picture below). This picture induces that social dawinism making the black body appear less evolved. You also see in this image that Lebron is an athlete, which classifies him as uneducated. He may be successful however in the sense of this classification he still would not be considered upperclass; to be considered upperclass he would need to be wearing a business suit rather than nikes. If you then look at Giselle you see the difference between black and white and the difference between male and female in today’s society. She is dainty, thin, happy, and well dressed. She signifies an upperclass, white, female who makes a living not by getting sweaty and dirty but instead by looking good for others (other oriented society). Lebron in the picture looks takes up almost three times the amount of space as her, a real representation on how men are supposed to be present in society and women are supposed to be taking up absent. I also like to note that the Giselle the white female looks happy and carefree where as Lebron the black male looks like he is in terror. The image as shown in the cartoon shows Lerbron taking control over and actually grabbing onto Giselle. I think this really shows the way that culture uses the black and white bodies to portray what they think and how they feel. The black body is usually represented as being distressed in one way or another. It is interesting to take note that although on the cover Giselle is gorgeous and skinny the magazine advocates “dressing for any size” but then also advertises diets. The diets advertising are targeting the societies idea of an intelligible body. The ads that talk about dressing for any size kind touch on what Stuart Hall said that something is disturbing once it breaks the classification this ad is trying to turn women whose bodies are not intelligible by size into intelligible looking bodies. I decided to do some further research to see if others found this cover as offensive as I did and as a matter of fact I came across many pictures and many articles. Comments said things like why isn't Lebron in a suit and that the editors of Vogue in fact had a much more 'civilized' picture of the two that they could have used instead. Sorry for all the images but I couldn't help but add the other ones I found below.

Social Darwinism

The image they didn't choose to use...