On Tyra

[Brandi]

On Tyra… I don’t think she needs to be held accountable for anything she didn’t claim to represent. She never claimed to represent Black girls, she claimed to represent Black models and being fabulous (according to her own rules). All that really matters is that she’s cool with it. Whether she’s tappin’ around or just being her, or just treating the girls like they would be treated by any high fashion modeling agency, in all it doesn’t matter. But to say she has to represent Black people in a particular way it isn’t fair, because it isn’t who she is. Tyra Banks likes to wear lots of make-up, colorful weaves, tight clothes that do not represent any traditional African styles ( although they may be designed by a Black person), and 4 inch heals. That’s who she is, it doesn’t take away from her Blackness, nor does it say that she hates herself and thinks that White folks are the example of beauty. And if she does…what are we going to do about it?...Nothing. It isn’t her job to represent all Black people. I think the problem is that Black people often look to other Black People that are in the spot light and that are up high on the latter of social stratification to be spokesmen, and I don’t think that its a realistic expectation.

[brianold]

i'm not sayin that. i'm merely pointing out the facts.

she has several times that I've seen her on TV and in other places, claimed to be a pioneer in that she sees herself as a trailblazer for trying to get minority women into modeling more without having to conform to euro-centric standards of beauty.

she has adopted a euro-centric standard of beauty.

she does try and resist that at times, i'll give that to her.

i'm not bashing or judging her, i'm simply pointing out the fact that what she did on the show was hypocritical.... and it is.

i don't expect perfection. but i'm just callin her out. since i can walk and chew gum, metaphorically, i dont have a problem with pointing that out if it might help someone else see not just the hypocricy in her image but the fact that that hypocrisy is financially beneficial to her... it makes her money to straddle the line of being ms. "standup blackwoman" and ms. "we're gonna get you voice lessons" at the sametime... i can point that out and still continue doing what i need to do for myself so that i'm being less hypocritical... so i'mma do it cause i think that it may help someone if i can point out the hype so that that someone "dont believe it"

the real problem i think is that we rush to defend someone like her when she doesnt need defending at all. she's making money walking a tight rope and is runway walking it to the bank at the expense of little girls being able to be clear on the fact that ALL OF THIER ENTIRE CHARACTERISTICS should be accepted and not just their body, but not their southern or "hood" accents.

[Brandi]

I'm not defending Tyra Banks, I'm saying that she can not be held accountable for raising Black females. I'm saying what she does, is what she does, not that it's right, but it's what she does. And calling her out isn't...to me at least...the best alternative if her attitude doesn't change, nor the problem that her attitude may in turn cause...which is little black girls having a negative self image. But at the same time maybe that's how you see it fit to solve the issue, and I can't be mad at that. I guess whatI'm trying to say is that I can only hold myself accountable and do my best to represent those things I think are important needs in the Black community.

[brianold]

i understand that.

and i agree that it doesnt help solve her issue.

but the reason why it does help is really the whole essence and purpose of community critique and constructive criticism... usually it's not about the person or protagonist per se, but it becomes a battle for the minds of the observers... by critiquing Tyra, the critic hopes that people will observe that critique (that points out her hypocrisy in this situation, as one example) and learn from it and therefore not want to be like tyra (i.e. not want to be a hypocrit).

so when i point of tyra's hypocrisy i'm agreeing with you that i could care less about judging tyra for the sake of trying to get her to change... what i care about is that those watching her know the truth... and the truth is that she claims to be trying to uplift black women (whether it is true or not) and hopefully if more little girls and young women know the truth (which is that she is often selling them out for her own gain) then they will be more likely to not want to be like her.

that's all i'm saying.