Category Archives: Uncategorized

Racism and Body Image~ Can’t We All Just Get Along? Swedes revive ridicule of Black beauty Hottentot Venus

April 23, 2013 truth

Now you know I have something to say about everything but this one has me stumped.
Sweden’s minister of culture, Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth, has been accused of racism after she become embroiled in a stunt involving a cake depicting a naked black woman. The art installation was reportedly meant to highlight the issue of female genital mutilation but attracted a furious response and accusations that the minister took part in ‘a racist spectacle’
Check it out:

Now some people have found this to be “racist”, Personally I find the video quite odd. First the idea that anyone would want to cut into a human shaped cake that looked like it was bleeding, that is screaming is already mind blowing, but the fact that they are so jovial about it, like it is an amusing sight, that is gives me pause. Something is hinky. To think that the artist The artist, Makode Aj Linde,

who created the installation for World Art Day on 15 April, (that’s him in as the cake’s head with his blackened face and head sticking up next to the cake’s stomach and arms) meant for the art installation to highlight the issue of female genital mutilation. Okay I kind of get that but… Then you are encouraging people to participate in the mutilation— okay edgy but what freaks me out is that they DID!!!

But is it RACISM that allowed them to see this merely as a stunt, and not a statement against the inhuman practice of genital mutilation on African women? My question is:

Would Ms. Adelsohn Liljeroth have so easily participated if someone had asked her to put human shaped cookie dough with the Star of David on them in an oven while a tape of wailing children was being played?

Would THAT have been amusing?

I know that Sweden has it’s racial issues, and that is being bandied about around this new development, and I know that Black folks get accused of being sensitive and paranoid, but I don’t know if I could cut into a human shaped cake, with a person screaming as I did it. I really would have found out distasteful and I would have first had to decline the invitation and then I would have asked for my coat. Sorry but I can’t picnic a at a lynching….
Here is more from the article hosted by: guardian.co.uk

Sweden’s minister of culture has been accused of racism after cutting a cake depicting a naked black woman.

Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth was taking part in an event at the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, the capital’s museum of modern art and home to works by Picasso and Dalí. She was invited to cut the cake, an art installation meant to highlight the issue of female genital mutilation. She began, as instructed, by taking a chunk from the cake’s “clitoris”.

The artist, Makode Aj Linde, who created the installation for World Art Day on 15 April, took part in the cake-cutting, with his blackened face and head sticking up next to the cake’s stomach and arms. The cakes “insides” were a gruesome red. A video shows him screaming loudly every time a visitor hacks off another slice of the cake.

Linde posted photos of the “genital mutilation cake” on his Facebook page. But the images provoked a furious response, with Sweden’s African-Swedish Association describing it as “a racist spectacle”. JUMP

The artist:

hummm we think she’s suspect…

uh-uh- it’s not right….

Uncategorized

Dove’s ‘Real Beauty Sketches’ Ad Campaign~ Poignantly Revealing

April 19, 2013 truth

dove real beauty

Dove does it again. First I would like to give kudos to the company for authentically taking this whole “Real Beauty” campaign on, and not making it a fly-by-night, gimmick to suck women in buy products. They have been so innovative and creative at not only highlighting the issues but in finding ways to empower women and build them up- most often (and in my opinion most effectively) using their own words, and stories.

This new installment is amazing…

I have to say that when I watched the video below I cried. Let me explain: a sketch artist was employed to (without seeing the subject) draw women as they described themselves. The women were also asked to look at the face of other woman and later describe that woman to the artist.

Then the two portraits (subjective/objective) were places side by side, and the women were allowed to view in black and white the renderings of how they see themselves, and how then rendering of how the other person saw them, and the difference was remarkable. What was so moving to me was their reaction. The astonishment, the awe, and the sadness in the women’s eyes upon seeing the two – most times drastically different pictures. With the first portrait (the one that they described themselves for) you see a recognition, you witness them seeing their issues: The fat in their face, the bad chin etc. Their vulnerability is palpable- it is as though their inner most thoughts, the things that we all work so hard to mask on a daily basis- (that we cover up with make-up, clothing, hairstyles etc.) were on display. Their inner feelings and dislikes about themselves were laid bare. In a way standing naked with a stranger whom they had feature by feature stripped naked before… Then ironically simultaneously they were confronted with the the second portrait of a more objective version of themselves and of how drastically different it was. When they look back and forth between to two, at first they seem slightly relieved that it’s “not so bad”, however within seconds, what you see register (and this is what made me emotional) is that they realized that there is something is wrong with this “picture” if you will- it’s like mentally they are trying to make sense of how they could be so off… and although they are pleased that they are indeed “prettier” then they feel themselves to be- they realize that there is something disturbingly sad, painful and diminishing about the feelings they hold about themselves…

Take a look…

Uncategorized

Some Pics From Sofia Bulgaria!! (pre Intensive Tour of the City)

April 2, 2013 truth

That's our stop (no idea what it says lol) — That’s our stop (no idea what it says lol)

An original bath house (that is now closed but they might turn it into a museum

Presented by the Dance Iliev Foundation----the reason... — Presented by the Dance Iliev Foundation—-the reason…

They started to build the subway and this is what they found!! FYI IT took then 20 years to build their subway-NYCMTA where is that 2nd ave line!?

Brand new!! just opened.

Rakia Marcati!!! it is the Grappa of Bulgaria (yummmm) *note made from the Muscato grape

Dance Studio, Uncategorized

T’ruth in Sofia Bulgaria, Dance IT Intensive!

April 1, 2013 truth

I am so excited to be here in Sofia Bulgaria for the Dance It week long dance intensive. I was invited by Iliev Dance foundation founder and director Petur Iliev to teach Ballet and Choreograph a work on the participants. I hope to bring you news of what is going on here and share what I learn about the country, and culture both in dance and beauty. It should be interesting!!!

On our first afternoon some volunteers (Stveti, Mariela and Peter ~AKA Harry Potter) gave us a walking tour of the city and we came upon the public springs where people bring bottles to fill. (can you image that in the States FREE Water???) here Mariela explains its benefits:

Uncategorized

Think the Body Image Issue is just Hype- Check the Stats from Miss Representation

March 27, 2013 truth

Hosted By:By Miss Representation in partnership with SPARK, LoveSocial.org, and I Am That Girl. Sent to us by SPARK because we’ve got insider knowledge and much love.

Remember what happens to 3 out of 4 girls when they look through a fashion magazine? The problem is much bigger than that.

If you think this is unacceptable, get the word out and share it. Then, take action with Miss Representation, SPARK Summit, LoveSocial, and I Am That Girl: Challenge the media to #KeepItReal.

Uncategorized

Finally a Mannequin that might just look like you

March 27, 2013 truth

Now I wrote a whole piece entitled Hunched and Hungry is that Hot? about the disturbingly thin and ill postured mannequin’s in Bloomingdale’s! Well now you might be able to go into a store and see the clothes on a mannequin that has a similar shape as yours…ok, you would have to be shopping in SWEDEN, but at least it COULD happen SOMEWHERE! The Swedish department store Åhléns is featuring a mannequin that is based on a model between sizes 12 and 16 (according to Good’s Yasha Wallin, the average woman is a size 14).

I love her, she is sexy, with curves in all the right places, and that is both a size and shape that I have seen walking down the street, in fact every 3rd girl looks like Gilda (that’s what I named her). And apparently people on the internet feel the same way, a Facebook picture of the mannequin went viral, quickly racking up 130,000 likes. Go Gilda Go Gilda GO GO!

I don’t know if that is Gilda’s sister Hilda, but the mannequin behind her has some meat on her as well but she has a different shape, or is that a real person????

doesn’t Gilda remind you of our first Body Hero Fluvia Lacerda?

Guilty (but forgivable) Pleasures, Uncategorized

Oh OSCAR!!!!

February 25, 2013 truth

Before I get in to the whole fashion body image side of this event, let me just say that this was the first Oscars that I have actually watched. Most of the time I check in here or there, but there is a rabid online culture (I’m not a tweeter but a facebooker it’s a bit more contained) that makes it interesting (also that 160 characters is difficult, like writing a haiku- to limiting) But I did watch, mainly because there were so many people that I liked, and movies that I actually saw– and there are the people and movies that irritate me so… here is my breakdown:

As I watched the red carpet arrivals the first thing I though was that these women have not eaten in a MONTH (or so). Everyone was so thin, like thinner then the usual thin. In the dance world we say Snatched, but these ladies were SUCKED! IT was kind of scary because you know that the “worked” to be that thin- meaning by any means necessary (not eating/ or not eating certain things or portions to working out to whatever…) some I think – like the nominees have probably dropped some pounds just form the hectic schedule of the award season, but it was startling…

Before that I would like to say that it was so nice to see ABC’s Robin Roberts looked DIVINE, it was so nice to see her back on to work and looking so beautiful on the read carpet

Now Let’s take a look at some of the actresses from last night, now there were no horrific fashion moments (unfortunately – that means that everyone was really safe). The thing that was slightly annoying and shows that this sort of tried concept of “being on trend” is making everything cookie cutter boring, was the presence of the ubiquitous side swept Veronica Lake wave! every second woman was wearing that style… that’s what you get for being on trend…. but there were some REALLY Great moments:

Jessica Chastain in Armani Privé: A+ and her body looks wonderful and I love that her hair looks wavy but flowy

Ann(e) Hathaway in Prada: B+ (but I have to say I am not a fan of her at all) the darts made it look like her nipples were are attention, she looked painfully thin to me

Charlize Theron in Dior: PuuurFection!!! she always gets it right, she looked sucked, but the tailoring on this dress was perfect it looked like a mold on her torso! her hair looks great and her dance performance during the opening showed her ballet training and she has a beautiful port de bras, (and her feet are just sick if you have ever seen them hooks!)

Naomi Watts in Armani Privé: A- I like because it was a bit edgy she was singular and original on this night, she helped to design it. And she looks healthy.

Amanda Seyfried in Alexander McQueen:B and I will tell you why, this was made for her I like it is very understated (not the issue) the issue is that the neckline gaped a bit and it was ill fitting I think someone should have caught that… And she looks HUNGRY! she is a girl that usually carries a bit of a curve, she was very “svelte” last night… she’s eating right now!

Halle Berry in Versace: A+ she has this made for her she wanted to look like a Bond Girl (because they we honoring the franchise) and it worked it was lovely love the Art Deco design and the shoulders! She is another one that always get’s it right

Catherine Zeta-Jones in a Zuhair Murad: B+ It’s like yeeehhhh, it’s safe. Her hair is wonderful, but here is the thing. Now CZJ is a boxy girl- meaning she has a short torso and, her shoulders, waist, and hips are basically the same width. now she doesn’t look terribly thin here, (her structure belies that fact that) she has not eaten in weeks! We know this because when she performed she was SUCKED honey SUCKED!!!

LOOK!

she’s saying “I’M HUNGRY!!!!!!!!”

Kerry Washington in Mui Mui: A- now I love Miz Oliva Pope but she was so thin she looked like a Bobble head! let’s get real, we just saw her on Scandal in the pool with an overhead shot and there was a bit of booty… butt [sic] not on this night. she looked great I love that dress. Not a fan of the hair but she looked great. She needs a sandwich though…

Jennifer Lawrence in Christian Dior Couture: A+ She looked wonderful I loved the way it worked her curves! (ok but that dress nearly took her out, she didn’t look like she starved herself either… but wait the after party dress was over look

jennifer lawrence oscars party vanity fair calvin klein It’s major! It’s Calvin Klein! I had to throw that in there.

Jennifer Hudson in Roberto Cavalli: A- I love this look, and her body is looking great, I love that she has stabilized (not too small not to big, like Goldielocks, just right) what does not work for me is the wig… she pulled out the wrong one, some waves would have been nice. But this dress stood out because it was so unlike what the rest of the ladies wore, like Naomi.

Octavia Spencer in a Tadashi Shoji: A+ I loved this! He knows how to create for her, and I loved that he went away from that gathered, ruched waistline I loved the soft classic elegance…. and she is on that Stevia, she has lost 40 pounds, and she looks wonderful.

Melissa McCarthy in David Meister:C- Melissa needs to get Tadashi’s card! what is this! I don’t understand, she has a beautiful waistline, but whoever is dressing her is afraid of it or doesn’t know how to deal with it. This is just not flattering

Adele in a Jenny Packham- A – here’s the thing, people gave her grief for her Grammy dress (which I loved) but I love this too. I think she always gets it right and her make-up is always flawless!!!– She has a G.O (Grammy/Oscar) she might be playing the Award Scrabble game she needs an E and a T (an Emmy/Tony) to spell EGOT!

StacyKeibler (w/ Le Clooney) in n a Naeem Khan: A+ I LOVE THIS DRESS!!!!!! (go Brad Goreski – I know Rachel Zoe is going Ba-nan-nas) she looks great I don’t like the shape of the hair so much but the dress is OVER!

AND the Grand Diva of the NIGHT RED CARPET MOMENT!

Madame Jane Fonda! in Versace – Gradeless! she was flawless. At 75!! in Canary Yellow!

Uncategorized

Carra Sykes’ Mother /Daughter portraits

January 23, 2013 truth

Photographer Carra Sykes was between jobs when she decided to work her creative muscles while spending some quality bonding time with her mother.

The collaboration, titled “Mother + Daughter,” captures the similarities between two generations of Sykes women to a remarkable degree. Sykes told the Huffington Post via e-mail she developed the concept behind the shoot because her mom often borrows the young artist’s clothing. We’d say this heartwarming collaboration is far superior to a temper tantrum! Check Huffington Post for the story..

* * * * * * * * * *

I think these are wonderful, I have always been fascinated by DNA and the transfer… since I work with young dancers I am always amazed at seeing the mother or father and see where they get their bodies, faces and mannerisms from. These portraits illustrate it so well, they look quite a bit alike but still very much themselves. They share aspects, features, but are unique. Though age separates them you can at once see what Carra might become and what her mother might have been… It is so beautiful plus her mom is so darn cute, and looks like she gets a kick out of playing in her daughters clothes. I think they should do some shots where they wear the mother’s clothing!

click the pic to see it larger!

Uncategorized

School Board tells Mother her 13year old Daughter should have a Breast Reduction to prevent Bullying

January 23, 2013 truth

When you hear things like this it just screams ignorance, and sometimes it’s hard to be mad ignorance, you feel sad, and perhaps you what to slap the shit out of it, but mad, mad just seems fruitless…

So here is the story:

A mother ( Tammy Jackson) in Moline Acres gets a call from the school saying that her daughter (Gabrielle) is being bullied because of her breasts – now the girl could be transferred to another school (away from her bullies-*note that the victim is the one who is being shipped out not the perpetrators) but there is really only one way to assure that it stops happening and that is of the girl to have a breast reduction, the child–CHILD is 13,in sixth grade *(note still growing an developing well under the age to have this sort of surgery done)

Now I did some checking, Moline Acres is in St. Louis County, Missouri The population was 2,442 at the 2010 census. This sounds like some Harper Valley PTA crap to me, where some operator/secretary was trying to be “helpful” I (and this might be wrong) picture her to like 65 and old fashioned kind of woman for whom in her day sexual harassment was the norm (think Mad Men) and she was thinking that “Sweetie where ever we send her those boobs are gonna follow so…” so I don’t think that she meant anything bad by the suggestion, I think that she certainly overstepped and she should not have given her two cents for sure. She spoke out of turn, that having been stated, it says something about how this woman felt this young, voluptuous girl should feel about her body. That 1) – since the knuckle headed boys couldn’t deal with her womanliness (albeit premature) then she should leave. She and her breast were the problem, the bullying boys get to stay but. she should run away. Or, because of course, this was going to happen everywhere (and all the time throughout her life) she might just consider cutting them off-I don’t want to call it “mutilation” because I think that when women choose this surgery it don’t think it is that. It is a choice that should not be judged (walk a mile in my bra…) but to suggest that she alter herself because others can not control their actions, behave civilly, deal with it…reduce her breasts because they attract too much attention..the wrong type of attention????… and to make the suggestion about a child a 13 year old, that is something to look at… and again I don’t think that this woman whomever she is meant any harm at all, in fact I think that for that woman, she was being protective of that little girl. And THAT is the scariest part.

Somewhere, somehow there are women (young and old) who think that the best protection from being a woman REDUCTION. Reduction of body or being—Reduce- breasts, bottom, reduce weight, become smaller, less threatening, less visible, invisible…

Instead we should be telling young girls and women alike to be bolder, louder, prouder, stronger, unapologetic, were RED. BE UNDENIABLE, UNFORGETTABLE, BE SEEN, HEARD, BE IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE…. (now step aside and let me get to my locker…)

Uncategorized

W Magazine presents nominated stars in their authentic Beauty- UnReTouched!

January 19, 2013 truth

This year’s 33 brightest stars, up close and unscripted.

By Lynn Hirschberg
Photographed by Juergen Teller
Styled by Zoe Bedeaux

I have to say that I love this concept; this stripped down, come as you are sort of thing, where everyone looks like they really look not how the industry wants us to see them. And I have to say, that though there are some bags and dark circles, some human imperfection (lord help us all!) they all look beautiful. I don’t see what is “wrong with this”– I’m not saying that someone is saying there IS something wrong with this, albeit by all the airbrushing and over-styling that gets done on most shoots, you would think that they way all of these women rolled up to the shoot – they were somehow NOT camera ready. I don’t know how these actresses (and actors — I didn’t show the men but click on the link at the end of the post for them yummy!) feel about the pics but I would be fine with seeing more of this on newsstands and in the pages of my favorite rags. I think it help a great deal in helping women feel better about how they look– and balance the perception of how we think we are supposed to look! Kudos to W magazine.

NAOMI WATTS-THE IMPOSSIBLE