8. WHITE MODEL BLACK STORY

A 16 year old white model is painted brown and photographed as the centerpiece of an editorial entitled “African Queen” for French magazine Numéro despite having access to plenty of African American models. (Thank you @PDeeDixon for the lead on this story.)

Excerpt from Jezebel.com:

It’s impossible to look at this and not ache for young women of color who want to pursue careers in modeling (and arguably, fashion by extension). When they don’t see themselves on the runway or in magazines, it could be very easy for them to think, “huh, I guess modeling isn’t for me.” Then the status quo reigns, and the runways remain monotone. If jobs for “African Queen” photo spreads aren’t going to black women, what hope is there?

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