Quote:

---

Originally posted by kpo:
And then recently I came across this article, by a noted feminist, for which the author had to issue an apology: http://www.good.is/posts/unsolicited-advice-for-blue-ivy-carter-growin
g-up-as-the-girl-of-beyonce-and-jay-z

Seems quite sad to me. That if you're white in America, you can't afford to be colour-blind in your criticisms, because the black community is so sensitive. I can understand the hypersensitivity, and where it's come from but still, it's unhealthy, and it's sad.

---

Quote:

---

And unlike Shiloh's experience, race is going to play a factor. (Ask your parents to explain race. It’s a loooong story.) Some people are going to expect you to act like a “perfect lady” at all times (they will all define this differently), asking you to single-handedly extinguish centuries of cultural stereotypes about black women being sexually incontinent. Others will jump on any evidence they can find to “prove” that you’re destined to live up to that stereotype. Either way, to millions of people, you won’t just be Blue Ivy Carter, human being. You’ll be an Ambassador of Black Girlhood, and later, Black Womanhood. That’s a bullshit amount of pressure for a baby!

---

Quote:

---

My recent column at GOOD* on Blue Ivy Carter has received some strong criticism, and rightly so. It erases the long, damaging history of white people (specifically white women) telling Black women the “right” ways to be sexual, as well as how to raise their children. Worse, it contributes to that dynamic. This was far from my intention in writing it, but intentions aren’t magic. I was wrong.

Obviously it would have been far better if I’d understood all of this from the get-go, and not written the column. The best I know how to do at this point is to offer my deep, sincere apology, commit to donating the fee I’ll receive for this column to SisterSong, and redouble my ongoing efforts to understand and undo racism, both within myself and beyond. These efforts take many shapes, but one specific approach I’ll be focusing more energy on is increasing my reading and listening to women of color who work on sexuality issues.

(*I’m publishing this here and in the comments at GOOD, but the piece will stay up as GOOD has no-retractions policy.)

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Seem's clear she's making a statement about the record industry, double standards, and the willingness to degrade blacks and objectify women, all just to make a buck. Well, a LOT of bucks.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Don't know this performer. Does she normally produce without autotune? If yes, then it's part of her message. If not, then it's a crutch.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by SIGNYM:
So, what was the USA reaction to the video? Not explained in your post.

Personally, I have a big objection: AUTOTUNE! Yeah, I know it's standard industry practice, but her voice is so heavily autotuned it could be- literally- anyone.

I kinda enjoyed the irony (with an extra helping of irony) using women performing sex-act simulations to object to objectifying women as sex objects. AFA the racial mix, I count three blacks, one red-haired, one black-haired, and one blond-haired white. Not representative (and maybe miscounted).

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by kpo:

It's pretty much what I would've guessed. They specifically wanted a hip hop style video (which suits the lyrics in the song, where woman = bitch), and chose the best dancers for it on merit.

---

Quote:

---

I don't know. I think it's pretty ballsy for anyone to make someone else's child a vehicle for a political message.

---

Quote:

---

When you attempt to give sage advice about a struggle you don't really share, you're just being patronizing.

---

Quote:

---

In particular that bit about "Uh, race... yeah, ask your parents."

---

Quote:

---

I think her apology was a good idea and well worded: http://www.jaclynfriedman.com/archives/641

---

Quote:

---

ETA: Can't view the video because Germany as highly frustrating copyright laws. Hmmph.

---

Quote:

---

I think Lily's most glaring problem was she held up the mirror to these folks, and they did not care for what they saw.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by kpo:

Quote:

---

I think Lily's most glaring problem was she held up the mirror to these folks, and they did not care for what they saw.

---

I think she wanted to criticise misogyny, and chose a very overt, and outlandish form of it that exists within hip hop culture. But she could have chosen other, non black-specific examples of misogyny to base her video around (and to some extent she did, like her white manager).

It's not personal. It's just war.

---

Quote:

---

Originally posted by kpo:

Quote:

---

I don't know. I think it's pretty ballsy for anyone to make someone else's child a vehicle for a political message.

---

Yeah, I guess that's what puts her on dodgy ground. And then she goes on to criticise the girl's parents...Having said that, if she'd written this for a white celebrity baby, would there have been much fuss?

---

Quote:

---

My take is that this writer had some commentary about Beyonce and Jay Z that she wanted to talk about (as well as other things, like the pressures of growing up in the public spotlight), and that's why she wrote this piece. I feel that black icons should not be above feminist scrutiny, or any other type of scrutiny - however this article's writer chose a bad way to deliver these comments.

---

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

When you attempt to give sage advice about a struggle you don't really share, you're just being patronizing.

---

Hmm, to an extent. But people outside a culture must be free to comment - from the outside. The West should not stay silent about the way women are treated in Saudi Arabia, or India, or Pakistan, for e.g.. I suppose the key may be not trampling over what that society/culture holds dear, while you're criticising it.

---

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

In particular that bit about "Uh, race... yeah, ask your parents."

---

Huh, I liked that bit. To me it's kind of saying that race is an artificial barrier that humans have invented, and an innocent child won't see the world that way and will need to have it explained to them.

---

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

ETA: Can't view the video because Germany as highly frustrating copyright laws. Hmmph.

---

I knew you were German/of German descent, but you actually live in Germany? Did you grow up in the States? Your English doesn't seem to be second language.

---