Comments on: Details magazine on Gwen Stefani and Fergie http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/02/21/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/ Wed, 08 Oct 2008 05:58:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: A. King http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/02/21/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-6335 A. King Wed, 19 Apr 2006 00:04:58 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/index.php/archives/2006/02/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-6335 I find it absolutely sad and disheartening when such cultural appropriation is allowed in a country as supposedly advanced as America. Not only are Gwen's antics with the 4 Asian-American girls an equivalent of female-chauvanism, but is also rather racist. She is merely going on stereotypes of cultures, but she never really feels the need to recognize them. She should know that things such as bindis have (if I recall correctly - this is open to correction, however) religious meaning, and Japanese street style is done in direct opposition to the policy of 'the-nail-that-sticks-up-gets-hammered-down' attitude that pervades Japan. Not only does she do Japanese style incorrectly, It seems as if she's attempting to force the stereotype of "Silent...demure...hyper fashion freaks," when the Japanese are anything but. There is so much more than meets the eye with women of other races, and when she realizes this, maybe more people will pay attention to her. She needs to stay where she is better acquainted - the Old-Hollywood look. She needs to stay away from ethnic territory. I find it absolutely sad and disheartening when such cultural appropriation is allowed in a country as supposedly advanced as America. Not only are Gwen’s antics with the 4 Asian-American girls an equivalent of female-chauvanism, but is also rather racist. She is merely going on stereotypes of cultures, but she never really feels the need to recognize them. She should know that things such as bindis have (if I recall correctly - this is open to correction, however) religious meaning, and Japanese street style is done in direct opposition to the policy of ‘the-nail-that-sticks-up-gets-hammered-down’ attitude that pervades Japan. Not only does she do Japanese style incorrectly, It seems as if she’s attempting to force the stereotype of “Silent…demure…hyper fashion freaks,” when the Japanese are anything but. There is so much more than meets the eye with women of other races, and when she realizes this, maybe more people will pay attention to her.

She needs to stay where she is better acquainted - the Old-Hollywood look. She needs to stay away from ethnic territory.

]]> By: naenae http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/02/21/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-5200 naenae Tue, 07 Mar 2006 04:17:31 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/index.php/archives/2006/02/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-5200 mariah carey is not black. she's mixed race. mariah carey is not black. she’s mixed race.

]]> By: the joy princess http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/02/21/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-4758 the joy princess Wed, 22 Feb 2006 20:13:10 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/index.php/archives/2006/02/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-4758 @Marsha..thanks for the reminder. I totally forgot about those previous forays! @Marsha..thanks for the reminder. I totally forgot about those previous forays!

]]> By: Marsha http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/02/21/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-4756 Marsha Wed, 22 Feb 2006 17:09:15 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/index.php/archives/2006/02/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-4756 Gwen Stefani...where to start with that woman! She's the queen of cultural appropriation! First, she totally appropriated Indian culture by slapping a bindi on her forehead and walking around with henna on her arms all in appreciation of her ex-boyfriend Tony. (Interesting how she's not going all crazy mod Mary Quant Brit girl for her husband Gavin- isn't it?) Funny, it is cool and interesting when a white woman wears a bindi on a her forehead but when an Indian woman wears one, she just gets the "go home to where you came from" speech. Then, Gwen thought she was Jamaican and started to rasta colors. Oh yeah, she was ghetto fab for that Eve video. Now, she's using "Japanese" girls as well- props or something. And the Luxurious video...ick. I think with the flowers on her head, she was supposed to be copying Frida Kahlo or something. Gwen Stefani…where to start with that woman! She’s the queen of cultural appropriation! First, she totally appropriated Indian culture by slapping a bindi on her forehead and walking around with henna on her arms all in appreciation of her ex-boyfriend Tony. (Interesting how she’s not going all crazy mod Mary Quant Brit girl for her husband Gavin- isn’t it?) Funny, it is cool and interesting when a white woman wears a bindi on a her forehead but when an Indian woman wears one, she just gets the “go home to where you came from” speech. Then, Gwen thought she was Jamaican and started to rasta colors. Oh yeah, she was ghetto fab for that Eve video. Now, she’s using “Japanese” girls as well- props or something. And the Luxurious video…ick. I think with the flowers on her head, she was supposed to be copying Frida Kahlo or something.

]]> By: Merq http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/02/21/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-4755 Merq Wed, 22 Feb 2006 14:52:51 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/index.php/archives/2006/02/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-4755 Actually, if memory serves me well, the ones calling Mariah a Tragic Mulatta are pretty-much everyone but her. It's one thing to recognize the hardships you've faced because of people's narrow-mindedness, and quite another to attribute your life's failure to being "of a proscribed race." I believe she even went as far as to say that she saw Derek Jeter's (apparently very happy multiracial) family as what hers might have been if they'd lived in a different environment. Actually, if memory serves me well, the ones calling Mariah a Tragic Mulatta are pretty-much everyone but her. It’s one thing to recognize the hardships you’ve faced because of people’s narrow-mindedness, and quite another to attribute your life’s failure to being “of a proscribed race.”

I believe she even went as far as to say that she saw Derek Jeter’s (apparently very happy multiracial) family as what hers might have been if they’d lived in a different environment.

]]> By: the joy princess http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/02/21/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-4745 the joy princess Wed, 22 Feb 2006 05:19:50 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/index.php/archives/2006/02/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-4745 In a past issue of 17 mag, Fergie discussed maneuvering between her white friends and her Mexican friends when she was growing up. Then she said, "I'm a bit of both." I liked Gwen before she hooked up with the likes of Eve and certainly before she started walking around with her harem of American girls (so some sources stated) passing for "authentic Japanese" girls straight out the harajuku district. Lame! Mariah tries to have her cake and eat it too, playing the 'tragic mulatto' annd the 'strong black woman' role when it suits her. Someone at Essence needed to be clocked over the head for her past cover headline which described her as something like the most misunderstood black woman. Bah humbug! In a past issue of 17 mag, Fergie discussed maneuvering between her white friends and her Mexican friends when she was growing up. Then she said, “I’m a bit of both.”

I liked Gwen before she hooked up with the likes of Eve and certainly before she started walking around with her harem of American girls (so some sources stated) passing for “authentic Japanese” girls straight out the harajuku district. Lame!

Mariah tries to have her cake and eat it too, playing the ‘tragic mulatto’ annd the ’strong black woman’ role when it suits her. Someone at Essence needed to be clocked over the head for her past cover headline which described her as something like the most misunderstood black woman. Bah humbug!

]]> By: John http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/02/21/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-4739 John Wed, 22 Feb 2006 02:59:17 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/index.php/archives/2006/02/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-4739 Dumenco's article was truly lame. But as for Stefani: I remember the pre-MTV No Doubt. Stefani's style was always a mix of Ska, New Wave and (sub)Urban So Cal. She's not faking anything. Dumenco’s article was truly lame.

But as for Stefani:
I remember the pre-MTV No Doubt.
Stefani’s style was always a mix of Ska, New Wave and (sub)Urban So Cal.
She’s not faking anything.

]]> By: Merq http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/02/21/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-4736 Merq Wed, 22 Feb 2006 00:57:55 +0000 http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/index.php/archives/2006/02/details-magazine-on-gwen-stefani-and-fergie/#comment-4736 >>Gwen goes with a Mexican, cholo-chic theme for this video – wearing a flannel shirt buttoned only at the top and flowers on top of her head that look like a pinata. The fact that Gwen’s bitting off Fergie’s “inconvenient” ethnic side is completely ignored. < < You almost make it sound like Gwen was paying homage to Mexican culture. It was downright offensive from where I stood (and I'm black). It was like she changed shoes or something... "OK, the mute Madame-Butterfly-Geisha pets won't work for this song. I need something a little more <i>ghetto. "I KNOW!!! Why don't I hang out exclusively with 'Latino-looking' people, wear a flannel shirt <i>gangsta-style</i>, beat up pinatas dressed like Chiquita Banana, and get some fake fingernails put in a salon with my new Latina sistren." That sounds to me like some serious pandering here. I'm not sure exactly what point you were trying to make (so I may well be attacking a Straw Man here), but I just wanted to make it clear that Luxurious' wardrobe *alone* is enough to cause concern, and the video should in no way be looked upon approvingly. >>Gwen goes with a Mexican, cholo-chic theme for this video – wearing a flannel shirt buttoned only at the top and flowers on top of her head that look like a pinata. The fact that Gwen’s bitting off Fergie’s “inconvenient” ethnic side is completely ignored. < <

You almost make it sound like Gwen was paying homage to Mexican culture. It was downright offensive from where I stood (and I'm black). It was like she changed shoes or something... "OK, the mute Madame-Butterfly-Geisha pets won't work for this song. I need something a little more ghetto.
“I KNOW!!! Why don’t I hang out exclusively with ‘Latino-looking’ people, wear a flannel shirt gangsta-style, beat up pinatas dressed like Chiquita Banana, and get some fake fingernails put in a salon with my new Latina sistren.”

That sounds to me like some serious pandering here. I’m not sure exactly what point you were trying to make (so I may well be attacking a Straw Man here), but I just wanted to make it clear that Luxurious’ wardrobe *alone* is enough to cause concern, and the video should in no way be looked upon approvingly.

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