Comments on: Brazillionaires Dominate Forbes’ List Of Top-Earning Models http://guanabee.com/2009/05/forbes-top-earning-models/ Spicy Coverage: Gossip, media, culture and lifestyle for Latinos. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:48:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Alex Alvarez http://guanabee.com/2009/05/forbes-top-earning-models/#comment-51668 Alex Alvarez Sun, 31 May 2009 23:31:15 +0000 http://guanabee.com/?p=37504#comment-51668 The exotification of mixed-race people exists, particularly when it comes to models. I wasn't endorsing this reality and I am fairly certain, given that you seem to be familiar with my writing on Guanabee and would thus know full well that I often make absolute statements in order to be tongue-in-cheek, that you understood that to begin with. However, if it assuages you somehow to bring my race and political ideology (both of which are complicated and are simplified / assumed on your part) into this discussion in order to fit whatever it is you're trying to project onto me then, hey, fine. I love it when commenters bring something unique and out there to the table. I love it so much that I'll refrain from making some sort of pot, kettle analogy in reference to your logic. The exotification of mixed-race people exists, particularly when it comes to models. I wasn’t endorsing this reality and I am fairly certain, given that you seem to be familiar with my writing on Guanabee and would thus know full well that I often make absolute statements in order to be tongue-in-cheek, that you understood that to begin with. However, if it assuages you somehow to bring my race and political ideology (both of which are complicated and are simplified / assumed on your part) into this discussion in order to fit whatever it is you’re trying to project onto me then, hey, fine. I love it when commenters bring something unique and out there to the table. I love it so much that I’ll refrain from making some sort of pot, kettle analogy in reference to your logic.

]]> By: Guest http://guanabee.com/2009/05/forbes-top-earning-models/#comment-51665 Guest Sun, 31 May 2009 19:01:59 +0000 http://guanabee.com/?p=37504#comment-51665 Thanks for your comment; it actually brings to mind a conversation I had with a friend who also happens to be a Republican. When I called the Republican’s “Southern Strategy” (and other horrible examples) a very racist (and noninclusive) strategy, he seemed baffled, and he used a similar counterargument to explain why it wasn’t. Now, consider the following: you’ll rarely here a (wise) anti-affirmative action conservative say, “Blacks simply aren’t competent enough to score high enough on various intelligence tests to compete with Whites. They simply aren’t ‘smart enough’ to obtain certain leadership (that is, high paying/status jobs) positions. Therefore, we shouldn’t penalize deserving Whites who are denied opportunities because of under qualified minorities.” Instead, they’ll cry “reverse discrimination,” and call people like Sonia Sotomayor a racist for her views in the New Haven firefighters’ case. It really is a clever trick. Now, Alex is a good writer. She's also VERY politically correct, but, as I hope my above example shows, most of us (liberals) can see beneath all the bull sh*t. Like the delusional anti-affirmative action conservative, Alex constructed a point in a very narrow-minded way—in a way that is based on, and perpetuates, a stereotype. In both cases, those conservatives and Alex base their points on (what could very well be) a false assumption. And the questions put forward by Alex lean dangerously in one direction—she even suggests a genetic explanation. “Race realist” much? In this piece, it’s very obvious that Alex believes that Brazilians are overrepresented among top models because they are “visually pleasing and (have an) uncommon aesthetic.” Essentially, she’s asking, why are they so beautiful (compared to women from other countries)? We can read between the lines, and it’s just ignorance. Period! Thanks for your comment; it actually brings to mind a conversation I had with a friend who also happens to be a Republican. When I called the Republican’s “Southern Strategy” (and other horrible examples) a very racist (and noninclusive) strategy, he seemed baffled, and he used a similar counterargument to explain why it wasn’t. Now, consider the following: you’ll rarely here a (wise) anti-affirmative action conservative say, “Blacks simply aren’t competent enough to score high enough on various intelligence tests to compete with Whites. They simply aren’t ‘smart enough’ to obtain certain leadership (that is, high paying/status jobs) positions. Therefore, we shouldn’t penalize deserving Whites who are denied opportunities because of under qualified minorities.” Instead, they’ll cry “reverse discrimination,” and call people like Sonia Sotomayor a racist for her views in the New Haven firefighters’ case. It really is a clever trick.

Now, Alex is a good writer. She’s also VERY politically correct, but, as I hope my above example shows, most of us (liberals) can see beneath all the bull sh*t. Like the delusional anti-affirmative action conservative, Alex constructed a point in a very narrow-minded way—in a way that is based on, and perpetuates, a stereotype. In both cases, those conservatives and Alex base their points on (what could very well be) a false assumption. And the questions put forward by Alex lean dangerously in one direction—she even suggests a genetic explanation. “Race realist” much? In this piece, it’s very obvious that Alex believes that Brazilians are overrepresented among top models because they are “visually pleasing and (have an) uncommon aesthetic.” Essentially, she’s asking, why are they so beautiful (compared to women from other countries)? We can read between the lines, and it’s just ignorance. Period!

]]> By: Guest http://guanabee.com/2009/05/forbes-top-earning-models/#comment-51663 Guest Sun, 31 May 2009 14:56:12 +0000 http://guanabee.com/?p=37504#comment-51663 I think your calling Alex ignorant is wrong based on your faulty reasoning. Alex did not put forward "Why are Brazilians SoOoOo Beautiful??" but rather asked why there seem to be such a disproportionately high number of Brazilian models in this list, and then offered some possible reasons. Your example questions do not follow this lead. Its the difference between asking "Why is it that Jews love money?" and "Why, historically, did such a large number of Jews participate in banking?" (Answer: in short, because it was one of the few professions left open to them in Medieval Europe) Its not ignorant to ask this question, but worthwhile. I think your calling Alex ignorant is wrong based on your faulty reasoning. Alex did not put forward “Why are Brazilians SoOoOo Beautiful??” but rather asked why there seem to be such a disproportionately high number of Brazilian models in this list, and then offered some possible reasons.

Your example questions do not follow this lead. Its the difference between asking “Why is it that Jews love money?” and “Why, historically, did such a large number of Jews participate in banking?” (Answer: in short, because it was one of the few professions left open to them in Medieval Europe)

Its not ignorant to ask this question, but worthwhile.

]]> By: Guest http://guanabee.com/2009/05/forbes-top-earning-models/#comment-51654 Guest Sun, 31 May 2009 07:08:02 +0000 http://guanabee.com/?p=37504#comment-51654 "We’ve often found ourselves wondering why it is, exactly, that so many successful models seem to be Brazilian. Is it because of the country’s melding of different ethnicities, resulting in a visually pleasing and uncommon aesthetic? Do (rich) people there eat healthfully and participate in regular exercise? " Congratulations, Alex, you've really outdone yourself in the ignorance department. But, please, don't stop now. Maybe you should consider perpetuating other stereotypes. 1. We've often wondered, why are Mexicans ________? 2. Why is it that Jews __________? 3. Why are African Americans ______ compared to _______? 4. Why are White Hispanics (like Alex) so _______? “We’ve often found ourselves wondering why it is, exactly, that so many successful models seem to be Brazilian. Is it because of the country’s melding of different ethnicities, resulting in a visually pleasing and uncommon aesthetic? Do (rich) people there eat healthfully and participate in regular exercise? ”

Congratulations, Alex, you’ve really outdone yourself in the ignorance department. But, please, don’t stop now. Maybe you should consider perpetuating other stereotypes.

1. We’ve often wondered, why are Mexicans ________?
2. Why is it that Jews __________?
3. Why are African Americans ______ compared to _______?
4. Why are White Hispanics (like Alex) so _______?

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