Monday, January 11, 2010

Fashion/Style: Reggie Bush Essence Magazine Cover

This morning while riding in the car, listening to radio, the subject came up about Reggie Bush being on the cover of Essence Magazine & how Essence is taking a lot of heat for his Cover. People were saying it's a black magazine, and it should be about black love. And since he's dating Kim Kardashian it doesn't make him the right fit for the cover, because his fiance is not black. Read the article taken from Bet.com below.

When Essence editors chose to put Reggie Bush on the cover of their February 2010 “Black Men, Love & Relationships” issue, I’m sure they thought they were just giving their readers a little dose of sexual chocolate eye candy (those abs!), but instead all hell broke loose!

The Essence.com boards are flooded with seething comments from people who can’t understand why a magazine geared towards Black women would make the NFL player who is dating a non-Black woman, Kim Kardashian, the cover choice for an issue that celebrates Black love.

Here’s a sample of the backlash:

Why is there a white supremacist on the cover of Essence magazine? Because any person who thinks white women are better is indeed a white supremacists. Having this man on the cover is beyond offensive to me as an African American woman. He is just another crude reminder of all the black men who perpetuate racism against black women, by rejecting them and showing the utmost disrespect by choosing to date non-black women, Reggie Bush is even more offensive since his mate is nothing but some white trashy woman. I suspect those of you you do agree with this mess are either Aunt Jemima’s or products of an interracial relationship.

This Brotha don’t dig us, so why, pray tell, do we have to see his face staring back at us, on a magazine that celebrates US? This disappoints me. It’s an insult! Later for Reggie Bush and all the other Brothas who turn their back on the black woman once they are successful.

“Why put a man who clearly prefers the bottom of the barrel of white women than a good black woman on your cover? Clearly, he has no love for the sisters. This magazine is supposed to empower black women not remind us of the disadvantages that we face in today’s society. Please don’t insult our intelligence.”

(There are dozens more comments along the same lines, but you get the point)

The February issue featured 10 black men, including Idris Elba, LL Cool J and Lance Gross in the cover story so they could’ve easily picked another one of those men as the first image you see on their Black love issue, but is it really that big of a deal or are people just making an issue out of nothing? What do you think?

How I feel About It:

I personally feel there is nothing wrong with them choosing Reggie for this cover. For one, the cover was titled "Black Men, Love & Relationships Issue." And He is BLACK! Who he date shouldn't be a issue. I mean it's 2010 people. Hell most of us are mixed with something in our blood throughout all these damn years lol. Let it go! He's hot, the cover is hot, and he's a Black Man in love is all that matters. This is not the 1800's OK! I mean our President is a mixed man for god sakes & if he graced the cover as a black man, would it have been the same up raw? Would people complain that he's not completely black so it should have been someone else? I mean who cares. I love the cover!!!! HOT!!!!!

11 comments:

Will said...

When it comes to non subscribers, its the cover that sells the magazine. So I'm sure using him on the cover, and bare chested, is a marketing ploy.

speaking hypothetically said...

i agree with Will...i could care less who he dates he's hot!

AJ said...

You know, it's mostly black women that are always complaining when it comes to black men and relationships and who they date or marry. I've involved in this conversation one too many times with the black women in my life. They cannot see past the color of the skin. Like you said, Deonte, it's 2010. I mean, seriously, why do these same black women who complain, bitch and moan never have anything negative to say when it comes to black women dating outside of their race? I mean, Halle Berry has a white boyfriend with whom she has a child out of wedlock with that. All I hear from them is, "Heyyy! Halle done snatched her up a white man! Go 'head on girl!!" Love knows no limits. Sexy Reggie found a woman that he happens to be in love with and wants to spend the rest of his life with. It's time for these women to get over themselves. This mad black woman act is getting tired.

Eduardo Guize said...

OMG my boyfriend is a white supremacist! LOL

Lango Aurelian said...

Oh My God ....... Black People, I Love you but you are CRAZY !!!!!!!!!!
Lighten up !,,,,,, PLEASE !

I'm beginning to think ......... beginning to believe ......

You are CHEWING yourselves up with indignations of the past in order to justify your indignation with the present.

Grow UP ! Reggie Bush is your Friend. Barack Obama is your Friend. FUCK !!!! TIGER WOODS is your fucking FRIEND !!!!!!! Look around you ! Your REAL enemies are MANIFEST !

Grow the FUCK up !

Dwanna said...

Essence's black female customers have every right to say he11 no. We don't want him on the cover. The black woman is the one who has supported the magazine from it's inception. It's purpose has been to uplift, encourage and be an inspiration to black women. There is nothing uplifting, encouraging or inspirational about seeing a brotha on the cover who does not honor or appreciate our beautiful, black selves. It is obvious he's not trying to holler at a sista by the company he's kept his entire adult life. So no. He's not welcome on our cover. Point blank. Period. End of story.

And in defense of Halle Berry. Y'all crack me up with that. You always want to bring her up in this debate. She really hurt you when she got with that gorgeous white dude, huh? And please don't say she didn't because it is so very obvious. Yet you can't understand our emotions toward RB. Kind of ironic don't you think? But double standards abound when it comes to the black man, black woman. Well the truth of the matter is, she gave the brothas a chance. She married two, both cheated on her and she dated many. One even left her partially deaf in one ear. Can't blame a sista for switchin' up. Looks like some of you need to take your own advice and grow the eff up. That is all.

Unknown said...

dwanna u need get ur shit together...just because reggie`s with a non black woman aka kim kardashian doesnt make him less black..love knows no colours..Essence customer are just showing their asses ova nothing.

AJ said it best:This mad black woman act is getting tired....It`s 2010 ppl

deonte' k said...

OK Ok... When I 1st posted this blog entry I kinda just expected my friends, and normal commentators to comment, so I'm kinda shock at some of the comments lol, never the less I appreciate them. I just wanna say everyone in entitled to their opinions, and I don't wanna take that away from anyone, but I do wanna address somethings.

Lango Aurelian: I'm not sure if you read through the entire blog entry especially the part where it say's:

How I feel About It:

I personally feel there is nothing wrong with them choosing Reggie for this cover. For one, the cover was titled "Black Men, Love & Relationships Issue." And He is BLACK! Who he date shouldn't be a issue. I mean it's 2010 people. Hell most of us are mixed with something in our blood throughout all these damn years lol. Let it go! He's hot, the cover is hot, and he's a Black Man in love is all that matters. This is not the 1800's OK! I mean our President is a mixed man for god sakes & if he graced the cover as a black man, would it have been the same up raw? Would people complain that he's not completely black so it should have been someone else? I mean who cares. I love the cover!!!! HOT!!!!!


But I'm BLACK, and I don't really care about color, which is the whole point of this blog. So I just felt weird when I saw your comment start off by saying "Black People, I Love you but you are CRAZY !!!!!!!!!!"

Because I totally don't feel that way.

Dwanna: I understand that the mag has black female customers, but it also has whites, Asians, and other colors as well... (my god friend who's white/Asia buys this mag faithfully).

I just feel we are all the same. Yes things have happen in the past, and I understand some people still have issues with color and so on, but I DON'T. So again I appreciate everyone's opinions, but I still feel there was nothing wrong with putting Reggie on the cover, since it did say Black Men in Love... NOT "Black Love, African American Families, or something to that extent!

.. thanks again guys for your thoughts & comments....

Maybe one day we all can love one another for who we are, and not based on the color of our skin. Until then, have a wonderful day. :)

Jeff0418 said...

Wow, I have to agree with you Deonte it 2010 people really need to get their mind sets in sync with the times. Who cares who this man is dating He is a Black man (GORGEOUS BTW)I really think the fact that Kim has only been linked to black men is the main issue for a lot of people and Reggie is catching the backlash of that.

J. Antoinne said...

Maybe if Black women, as a WHOLE, would get themselves together and stop blaming the Black man for THEIR issues, this wouldn't even be a discussion. I'm speaking generally, of course, but I have seen and dated plenty black women that are quick to jump down a man's throat for the most ridiculous of reasons, who are willing to degrade their men to make themselves superior, and who continually perpetuate the stereotypes of a black woman. I know for a fact there are a LOT of beautiful, strong, black women, just as there are a LOT of wonderful black men waiting for them. If we can somehow shift the stereotypical black women out the way, and if women can STOP IT with this foolishness about other races being inferior to them simply because a black man doesn't want them (or the women don't know a good one when they have him), then this whole discussion would be moot.

Anonymous said...

OK this one almost too hot to touch... but ...

a...DAMN HE FYNE

b...are we really that backwards as a people that it matters if ya mixed or high yella or with a white man or marry a black man (like me) or whatever??? can we PLEASE PLEASE move along and just love each other for the beautiful part of the rainbow we are?!

c...obama is MIXED but we don't hear him being called the first bi-racial president. Personally, i don't care. this is one of the proudest moments of my life--electing HIM. (Altho the defeat of Prop 8 in Calif the SAME DAY was crushing and shows just how far we have to go!)

d...damn he gorgeous (lol)

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