7:34 pm - 02/22/2013
She has walked the catwalk runways for brands such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and appeared in the pages of Vogue. But Victoria's Secret model Cameron Russell is warning girls away from a modelling career. The 25-year-old, who recently spoke at the annual TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference in Palm Springs, condemned the fashion's industry's obsession with beautiful, skinny white women.
She said:
Warning young girls about the perils of becoming a model, she said:
The talk, which was posted online, has now been viewed more than a million times and grabbed the attention of both the fashion and political worlds.
In a follow-up interview on CNN she said she was the winner of a "genetic lottery" and that her looks merely fit a narrow definition of beauty.
Writing for the channel she explained why she wanted to give the talk because she "wanted to tell an honest personal narrative of what privilege means."
She wrote:
Miss Russell, who models underwear for Victoria's Secret, studied economics and political science at Columbia University.
TED TALK
Source
VS Model tells "an honest personal narrative of what privilege means"
She has walked the catwalk runways for brands such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and appeared in the pages of Vogue. But Victoria's Secret model Cameron Russell is warning girls away from a modelling career. The 25-year-old, who recently spoke at the annual TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) conference in Palm Springs, condemned the fashion's industry's obsession with beautiful, skinny white women.
She said:
For the past few centuries we have defined beauty not just as health and youth that we are biologically programmed to admire. But also as tall, slender figures and femininity and white skin. This is a legacy that was built for me and its a legacy that I have been cashing out on.
Warning young girls about the perils of becoming a model, she said:
The real way I became a model is I won a genetic lottery and I became the recipient of a legacy - I've received all these benefits from a deck stacked in my favor....Saying you want to be a model when you grow up is akin to saying you want to win the Powerball when you grow up. It's awesome and it's out of your control and it's not a career path.
The talk, which was posted online, has now been viewed more than a million times and grabbed the attention of both the fashion and political worlds.
In a follow-up interview on CNN she said she was the winner of a "genetic lottery" and that her looks merely fit a narrow definition of beauty.
Writing for the channel she explained why she wanted to give the talk because she "wanted to tell an honest personal narrative of what privilege means."
She wrote:
Hard work is not why I have been successful as a model. I'm not saying I'm lazy. But the most important part of my job is to show up with a 23-inch waist, looking young, feminine and white. This shouldn't really shock anyone. Models are chosen solely based on looks. Even if I did give a good talk, is what I have to say more important and interesting than what Colin Powell said? [He spoke at the same event and his talk has about a quarter of the view count.] Like many young people I believe I have potential to make a positive impact in the world. But if I speak from a platform that relies on how I look, I worry that I will not have made room for anyone else to come after me. I will have reinforced that beauty and race and privilege get you a news story.
Miss Russell, who models underwear for Victoria's Secret, studied economics and political science at Columbia University.
TED TALK
Source
Yes, it's good she recognizes it, and is speaking out. But she's just doing what a decent human being should be doing anyway.
People are like, "it's good she admitted it, now let's talk about it."
No one is holding this chick up on some pedestal.
What she's saying is what WoC have been saying for longer than she's been in the industry. But when we say it, we get ignored, and called over sensitive, or pulling the race card.
She repeeats the same thing, and now people want to talk about this problem like it's new.
The problem isn't her, personally, though. She was answering a question. The problem is how racism is still steering the conversation; and how white privilege is continuing to only let other white people speak on behalf of PoC.
This model here is getting praise not as a white woman, but as someone else who has the guts to tell everyone what the score really is and people like to hear that. White and otherwise.
I think some may read way too much into it.
Embrace what she said, and bring her in as an ally and call it a day.
This is not towards you, but I can see more than a few on this thread that shouldn't hold HER responsible for how they were dismissed by white folks when they brought up their privilege in the past.
Don't give this woman a cookie, though.
Her whiteness is giving her an unseen shield against a majority of the criticism that PoC get when calling out white privilege. That's one of the perks of white privilege: what you say is something worth hearing.
I don't need to embrace what she said. Because i knew that shit already. And she hasn't done anything worthy of being elevated to the status of ally. What she said? That's no less than any decent person should do when they come across an injustice. Now, if she takes an extra step and starts up an agency and makes it a point to look for more than just the typical white standard of beauty? if she starts celebrating, and essentially promoting her fellow models of colour? Then, she's an ally.
Because just pointing it out ain't shit. Apologizing for cutting me in line, while you're still in front of me, is some piss poor progress.
I'm saying, what does any of this have to do with this chick? She's essentially saying she's agreeing with WOC, her white shield in hand or not. To dismiss her because she's white isn't prudent.
Remember, it's usually in the execution of the argument, and I think she did a pretty good job and it was honest. Enough for me...like I said, though, I'm not giving her a cookie, but I'm happy that she's on the same page...as she should be. Turning or ignoring her because someone white dismissed you in the past is counterproductive, don't you think?
By the way, I have never bought this notion that just because you're white, you have some default leg up.
There are lots of white folks in this country who grew up with nothing, their parents have nothing, and they have nothing now, their supposed "privilege" be damned.
Tell them how being white has helped them this week.