Mar 27 2008
King Kong Ain’t Got Nothin’ On Me!!!
I’ve been debating on whether or not to post on this story but I can’t seem to avoid it so here goes. The latest Vogue magazine cover features basketball player LeBron James and model Gisele Bundchen and has been receiving a lot of criticism for its uncanny resemblance to King Kong imagery.James told The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer he was pleased with the cover, saying he was “just showing a little emotion. Everything my name is on is going to be criticized in a good way or bad way. Who cares what anyone says?”
In a column at ESPN.com, Jemele Hill called the cover “memorable for all the wrong reasons.” But she said in an interview that the image is not unusual - white athletes are generally portrayed smiling or laughing, while black sports figures are given a “beastly sort of vibe.”
For example, former NBA star Charles Barkley was depicted breaking free of neck and wrist shackles on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Dennis Rodman graced the cover of Rolling Stone with horns poking out of his forehead and his red tongue hanging out.
Images of black male athletes as aggressive and threatening “reinforce the criminalization of black men,” said Damion Thomas, assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at University of Maryland. Source
This isn’t the first time that black male athlete have worked to solidify stereotypes of themselves.
I understand why people are disturbed by this cover. Yet again we’re seeing black men portrayed as aggressive animals. But lest we forget that our dear Labron let himself be portrayed this way. He has to take responsibility for being a part of the problem. Sadly, I don’t think he gets it. If we’re not educated ourselves about the effects of harmful images and stereotypes then how can we expect to change anyone else’s mind? Maybe that’s where we should start.
Ok, can someone please hand me a step stool or something. Standing on this soapbox is giving me vertigo.
