To think the Beyonce ad is ludicrously self indulgent?!

[steben]

It is isn't it? Not just me? I really like her and her music but come on.

[renlo]

Oh yea, how dare a black woman has the audacity to be successful, beautiful and talented? She should know her place and not challenge the western ideals of beauty. We prefer black women to be dark skinned and have big bums which are not attractive to white men don't we? Get a grip. Loads of white women in the entertainment industry are drama queens, tan themselves and inject themselves with all sorts plump their lips, boobs whatever but ooh aren't they gorgeous! its called an act. She's an entertainer, they sell an image aimed to generate as much cash as possible. She has never claimed to be anyone's role model, and why should she? She does her, you do you and be happy. If you don't like it you don't have to watch her. All this stuff about her big thighs and bum and her bleaching her skin are nothing more than attacks from insecure white women who scared of losing their place as the 'ideal beauty standard'. You all know it and yes I said it, sue me. Shame on all of you.

[carlajean]

so you're happy with a black woman using skin bleaching to make herself more attractive?

[renlo]

who says she is bleaching? you have concrete proof she is definitely bleaching her slime do you? Believe it or not black people come in many different hues. Ancestry, makeup, studio lighting, airbrushing and all that can also play its part. I have seen Beyonce on real life, she is darker than my daughter who has two full black parents. I have seen black women who bleach their skins and its obvious. I don't know for certain she does or not but I'm not arrogant enough to assume that just because she looks lighter under certain conditions she must be bleaching

[noddyholder]

Really gone off her. Along with her dh way too much power. Have heard stories from people who work with them a lot and they are not nice people at all

[TandB]

I think you've rather missed the point people are making.

No woman, black white or rainbow coloured, should feel the need to change something as fundamental as their skin colour in order to satisfy a particular idea of beauty.

And if the ideal standard of beauty is that of white women, as you say, then a beautiful black woman changing herself to get closer to that ideal isn't exactly challenging the "ideal beauty standard", is it? It's reinforcing it.

[PORRIDGEANYONE]

BEYONCEE

[renlo]

I'm not the one arguing that she has bleached her skin though. Somehow that accusation seems to be thrown out fairly regularly to black people who don't look like Alek Wek. They're all so insecure they have yo bleach their skin to look like white women. Oh please. She is beautiful in her own right and I for one highly doubts she bleaches her skin. She shouldn't have to defend her colouring. When was the last time a white woman was asked to defend herself for looking tanned?

[noddyholder]

Haha all those pics she wanted destroyed. Agree with previous poster who said it is about all women feeling that pressure. She does look very light in that ad though just hope it is make up as friend went to us to study and did this and now 20 plus years later her skin is destroyed and she really regrets it

[noddyholder]

I think it's fine to say she looks whiter no one is saying that is better here fromwhatbi am reading apart from you!

[OhMerGerd]

I have yet to hear of one female'celebrity' who does not want the pictures of an earlier incarnation destroyed. They stay hidden until they get to about 55 when they are pushing them all over the media for us all to gush about their youthful beauty or quirky rebellious style. By then they have been on the journey and can look back on it all without do much angst.
Think Cher ( the new one .. Uk version) She will be frantically trying to bury all those awfully cheap looking, bad makeup and hard attitude pics she was so proud of only a few short months ago and wanting to project her new more wholesome verging on the modern Stepford US image. Isnt this a class betrayal and even a national betrayal ? Will MN threads abound full of people saying...oh Cher why do you feel the need to hide your DIY tattoos wear such chintzy outfits and buff up your hair in that all american cheerleader style you're letting down the gals from the estates with your americanized poshedBleach, smeach ... Cut the woman some slack. It's a stylised Elizabethan look... Don't read too much into it. In a highly controlling industry she has wrestled back some control and she's bucking the trend on the gender thing. Away from the advertising bill boards where the customer calls the shots she certainly doesn't make herself out to be anything other than a black woman, married to a black man with a black child. She seems smart and knows how to choose her battles.
I haven't heard that she suffers from vitiligo and I can see no signs of it so I don't think she has the same condition that MJ had. Poor MJ the product of a very different time when his ethnicity was very much a challenge for him to overcome. Thankfully although prejudice still exists I don't think Beyonce is struggling with her identity in that way.
Sometimes people project their own insecurities and prejudices onto people like Beyonce. I like the ad. up ways.
I'm going off to start an aibu regarding the Beckham ad.

[OhMerGerd]

Oops that's weird. I'm on the phone so can't cut it out but you get the drift ! Lol. Any off to start up my aibu.

[carlajean]

OhMerGerd why have you just cut and pasted your previous message?

[rodandtheemu]

What a bunch of old bags!! completly Agree with renlo ! Bossom Hoikers out in force on here!

Im a bit as i thought this thread started out light hearted but ended up being a nasty bitch fest.....

go listen to ur radio 4....

[KellyElly]

I love it. The costumes are fab.

[valiumredhead]

"if you like it put a ring on it"

Makes me cringe every time I hear that song.

[simplesusan]

I don't like the ad.
I think she looks stupid, too passive and sluttish, and that's putting it mildly.
I don't think she is a good role model at all.
I would have far more respect for her if she came across as less sexually passive.
Everytime I see her she strikes me as playing out a role as some dumb porn star in a trashy porn flick.


You never see men acting like this.

I have more respect for women who don't appear as passive, those in control of their bodies and sexuality. Pink is a good example. She does as she pleases not as told to by some director.
You cannot believe that Beyonce seriously walks around posing like that naturally. Mouth slightly open, gasping, seductivly stroking her breast, one hand above her head, now stroke hair, mouth ajar, tilt head to one side, put on fuck me eyes, oh dominate me cos I am a slut and under your control.

[valiumredhead]

I love the ad, the costumes are fantastic - I had no idea it was Beyonce when I first saw it.

[lesserspottedshitehawk]

Just waiting for the youtube upload of frantic mners sreeching " leave Beyonce alooooooooooooooone".

I've yet to figure out what the big deal is about her. The various alter egos. sasha fierce? Ffs Queen B? Apparently a nickname she gave herself


As with Rhianna, as with Madonna, as with Lady Gaga if they keep their clothes on and stop writhing around and just bloody sing we'll see if they actually are a singer worth their salt

[Pigsmummy]

She is ludicrously self indulgent though so how is this a surprise to you?

[swooosh]

She doesn't look that light skinned in real life. If you look at her in Destinys Child when she was around 17/18 she looks the same skin colour. It's just video/photo editing.

I LOVE her. I've got tickets to see her this year and cannot bloody wait!

[AmberSocks]

I LOVE Beyonce,she really is the queen of everything,she can sing and dance amazingly and she is beautiful.

[AmberSocks]

she has always been light skinned there photos of her as a teen and she was light,her mum is mixed race so shes not 100 per cent black.

[ladydepp]

I am a boring white middle class R4 listener and I think Beyonce is fantastic. She looks like a real woman, with fabulous legs that aren't skinny little twigs. She is an amazing dancer, a great singer and a very successful businesswoman. She is probably a bit of a diva sometimes and some of her songs don't appeal to me at all.

But... I would much rather have her as a role model for my dd than some skinny talent-free supermodel / page 3 wannabe / Katie Price type, who's career is based entirely on her looks and ability to take her top off. Beyonce has proper talent and staying power.

She was amazing at Glastonbury when she headlined and I am thrilled to have tickets to her latest tour.

As for the ad, no opinion either way, but it did remind me to buy tickets! And the costumes, fabulous!!

[QueefLatina]

I suppose it could be seen as similar to a lot of the conceptual stuff that Bowie was doing in the 70's and 80's. Ziggy Stardust, Thin White Duke etc.



He often wore skimpy costumes too!

[bedmonster]

Yanbu, tis ludicrously self indulgent. But I will be indulging her ego as I got tickets this morning! I've seen her before and its the one of the best concerts I've ever been to so I'm looking forward to it. Not bothered if you lot don't like her, I'll have a better view with fewer crowds!!