Racist or not?

[claw3]

At our local train station at the weekend with ds 12, he was looking at news stand, while i was getting train tickets.

Anyhow at news stand there was a section which had black magazines ie black hair, black beauty, black music etc, etc. Ds asked me why do black people have their own mags and would it be racist if white people had their own magazines ie white hair, white beauty etc etc.

Your thoughts, would it??

Have you ever lived anywhere where you were in the minority? No, there may not be a need to label things white but where black people are marginalised I would argue that there is a need to reinforce their sense of identity.

And there is no harm in it. In my whole life I have never heard anyone other than you find it objectionable to have "Black" in the title of a magazine.

manifeel - So in India as someone suggested a few magazines entitled 'white' whatever would be considered non racist?

Is Irish Times aimed at white or black irish people or both?

Claw, I see exactly where you are coming from, but most mags that are predominantly aimed at white women do also have a minimal level of coverage of black and asian women. You agree with that bit, yes? So, would be silly to call it a White mag, or a ginger mag or whatever. But a black womens mag is for a much smaller audience that is aimed at black women with just afro hair and darker skin. Something that most white women would not be interested in reading.

In a similar vein to gay magazines like Attitude, the majority of mags are aimed at heterosexuals witha few random gay articles.

I dont see why a black woman should have to buy a magazine that is 80% irrelevent in the hair and beauty stakes.

If a black woman wants to buy a magazine abouther own skin and hair then what is wrong with calling it Black? Its merely pointing out that it is a niche magazine for black women.

ok lets put this simply

"black music/hair/whatever" is an easy way of titling a magazine so that those who are interested in that magazine will buy it.

"Fishing" magazine - will be bought by people with an interest in fishing

"Computer" magazines - bought by people intereste in computers

Yes the latter may be partiall covered by an article in a mainstreamn magazine but not to the extent they want/need.

If I want to buy a magazine that will give me hints and tips on how to manae to my DS's mixed race hair then having a magazine that is clearly aimed at people with afro hair is going to save me a LOT of time flipping through all the maistream magazines in the hope that there's a small section what I need in those magazines.

Im knackered now...

Off to buy "Wine and Prozac for Blonde women with Huge Norks weekly" Ibelievethere is a small supplement in there on ginger hair (fgs!)

I could well imagine a specialist hair mag called 'blonde highlights' or 'redhead' - such is the clamour for the beauty business to produce specialised niche market products - actually there is special shampoo f blondes, read hair etc- is that racist?

Aaaarg - why am I back here? Claw's logic exhausts me!

I have no idea how such a magazine would go down in India. I suspect, though, that no one would give a monkey's.

The Irish Times is aimed at the Irish community, who have distinct cultural and social interests from the English majority. Colour's a bit irrelevant, really, but when you say white, do you mean pale-skinned? Because there's a strong case for seeing people of Celtic descent as ethnically different to "proper" Caucasians, which you can prove to yourself with a willing volunteer and a sun-lamp ... Similarly, Jews are only "coincidentally" white and should not therefore be assumed to share the social norms, ideas, aspirations, or even the genetic make-up of the majority "white" (ie European) market.

Sorry to spoil such a neat dichotomy.

Has anyone else figured that Claws 12 year old son was probably gawping at the porn in 12 year old boy manner - got caught - and to throw mum off the scent came up with truly stupid question about why magazines are allowed to have black in the totle but not white .

And yet here we all are still beating our weary and bloody heads against the computer keyboard....

lol pagwatch, we did get well and truly sucked in didn't we.

In india nobody would give a rats, on the other hand in India nobody would buy the glossy magazines either......Ime in India the magazines for insane westerners with far too much money are sold in huge department stores that are completely and utterly out of the spending league (and budget) of the regular everyday indian who incidentally have I mentioned would give a tuppence about a magazine titled white whatever.

Having said that I did buy vogue on the train to Bombay and was shocked at how expensive it translated into rupees.

What about if you like fish?

If you like fish you should buy one of the many magazines called 'Animal based hobbies' and hope for the best. You might end up with a poultry magazine, or one about showing cats but at least no-one will be offended.

The points so far to answer the question would it be racist to label a magazine as white are.

1. Black people wouldnt know a magazine was aimed at them unless it had black in the title. Ridiculous.

1. The title is unimportant its the content. Then why would it be offensive to have white in the title, if the content was inoffensive.

1. Black people are under represented in the magazine dept, so its ok to put black in a title, but not white, as this equal things out somehow.

Did i miss any?

but black music?

i get the beaurty niche stuff

ok look -

Anyone can buy any mainstream hair/make-up magazine. For the majority of people it will contain what they need in terms of tips and information. There may be a small section which is relevant to those with afro hair or darker skin, or there may not.

They only want something relating to what they need. So they buy a "black" magazine. It could be a white person buying it we don't know that.

If someone is interestede in fishinfg they coul pick up a Country Living magazine and may be lucky - it could contrain the information they want. But they'd be better off buying a "specialist" magazine.

Black music, black hair, black beauty - all things with a specific interest point, so no harm in having the black there.

Pagwatch lol at the porn section.

I assume your kids are as thick as shit then and dont question anything, just follow like little sheep

FAQ - I have no problem with minorities being catered for and can totally understand the need for. But i fail to see why black/white in a title are the total opposite, one is considered racist, the other isnt.

FAQ - I have no problem with minorities being catered for and can totally understand the need for. But i fail to see why black/white in a title are the total opposite, one is considered racist, the other isnt.

yes some people (of all races) are interested in music of black origin.

In the same way that some people are interested in classical music so may buy the Classic FM magazine

Other people may be interested in Asians in Music and Media may subcribe to the online "AIM" (Asians in Media) magazine

Those interested in folk music may get "The Living Tradition" magazine.

It's not racist, magazines target different audiences and need to get message across in most effective way. There's no reason a person of a different colour cannot buy a copy.

However, when I worked in London I was once refused a copy of The Voice by a guy handing them out as apparently "it's not for you, you won't like it". I found that racist.

I dont think I've seen a magazien entitled black music... I thought claw made it up to back up her argument.

Btw I did say it's fine to put white before all the regular publications, however it is useless as this is a white majority country and publications would be expected to cater to the mass market.
I do think its useful to have black hair on the front of a magazine, so I'd know whether the contents would be useful to me or not. Same with Asian bride/Asiana if I want to ogle ridiculously overpriced garishly embellished outfits as apposed to the regular ridiculously overpriced but more sobre western garments or read about bollywood gossip instead of hollywood I'd know which mags ot pick up, I never have time nor the gall to stand around reading the magazines at the shelves in the supermarkets!!!

www.dancecrasher.co.uk/archiveblackmusicmain.html

Black music magazine been published since the 70's.

Hoochie - That what i asked, 3 listed reasons above, did i miss any?