Blacks and Body Image--The Jet "Beauty of the Week"

Jet Magazine is a weekly periodical published by Johnson Publications, the same publishers of Ebony Magazine.

Each week, a young lady vies for the opportunity to be selected as the "Jet Beauty of the Week."  Qualifications, you may ask?  Taken from the their website's FAQ (with deletion of submission address):

How do I become a Jet Beauty of the Week?
Submit two current photographs of yourself, preferably in a two-piece bathing suit, taken against a plain background with few distractions. Please make sure all photos indicate the name and address on the back.

In order to be considered you must be at least 18 years of age. Acceptance of the photographs submitted is based on the decision of the Editorial Review Board. You will be contacted, by mail, as to the board's decision. JET reserves the right to retain all photographs. Thanks for your interest and good luck.

 

The magazine's definition's of beauty is singular and sadly archaic.  While women have grown and developed new roles in society, the beauty of the week remains.  As I looked for information before writing this blog, I found others disgruntled with Jet's inability to change with the times.  

My issue involves not only shape/weight pressures on women, or that women must pose in a swimsuit, but that this provides a weekly reminder to young impressionable people (think college dorm rooms) that the only form of beauty is physical. 

Many young men who paste these pictures on their walls, and look forward to the arrival of the magazine each week.  It was a young man in college who pointed out to me that the Jet Beauty of the Week is consistently on page 43 of each issue.  

That picture will tell nothing of her inner beauty.  It will not tell if she has friends, is kind to people or elitist.  It will not tell how she treats her family.  If she has grace and poise.  Does she care about her community?  We cannot know her core values.

So often, people judge by looks, only to find that something that appears outwardly beautiful is actually an empty shell.  It cannot be said that the magazine is looking to counteract images of blacks in the media, by showing black women in all shapes and sizes because of their stated preference for women to be photographed wearing bikinis. 

Perhaps Jet should look for someone of substance to highlight each week.  A mover and shaker in the community.  There are so many young people who give their time to their community or excel in school and ask for nothing.  By doing this, hopefully it will show rewards for something other than physical attributes, and help refocus others.  It is time to take the focus off of the physical. 

Have someone submit a photo of themselves doing volunteer work (or any positive)while fully clothed.

Let these people be our new role models.  The feature would be open to all people and renamed the Jet Person of the Week.

 

Comments

[Kevin]

It's a doggy dogg's world!!!

[Leslie Murray, MD]

Thank you Kevin for your comment. We welcome comments from everyone, and continually strive to look for ways to portray all in a positive, uplifting, respectful manner.