The Evolution of Kotex Advertising and the Introduction of the 'Negro Market'

Adriana Ayers studies the evolution of kotex advertising, focusing specifically on the way in which African American women were figured into changing advertisers’ conceptions of womanhood. The article analyzes images featured in various women’s magazines to examine how ideas surrounding menstruation were packaged and sold to women.

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African-american female stereotyping in The Secret Life of Bees

Epos Revista de filología ◽

10.5944/epos.29.2013.15198 ◽

2013 ◽

pp. 327

Author(s):

Carolina Pallín López

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

African American Women ◽

Business Owner ◽

African American Female ◽

Women Directors ◽

Female Characters ◽

American Women ◽

Wide Range ◽

Interdisciplinary Inquiry ◽

The Way

The film that is being analyzed in this article, The Secret Life of Bees, offers a unique piece to work on. This motion picture is based on Sue Monk Kidd’s novel with the same title published in 2003, and was directed by one of the very few African-American women directors, Gina Prince-Bythewood. This story puts forth an unusual depiction of the way African-American women have traditionally been portrayed. One of the key elements that contributes to this rare representation is the «Magical Negro» character in the movie, which has a tradition of being represented by men.The aim of this article is to analyze the way the «Magical Negro» character (August Boatwright) is introduced in The Secret Life of Bees, together with the other female characters (Lily Owens, Rosaleen Daise, June Boatwright and May Boatwright). I will also analyze how these representations contribute or shatter female African-American stereotypes. This film introduces a wide range of icons that go from the illiterate slave to the independent business owner, offering in this way a great piece to examine. This article will constitute an interdisciplinary inquiry which will take into account Gender Studies, Stereotyping, Cultural Studies and African American Studies.El filme que se analiza en este artículo, The Secret Life of Bees, nos ofrece una obra única para examinar. Dicha película está basada en la novela con el mismo título escrita por Sue Monk Kidd, publicada en 2003, y dirigida por una de las pocas directoras afroamericanas, Gina Prince-Bythewood. Esta historia nos muestra una imagen inusual de la mujer afroamericana si se compara con la forma en que tradicionalmente se ha escenificado dicho colectivo. Uno de los elementos clave que contribuye a tal representación es el personaje «Magical Negro» en la película, el cual tradicionalmente ha sido personificado mediante personajes masculinos. El objetivo de este artículo es analizar la forma en que el personaje «Magical Negro» (August Boatwright) es presentado en The Secret Life of Bees junto con el resto de personajes femeninos (Lily Owens, Rosaleen Daise, June Boatwright, May Boatwright). También analizaré las formas en que tales iconos contribuyen o crean una ruptura con respecto a los estereotipos femeninos afroamericanos. Esta cinta muestra una amplia gama de representaciones que van desde la esclava analfabeta hasta la mujer independiente dueña de su propio negocio, ofreciéndonos de esta forma una obra excepcional con la que trabajar. El presente artículo constituye un estudio interdisciplinar que tendrá en cuenta los estudios afroamericanos, de género, de estereotipia y culturales.

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More Than A Color: the Marginalization of African American Beauty

10.47106/7649 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 146-175

Author(s):

Karen Anderson

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

African American Women ◽

American Women ◽

Fashion Magazines ◽

Industry Standards ◽

American Beauty ◽

Internet Searches ◽

Industry Professionals ◽

The Way

Beyoncé Knowles Carter had editorial power over the cover and content of her own story on a major mainstream magazine. Serena Williams did the same on the cover and 4 content of another one. The names of the magazines are not important because they didn’t even respond to my inquiry. Brown became beautiful in 2018 when major fashion magazines showcased it on their covers. Where were brown skinned people on the beauty spectrum before then? I mean I had heard the statement “Black is Beautiful” but was it really? This sent me on a journey which led to libraries and internet searches, but also contacting industry professionals to talk about their experiences with this. For this project I interviewed four men to talk about the beauty found in African American women along with researching different moments in history that stood out as defining. All four men worked in the fashion and design industry on projects that featured beautiful women by their industry standards. Three, I chatted with on the phone and transcribed the conversations, while with the fourth I exchanged emails. I learned that men are very dominant in this field and the way they see beauty determines how we see beauty.

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