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• Tuesday, November 18, 2008 08:12 AM

  The writer doesn't care for Condi Rice? She's a 'powerful, beautiful female who's been in the white house'

  I think this article resembles the New Yorker cover with the Obamas - Noble intent, poor, execution.

  As an African American woman who did read the article, I understand the writer's perspective, but the article is cringe worthy. Diminishing someone for their body is cruel, but elevating them isn't actually much better. Two points:

  1) If you really want to go there, and celebrate her rear and how proudly she is 'black', why not get into a conversation about why her hair is processed straight instead of sporting her natural texture? Should little black girls feel ashamed of their hair? Of course not. So why should we feel 'pride' about a particular shape of her ass?

  2) Stereotyping of any sort isn't helpful. Without meaning to, the writer has raised the eyebrows of African American women who do not have the same body type as M. Obama, because the writer is implying that African American woman = Large rear. Many do, but many don't. Condi Rice, anyone? I don't like her politics, but since we're claiming black women, let's claim them all.

  I'd prefer that girls look at M. Obama and say, wow! I feel great that smart, ethical females just like me can do good. But okay, great: Large assed women: you can be more than a girl in a rap video. I suppose that's.....um, a good point?

  —June Brockwell Read June Brockwell's other letters
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