Analysis 3

Racialicious.com examines the intersection of race and pop-culture, putting a modern spin on thinking about racial issues in the United States. It focuses on the latest celebrity updates and the blog critiques media representations of current social events. The context of pop culture provides a more forgiving atmosphere for race discussion because the individuals under the blog’s lens occupy a coveted position in society and have the means (money, power, influence) to break out of the constraints of racial and social stratification.

Immediately when the webpage is open there is a huge picture of Beyoncé. The blog post discusses Beyoncé’s image as a strong independent woman who fosters ideas about race pride and girl power. These ideas are widely distributed through her songs such as “Run the World (Girls)” or “If I Was a Boy.” But what is most striking about this blog post is not the written word and evidence of her record sales, but the images. The first picture is a natural face shot. Her hair is not artificially flying via a fan, nor does she have a smirk full of angst. Instead it is a picture of Beyoncé from the shoulders up with very minimal and natural makeup and a genuine smile. The light is hitting her face in a way that illuminates her eyes so that she is making direct eye contact with the audience. Race is not brought to the forefront of the picture, but the envy of every woman aspiring for the same natural beauty.

Later on in the article there is a picture of Beyoncé from a notorious photo spread in French Vogue that aimed to pay tribute to past African queens and African rituals. She is wearing traditional African tribal clothes, including jewelry and a headpiece. There is, however, an extra visual element to this picture: her skin. Her face is dramatically darker than the rest of her body and her natural skin tone. The drastic change in skin tone from her neck to her face brings a sense of inauthenticity to the picture. The lack of authenticity in the picture provides the foundation for discourse about race and past historical tensions. The picture aims to demonstrate the diversity of human life and the divisions due to physical appearance. Longaker and walker write, “Visual arguments often similarly create networks of association in order to make emotional appeals” (220). A change in skin tone should not denote a different level of beauty of equality, but the headpiece and skin tone transports the audience back to a time of colonialism. The change in skin tone creates an association in my mind to this era of exploitation. The association evokes ideas of the white man’s burden, which justified imperialist efforts. Personally, this time period is a shame to basic human rights: freedom, property and religion. Different regions have different traditions and this diversity should be celebrated, not used as a justification for discrimination.  

The reaction to this picture will be different for every person based on his or her heritage and background (socioeconomic status, education, religion, etc.). Values are an integral part of the interpretation process. Longaker and Walker define values as “Another kind of symbol (a word, a brand, a monument, a historical event) that ties into a network of affects, behaviors, and experiences” (223). Thus, certain abstract ideas and icons will resonate with certain populations. The headpiece and dress that Beyoncé wears in the second picture holds a special meaning to different African tribes whereas to me it is merely a symbol of a different culture. The first face shot of Beyoncé resonates with my generation. We grew up with the music of Destiny’s Child and then took part in the mass hysteria surrounding the “Single Ladies” dance. She is an icon and musical legend of my generation and thus this picture resonates more with me than it would with my grandparent. My grandparents may associate her with the hip-hop music on the radio; on the other hand, my generation associates Beyoncé with girl power, racial pride, and a beautiful voice.

It is said that a picture is worth 1000 words. This is precisely because it can convey more emotion with each pixel than a string of words can. Text has context and subliminal messages, but it is not universally understood like visuals. Visuals can physically demonstrate emotions and reach across generations and geographical areas. Longaker and Walker explain this share of emotional responses as an emotional repertoire. “… A relatively stable range of emotions shared by a large group of people are often in response to situations or objects that these people all encounter in their public lives. An emotional repertoire not only includes a range of feelings but also a behavioral script” (223). Thus the smile on Beyoncé’s face, which is perfectly highlighted by a ray of light, depicts a sense of joy and warmth to its audience. The audience has the same reaction to this photo because it is so natural and simple, however the African queen photo has different emotional responses for different communities. Common experiences, symbols, ideas and situations shape each individual’s emotional repertoire. For example, when I look at the African queen photo, I see a different culture. However, when someone else looks at this photo they may see a tradition of their tribe or heritage or something they have never seen before. Each of these responses elicit different emotional responses sparked by the symbols in the photo.