I never thought I would say that the woman who fronted DreamGirls and married Jay-Z would be an Oreo icon. But she has done something I always thought impossible and off limits for of colors, no matter how Oreo they may be.
Sunburning is a special gift for Oreos. It’s pretty much reserved for white people and getting one as an of-color allows you to shoot past your ethnicity as you have conversations about peeling. To date, I’ve had one sunburn, and while it made my cry when I took a shower (seriously, felt like a million little needles being thrust at my chest), I felt pretty not-black for getting one.
But now there’s something even better to aspire to: getting to wear blackface.
Typically, blackface has been reserved for 19th century performers, 21st century frat boys and the Dutch (you know I love you, JRA!).
It's a holiday tradition!
But now, fashion designers are getting in on the act! More often than before, designers are painting white models black and having them show off clothes…instead of…just hiring black models to show off those clothes.
Edgy
Passé
And natch, one would assume that it’s mostly white models getting the makeovers.
But then, Beyonce got one!
Jeals!!!
(Thanks to my friends at Sociological Images for the story. Click here to check out their coverage and analysis)
How freaking Oreo is that?? You have to be pretty not-black to be asked to wear blackface makeup!!
And there are other great Oreo themes in this photo! Like how only part of her is darkened…I mean, you don’t want to get carried away and make someone, you know…black. And she kept the blonde hair. Also the animal print clothing reminds us how dark people are all tribal and whatnot.
Good on you, Beyonce! Good on you.
What do you think? Is fahsion blackface as creepy as regular blackface? Is it creepy to see it go the other way? Are mimes offensive as they are in whiteface? Is putting a white person in black makeup more interesting/artistic/fashion forward than just hiring a black model in the first place?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments! Then follow us on Twitter, watch us on youtube or like us on facebook!
The Oreo Experience 
From what I have seen she kinda needs it. Shes getting white and white for each year…
And correct me if I don’t recall it right, but didn’t that magazine also have a black model in whiteface? I thought I read that somewhere.
Beyonce uses a supplement called glutathione.
It affects the pigmentation in the skin where it lightens your skin.
It is also a the ONLY antioxidant inside the cell so it is taken for that reason as well.
I had a short friend who is black play a tall white alien on Star Trek. You would think they would have found a tall white actor somewhere in LA.
Mimes are creepy. Like clowns that didn’t make the cut at clown college. They are just all needy. Saying, “Look at me! Look at me!” Without actually talking, that is…
Not bothered by the army of Black Peters or the fashion thing or when japanese girls do it to mimic Afro-Americans or when will-I-am did it a few months back or when those guys in Austrailia did it for that talent show or when clowns and mimes go “white face” painting your face black, white, blue, or whatever is not in itself wrong. I think people are forgeting what real offensive blackface used to look like like…
oh well I made an image to illustrate how much this issue is irrelevant…