Edd’s MANtra: King Dethroned
Feminists rejoice! The mighty King has fallen.
I was over at sohh.com the other day and found out that the infamous King magazine is the latest casualty of the print industry’s spiral into oblivion. So sad. Without them, how will ambitious video vixens EVER be taken seriously as actresses? There are only so many reality TV shows and they can’t all be as lucky as Tiffany “New York” Pollard.
Oh, by the way, for those not familiar with King, Hugh Hefner once dubbed it “the black Playboy.” So there ya go.
I’ve never purchased a copy of King, but I know plenty of brothers with stacks of back issues in their closets.
I promise that use of the word “stacks” was merely coincidence.
For years, champions of women’s rights have taken a stand against the magazine for their portrayal of ethnic women in nothing but their draws. But I think that even if King has collapsed, its legacy lives on.
Yeah, King provides a forum for women to be objectified, but I think the stones have been thrown in the wrong direction. It’s up to the ladies themselves to be more than just pinups. There’s exposure, then there is exposure, if you feel me. And I wouldn’t solely blame the magazine for that.
Think of it like this – if a crackhead has a messed up life, whom do you blame? The dealer or the junkie? They both are at fault, but change first has to come from within.
I promise that use of the word “crack” was merely coincidence.
Do you think King’s downfall is huge victory for women’s rights, or will things continue as-is?
I agree with you Edd! Nobody put a gun to their heads and made pose for the magazine.
I can’t lie, I’m not exactly shedding tears over the loss of King. Though I do feel for my fellow journalists who may be out of a job now, it’s no secret I was no fan of this magazine. I even mentioned it in my essay in the Yes Means Yes book. But you’re right, King’s folding does not mean women of color will be objectified in the media any less and women should take responsibility for what they’re doing. I’ve said before that women should have a right to pose nude, strip or whatever else without being called a slut or whore and without being sexually assaulted. However, I think women featured in magazines like King should be honest about what’s really going on. Even if you feel great about yourself, your photos, etc., this does not necessarily make this an empowering act and it’s certainly not going to put you on the road to true and timeless stardom.