Vogue Proclaims 'Slave Earrings' Trend: 'Bad Translation' or Totally Insensitive?

by SodaHead Living Posted 2011/08/24 18:15:32

Related Topics: Controversy, Vogue, Italian, Slave Earrings, Ethnic, weddings, Style, Fashion, Trend, SodaHead, English, State, Faith, Entertainment, United States, Twitter

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	Bad Translation	373 votes	68%
	Totally Insensitive	175 votes	32%

At this time of year, many of us turn to Vogue to tell us what's "in" and what's "out" for fall.

But we don't expect to be told that "slave earrings" are trendy.

In this month's Italian edition of the magazine, a trend story on hoop earrings was given the headline, "Slave Earrings," Yahoo! Shine reports.

magazine story hoop earrings headline slave earrings yahoo shine reports

magazine story hoop earrings headline slave earrings yahoo shine reports

The accompanying text read: "If the name brings to the mind the decorative traditions of the women of colour who were brought to the southern United States during the slave trade, the latest interpretation is pure freedom."

Um, comparing the latest look to stylish slaves? Not cool. Twitter users were also outraged, calling the piece "insanely offensive" and asking, "What the f--- were they thinking?"

In other words, Vogue was forced to apologize -- if you call blaming the language barrier apologizing.

"We apologize for the inconvenience. It is a matter of really bad translation from Italian into English," the magazine's editor-in-chief Franca Sozzani said in a statement.

"The Italian word, which defines those kind of earrings, should instead be translated into 'ethnic style earrings.' Again, we are sorry about this mistake which we have just amended in the website."

Another bad word choice: "inconvenience."

The magazine changed the title of the piece from "Slave Earrings" to "Ethnic Earrings" on the English-language website, but critics were not satisfied.

"It's equally frightening that the high fashion magazine, would find the two words -- slave and ethnic -- interchangeable," Fashionista's Hayley Phelan wrote.

By Monday evening, the entire article was removed from the site with the note: "We've decided to remove the article from the site to prove our good faith and to show it wasn't our intention to insult anyone."

Was this just an innocent mistake? Or a seriously insensitive editorial decision?

+11

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Lady Yui 2011/08/24 19:02:50

Bad Translation

+50
Dear Black People of America,

None of you are slaves. None of you ever were slaves. And none of you are ever going to be slaves. GET THE F*CK OVER YOUR DAMN SELVES.
>> See Replies

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shindogg 2011/09/23 07:21:58

Totally Insensitive

ive suspected vogue and many other model magazines had a problem with black people with the way they always portray whites predominantly like blacks dont care about fashion or aren't attractive enough to wear the same clothes but now i know for sure that these modelin mags are straight up racist scum. look once and see if they ever down a white person in all the decades they've been doin fashion and you'll never find one. i don't believe this is the first time they've put down or discriminated other races either. i don't have any examples but i just have a hunch they've done this crap before. maybe not this exact thing but some kind of black-bashin or other non-white ethnic background bashin.

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Just Me 2011/09/07 19:07:30

Bad Translation

Who cares what they're called?? I am really tired of the whole "political correctness" thing.

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angel face 2011/08/31 02:54:23

Bad Translation

They could have named it something else

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DrewTaylor 2011/08/29 01:24:31

Totally Insensitive

Number one ... I do not like the ear rings at all ...not two ...why would Vogue even think of marketing or doing such a tasteless thing...???

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Phil 2011/08/29 00:49:54

Bad Translation

All people need to get over themselves. My ancestors were slaves in Egypt, do the Egyptians still owe my reconciliation after 6 thousand years? Maybe I need to go 'cry' to the Egyptian equivalent of Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton to see if I can still get reconciliatory payments, since I'm only the thousand generation descendant of a slave, and since I can't get on welfare here.

Maybe EVERYONE should look into their history...... most everyone's ancestry were either slaves or slave owners all over the world, since time began. We all have a 50/50 chance of having ancestors that were slaves at some time, so, WHY NOT CASH IN ON IT? then we can have even more riots all over the world. Makes sense to me................NOT!

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Phil to Phil 2011/08/29 00:59:39

I have seen women wearing this type of earring over many years of style changes, THEY WORE THEM IN THE "MOD" 60's as well (search the internet for pics of those days! What's so special about this time around? Somebody crying! That's all it could be! When will we grow up and be responsible for ourselves? This type of 'banter' is not healthy for any faction, race, or religion. It's ONLY purpose is to stick a knife into a wound that is almost healed, in order to open it up to INFECTION once again. GROW UP,PEOPLE!!!!

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lynn macdonald 2011/08/28 23:27:06

Bad Translation

I got picked on when I went to school because I was an orphan and wore hand me down clothes. Also, because I was changing schools back and forth in a certain area and whoever I lived with at the time, I took on their last name. It was worse when I was sent to the orphanage because no one in the family would look after me. Do I go on and on about it, NO - I finished high school, went to college and now own my own home. Stop with the pity party and live your life - ppl will always put you down for some reason - so shake those ppl off and move on.

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lynn ma... to lynn ma... 2011/08/28 23:30:30

No one is forcing anyone, black or white, to put these earings in their ears or adorn themselves with anything that belongs to a certain culture, group or race. I am so sick of whites, blacks and anyone else moaning - there are ppl who make life happen and ppl who let life happen. Make it happen.

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studiobrat BN-0 AFCL 2011/08/28 12:25:26

Bad Translation

It was the Italian edition of Vogue, and I believe all the hoopla (No pun intended!) WAS due to language translation. Plus the word "slave" is used in many other instances, as in "slave to fashion!"

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SocratesIII 2011/08/28 07:44:05

Bad Translation

Lmfao...The Ns can call themselves Ni88gers but a white magazine isn't allowed to "exploit" slavery? lmfao The liberals have wrecked this nation by attacking our youth, just like Hitler did in his Youth Corps.

Is it just a coincidence that our schools have become dens of drug addicts and punks and sex crazed teens since the 60s? I think the liberals have destroyed the school system. They brought their "relative" morals and muticultural and homosexual rights agenda to the school systems. Now we have forced busing which does nothing to alleviate the racial divide but is no just a convenient transportation system for students too lazy to walk to school. The violence and Drug use has skyrocketed since blacks and minorities from low income areas were forced to "better" schools. All this has done is increase drugs and violence in our schools and driven many good teachers faced with no means to discipline the students to leave the profession or wish they had never chose teaching as a career choice.

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Cora 2011/08/28 06:36:52

Totally Insensitive

TRANSLATE PROPERLY PRIOR TO APPROVAL FROM YOUR HEAD EDITOR OR SUPERVISOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE.

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Cora to Cora 2011/08/28 06:46:29

I am not black. THE WORD SLAVE PERTAINS TO EVERY RACE, and not just Blacks. It's the lack of insensitivity to another co-worker when one makes a statement " I'VE BEEN SLAVING IN THE KITCHEN." The word Slave is used so often and abused by others.

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truthman 2011/08/28 03:40:36

Bad Translation

Everybody is so damn sensitive.

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disclaimer 2011/08/27 22:37:04

Totally Insensitive

Why? Ethnic earrings doesn't sound good either.

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Cora to disclaimer 2011/08/28 06:55:51

Those earrings I don't like, because most of the women you see on some of the movies, the one's that play the HOOKERS they wear those HUGE HOOP EARRINGS.

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disclaimer to Cora 2011/08/29 05:35:48

Exactly. I don't even think they're attractive, and this is a clever ploy on behalf of the marketing department to make their product seem "ethnic."

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Cathy 2011/08/27 16:42:14

Bad Translation

+1
This could raise the eyebrows of many African Americans, but it really doesn't bother me because I never was a slave. But, we all might "beware", if the U.S. don't pay its "debt" to China, "we all made end up being slaves to China"!

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jim long to Cathy 2011/08/28 04:27:59

here here !!

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paragonofanimals 2011/08/26 20:13:49

Totally Insensitive

+4
Stop telling blacks to stop bitching. Slavery may have existed only 150 years ago, but the ramifications of slavery have trickled down throughout the many decades following. Keep in mind Brown vs. Education only happened just over 50-60 years ago ( when the Supreme Court established that segregation in schools based on skin color was considered unconstitutional ) Whether or not the effects still have their subtle impact on us today- have some bloody respect. For the record, I am not black but I empathise with their sentiments. I'm not saying that an all-out riot is in order- but I understand why such a title/label might be taken as offensive.

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MARILYN to paragon... 2011/08/27 15:40:37

+3
you are so full of crap*** Blacks aren't the only one that have endured slavery, the Irish, the Chinese, American Indian, The Jews, The Hispanics, The English. Many more cultures and nationalities have endured some sort of Slavery. The Blacks just like to hang on to it More!!!!!! Oh and Least I forget the MIddle East, they Enslave Women, Children, thier on young men to fight their Stupid Wars, American they Capture. And by the Way African sold their own people into Slavery to the Many Differant Nationalities that Landed on their Shores and Paid them for their Citizens!!!!! So Yes They do need to GET THE F*CK OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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MariaWade to MARILYN 2011/08/27 22:41:20

+2
THE AD TARGETED WOMEN OF COLOUR YOU IDIOT IT DIDN'T TARGET ANY OTHER RACE OF SLAVERY! COLOURED WOMEN WERE TARGETED IN THIS AD! WHAT YOU DON'T READ?

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paragon... to MARILYN 2011/08/28 21:32:31

+1
Did i say that blacks were the only ones that endured slavery? I think you're putting words in my mouth. The caption of the earrings expressly reads : "If the name brings to the mind the decorative traditions of the women of colour who were brought to the southern United States during the slave trade, the latest interpretation is pure freedom." So yes, it was referring exclusively to slavery of blacks in the United States. Yes it is offensive. By the way, ample use of expletives in your argument do not a stronger point make. Plus, i don't see what point you're trying to get across by emphasizing that blacks were sold into slavery by Africans- the blacks sold by the African leaders were usually prisoners of war- from an opposing faction. They did not sell "their own kind" ( very rare ). It's like saying (hypothetically) because the French (white) sold Norwegian (white) prisoners of war, they deserved it more than if they were sold by blacks, asians, or hispanics ( keep in mind, this example is entirely hypothetical and has no basis in reality- my point is that just because two different cultures are the same skin color- does not mean they're the "same" or allies in anyway.) You may need to brush up on your logic.

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MariaWade to paragon... 2011/09/04 15:43:39

Of course she would state that, she only knows what is translated to her. She didn't educate herself with Black American History why would she? She states her opinion based on someone dictating her information instead of stating an educated opinion or comment............. she stated a ignorant one.

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jim long to paragon... 2011/08/28 04:29:43

thanx for havin an opinion,everybody ain't so lucky

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H.H. 2011/08/26 19:35:33

Bad Translation

For fashion slaves, what better bangle than slave earrings?

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Student 2011/08/26 17:48:16

Bad Translation

But its getting the press.

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MariaWade to Student 2011/09/04 15:45:02

your right lololol, they knew it would get the press it got, this person definitely knows how to Market. And you know alot of Women will probably be wearing their jewelry.

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chantiboo7 2011/08/26 17:09:53

Totally Insensitive

+1
WOW! Things got pretty heated at home as I showed this article to my fiance'(who happens to be white) We both agreed that the article was insensitive and not very well thought out. Since when is being a slave "fashionable". Did they envision African women stepping off the boat doing the "Cupid Shuffle" with the finest robes and biggest hoop earrings and head wraps on? Ha!! I think we all know that wasn't the case. BUT, What shocked me the most was, that my fiance actually agreed with Lady Yui the top post!! WHAT!! My head turned 360 degrees and I spit pea soup. I seriously had to take some Tylenol and put some ice on my flare up of "angry black woman syndrome" ( Flares up every now and then, can't help it : ) ) He explained to me that every time we oppose and make a big fuss about everything it just gives those racist people power. We would be better off letting them know that they have their opinion, but it does not effect us. He believes in the future we will all be mixed race anyway, (as are our 2 wonderful children) so it shouldn't matter. In a way, as much as I hate to admit it, he is right. But on the other hand, ALL BLACKS DO NOT RUN AROUND PISSED OFF AT THE WORLD LOOKING FOR SOMETHING RACIST! There are many out there, such as myself, who are moving on with t...

WOW! Things got pretty heated at home as I showed this article to my fiance'(who happens to be white) We both agreed that the article was insensitive and not very well thought out. Since when is being a slave "fashionable". Did they envision African women stepping off the boat doing the "Cupid Shuffle" with the finest robes and biggest hoop earrings and head wraps on? Ha!! I think we all know that wasn't the case. BUT, What shocked me the most was, that my fiance actually agreed with Lady Yui the top post!! WHAT!! My head turned 360 degrees and I spit pea soup. I seriously had to take some Tylenol and put some ice on my flare up of "angry black woman syndrome" ( Flares up every now and then, can't help it : ) ) He explained to me that every time we oppose and make a big fuss about everything it just gives those racist people power. We would be better off letting them know that they have their opinion, but it does not effect us. He believes in the future we will all be mixed race anyway, (as are our 2 wonderful children) so it shouldn't matter. In a way, as much as I hate to admit it, he is right. But on the other hand, ALL BLACKS DO NOT RUN AROUND PISSED OFF AT THE WORLD LOOKING FOR SOMETHING RACIST! There are many out there, such as myself, who are moving on with their lives despite the racism that still continues to this day. I WILL NOT ignore that. But I WILL continue to live my life COLOR-FREE! and raise my children to live that way as well. Can't we all just get along? PEACE! And yes, after a few "accidental kicks" to my future hubby, I still love him and his crazy opinions, even if we don't always agree.
(more)

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Joey to chantiboo7 2011/08/26 22:38:25

+4
I just find it odd that black people are the only people who are ever asked just to take it. When some white people felt Obama was racist they went on and on and on about it. Hell they still call him racist to this day. But black people are told we should just take racist statements. And not to play the race card, when they are using it. Yet black people can not talk about the injustices that still effect Americans .

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chantiboo7 to Joey 2011/08/27 02:32:45

+1
I do agree with you to some point. Just like if it were 50 years in the future and people still wanted to bring 9/11 up or get offended if someone makes jokes about bombings. What if ?? Should they be told to quit bringing up because it was a whole entire 50 YEARS AGO? In my opinion, facts from the past don't have an expiration date. I just try not to make a big deal about something if it's not found to be racist EX: the Dove soap ad. I did not find anything racist about that ad, yet others were going crazy about it and I don't understand why. The worse thing to me is that when maybe 20 -30 blacks(which is a small number) oppose to a supposedly racist ad/commercial, the MEDIA completely blows it out of proportion. Those few who opposed were simply stating their OPINION just like we all have our opinions on this site. On the news, it sounds like we did a million man march against Vogue or something and that was not the case.

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Joey to chantiboo7 2011/08/27 02:42:38

I agree with you, I dislike reaction to this story more so than the dumb ear rings .

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MariaWade to chantiboo7 2011/08/27 22:29:49

I am with ya, I didn't find anything racist about the Dove Ad either.

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MARILYN to Joey 2011/08/27 15:43:40

+1
ALL RIGHT DUMB ASS!!!! BLACKS DO GO ON AND ON AND ON AND ON ..SHARPTON FOR ONE WITH HIS IGNORANT ASS!!!

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ColorMeMad to MARILYN 2011/08/27 19:13:49 (edited)

+1
You know what I noticed? That the majority of the people who are complaining about this are white. Look at the replies to this topic for example. Ironic isn't it?

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MariaWade to ColorMeMad 2011/08/27 22:31:21

lolol so true :), Except Marilyn who is calling people a DUMB ASS lololol

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MariaWade to Joey 2011/08/27 22:28:17

omg! This is so true :)

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MariaWade to chantiboo7 2011/08/27 22:27:49

Ya know I am going to have to follow your example. My father raced me not to be racist, but he also tried to teach me how to deal with it when it occurs. It's still so hard. We don't talk about it much, we try not to. But seeing some of these comments on here is just so crazy sometimes. Some people are just so insensitive. Cudo's for you!

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Truthteller 2011/08/26 17:09:21

Bad Translation

there always have been slaves in the world - there is no reason for blacks to get up in arms about it. Not everything in the world or anything that mentions slavery about them. If blacks (or others) really give a crap about slavery, then why is there no outcry about the Arab muslims who continue to take black Southern Sudanese as slaves? There is slavery all over the Islamic world, not only from black africa, but also from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Indonesia etc. and yet no liberals give a care about these slaves - I guess because they can't vote for Obama.

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Joey to Truthte... 2011/08/26 22:39:31

This add point out the women coming to the Southern American.

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ColorMeMad to Truthte... 2011/08/27 19:25:59 (edited)

I'm sorry, but how is any of that relevant to black slavery or the article? Frankly, the only people I see complaining about this article are mostly white. Note the comments. Tell me, where are all these rioting blacks that everyone keeps addressing that is related to this incident?

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