Less than a week after defending herself from Karl Lagerfeld’s fat comment, a photo of Adele has been released on the cover of Vogue which smacks of photoshopping. If Vogue has indeed photoshopped this picture, it is one more insult from the media to positive body image promotion.
Although neither Vogue nor Adele have commented on the picture yet, numerous people have written into Vogue Magazine, stating that the photo does not capture Adele because it has been ‘enhanced.’ Adele, since her 6 Grammy win last Sunday, has become a larger than life figure, yet Chanel’s Lagerfeld and Vogue believe it is acceptable to pare down both Adele and her body into a more socially-acceptable form.
In a recent interview with Anderson Cooper, Adele stated that “I’ve never seen magazine covers and music videos and been like, I need to look like that if I want to be success.” She also gave advice to women and girls everywhere that first they have to be happy with themselves and appreciate their bodies before giving thought to changing themselves.
Given those positive body image statements, I am curious to see when and how Adele responds to the Vogue cover. When placed side-by-side with a photo of Adele from the Grammy’s, the Vogue photo looks airbrushed and fake. That magazine cover does not capture who Adele is, but who the media wants her to be.
This is not an uncommon occurrence; most magazines photoshop actors, actresses, and singers without their permission and often without their knowledge. An ad by L’Oreal featuring Julia Roberts was recently banned in the UK, after it was digitally altered to make her skin flawless, and pore-less for that matter.
What is so tragic about all these digital enhancements, airbrushing, and toning, is that the media is consistently sending out a message that we are all not good enough. That we would be better if our nose was smaller, our chest was bigger, or our figure was svelter; in fact, they are telling us that we would be better if we were someone else.
This is the message Vogue sent about Adele, even after the singer affirmed her resolve in her body and herself. The media tells us to hate our bodies and to change them in an attempt to reach an unrealistic ideal that can only be achieved through digital falsifying. This cannot continue to be the norm.
Our bodies take us through our daily lives, they are the vessels that transport us, bear witness to our triumphs and struggles, and convey a host of meanings about ourselves and our cultures. And for those reasons, they are beautiful, in every shape, size, and color. We cannot allow ourselves or others to begin a cycle of self-hatred over the bodies that are our lifelong homes.
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