My running club includes several professional African American, Caribbean American and African women (and men) of all ranges of running pace and ability. During our weekly Sunday 6:30am runs, we break off into pace groups. While we run, walk, or jog, (depending on your pace group), we chat about our lives. It’s all good. Being able to run and talk is a good way to make sure we aren't over exerting ourselves. My pace group includes myself and two doctors who I went to college with and thankfully so because often times I find myself breaking a sweat trying to keep up with them and am comforted in knowing if pass out doing so they could resuscitate me! I jest!
Anyway, one of the awesome fast runners in my group, we nickname Sergeant Leggs , yes with two "G"s because she has these long lean and toned legs that look awesome in a pair of short running shorts. Many of us have admitted to running just so we can eventually, one day "fit into her shorts"!
On one particular run, we were talking about our experiences during our first pregnancy and Sergeant Leggs announced that she was inside one of the top three pregnancy magazines when she was pregnant! Inside? Yeah, as in inside an issue! Whoa! How cool is that?
The story goes that when she was pregnant with her first child a little over two years ago, she was very excited about the experience and had a wonderful pregnancy. She loved being pregnant she said and enjoyed reading all she could about pregnancy, but when she would go to her obstetricians office and flip through the pregnancy magazines in the waiting room while waiting for her turn to be seen by her doctor, she said she was disappointed to discover that the magazines rarely had women of color or women who resembled her in them. She shared her sadness about that with her husband who, being the wonderful supportive husband he was, did not like to see his beautiful glowing otherwise upbeat and positive wife distressed. The good chap wrote into one of the magazines sharing with its editors a photo of his beautiful wife. The editors, perhaps shamed by the slight and acknowledging their malfeasance, decided to include her husband's letter in their magazine along with the beautiful photo of his wife showing off her baby bump. He had sent in the photo with his letter.
I am awaiting a scanned copy of the magazine from the Sarg to share. (*clears throat for the Sarg if she is reading this*). I assume in that "Dear Pregnancy magazine" column the editors vowed to be better and reflect more diversity in their magazine. I thought that was the case and felt they deserved “kudos” for acknowledging the issue. I haven't been pregnant in nearly over two years myself, so I wondered if given recent times, (we’ve got an African American president for God’s sake) if the pregnancy magazines on store shelves have indeed stepped up their game and started featuring diverse pregnant models.
On one particular run, we were talking about our experiences during our first pregnancy and Sergeant Leggs announced that she was inside one of the top three pregnancy magazines when she was pregnant! Inside? Yeah, as in inside an issue! Whoa! How cool is that?
The story goes that when she was pregnant with her first child a little over two years ago, she was very excited about the experience and had a wonderful pregnancy. She loved being pregnant she said and enjoyed reading all she could about pregnancy, but when she would go to her obstetricians office and flip through the pregnancy magazines in the waiting room while waiting for her turn to be seen by her doctor, she said she was disappointed to discover that the magazines rarely had women of color or women who resembled her in them. She shared her sadness about that with her husband who, being the wonderful supportive husband he was, did not like to see his beautiful glowing otherwise upbeat and positive wife distressed. The good chap wrote into one of the magazines sharing with its editors a photo of his beautiful wife. The editors, perhaps shamed by the slight and acknowledging their malfeasance, decided to include her husband's letter in their magazine along with the beautiful photo of his wife showing off her baby bump. He had sent in the photo with his letter.
I am awaiting a scanned copy of the magazine from the Sarg to share. (*clears throat for the Sarg if she is reading this*). I assume in that "Dear Pregnancy magazine" column the editors vowed to be better and reflect more diversity in their magazine. I thought that was the case and felt they deserved “kudos” for acknowledging the issue. I haven't been pregnant in nearly over two years myself, so I wondered if given recent times, (we’ve got an African American president for God’s sake) if the pregnancy magazines on store shelves have indeed stepped up their game and started featuring diverse pregnant models.
The former journalist in me decided to run over to my local drug store to scan all the current pregnancy magazines on the shelves. Interestingly enough, I found a dearth of diverse models in them. Hmm. The Curiouser and Curiouser. Well, that’s just one or two months. Certainly, there must have been a good mix of diverse cover models at least over the past year? I went home and did an internet search. (Thank God for Google and Bing and the thousands of online magazine services out there, I found quite a few past covers) Click to Enlarge
Hmm. As research would have it, NOPE! Not so lucky. I guess that magazine didn't learn too much from Sargeant Leggs' husband. I kidded to the Sarg that maybe it was time she and her husband to conceive again so they could put her back in the magazine.In fact, of the three main pregnancy magazines, only ePregnancy had a decent pattern of diverse covers including one cover of Wayne Brady and his then Asian American wife, Mandie; another with a Japanese American woman on the cover and one with a woman who could be a Latina. I don't know if it was all the orange on the cover, but she did look Latina to me. 
In all fairness, Boxer/Actress Lailah Ali and Actress Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon graced past coversof Pregnancy magazine. Thank goodness celebrities are hot commodoties that can push magazines.
In all fairness, Boxer/Actress Lailah Ali and Actress Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon graced past coversof Pregnancy magazine. Thank goodness celebrities are hot commodoties that can push magazines.
Even Fit Pregnancy Magazine is guilty of this trend (Click to Enlarge)
though I admire this April/May 2009 Fit Pregnancy Magazine cover. Interesting....
And I get it! I realize that pregnancy magazines want to sell magazines and sometimes are challenged to respond to and keep pace with the types of models that mainstream non-pregnancy magazines for women put on their covers. That begs the question, “Is the standard of what a beautiful pregnant woman looks like supposed to be so monolithic?"
I mean, if it's about keeping up with what drives the mainstream fashion magazines, last I checked, Michelle Obama, is and was once considered a fashion icon. According to several sources including the New York Times, she was touted to
be the savior of the American fashion industry. These days, magazines with her on the cover sell faster and more issues.
I mean, if it's about keeping up with what drives the mainstream fashion magazines, last I checked, Michelle Obama, is and was once considered a fashion icon. According to several sources including the New York Times, she was touted to
be the savior of the American fashion industry. These days, magazines with her on the cover sell faster and more issues.Further, statistics reveal that as soon as the year 2050, America will be majority Hispanic. I guess that means at any given moment on any given day in the year, there are most likely more Latina women pregnant than any other race of women in America. I suppose they aren't the target market for pregnancy magazines, then, huh? hmmm. Curiouser and Curiouser.
I know we all don't look as good as the models in the magazines when pregnant. Notwithstanding, I know there's a good selection of "model perfect" models and I know that not just because I am enamored by the pregnant women and am one of those people who take notice of pregnant women walking around in my daily life. Surely, it couldn’t just be me, so lookey here! I was able to find these while doing an internet search:
Look, even the stock photo companies have pretty generous samples of pregnant models of diverse ethnicities. So they do exist!
I know we all don't look as good as the models in the magazines when pregnant. Notwithstanding, I know there's a good selection of "model perfect" models and I know that not just because I am enamored by the pregnant women and am one of those people who take notice of pregnant women walking around in my daily life. Surely, it couldn’t just be me, so lookey here! I was able to find these while doing an internet search:
Look, even the stock photo companies have pretty generous samples of pregnant models of diverse ethnicities. So they do exist!
I even found an elusive image of a pregnant Native American model on the net!
Even, in my circle of personal friends, in real life and on the internet, there are gorgeous model perfect preggo babes! They include, first
my aspiring actress and model baby sister...
...the beautiful Yakini, blogger over at The Prissy Mommy Chronicles. She was working her photo shoot eh? Click Here for the larger images and the full gallery.
During my research for this post, I discovered Canadian based Black Woman and Child magazine, which, according to its publisher, was created as a direct answer to the absence of diverse models and topics for multi-ethnic audiences in pregnancy magazines on shelves in Canada. In college sociology and psychology classes, I vividly recall some of my classmates challenging the need and importance of things like a "Miss Teen Phillipines USA" pageant or for Black fashion magazines or Black Entertainment Television or the ALMA awards recognizing the achievements of Latinos in the music industry. They wondered why and how one would even come up with the idea to create such things. Hmmmm??? Inquiring minds want to know. Could it be that they were fed up waiting for someone else to acknowledge their talents, beauty and skills and positive non stereotypical imagery?
So with that, I challenge these magazines to step up to the reality that is 2009, present time, and embrace the modern Multiethnic times and do a better job reflecting the diversity of their subscribers and readership. All readers, regardless of race and ethnicity deserve to see their images represented fairly in their magazines. It only makes sense, and cents. I know it sounds cliché, but the color of money is Green. Well, still mostly green anyway!
So with that, I challenge these magazines to step up to the reality that is 2009, present time, and embrace the modern Multiethnic times and do a better job reflecting the diversity of their subscribers and readership. All readers, regardless of race and ethnicity deserve to see their images represented fairly in their magazines. It only makes sense, and cents. I know it sounds cliché, but the color of money is Green. Well, still mostly green anyway!
What a fantastic article! This issue is so, so important... yet, sadly, not discussed nearly as often as it should be! Kudos to your friend and her husband for taking action and writing into that magazine! It is only thru such actions as that, and blog posts like this, that any progress will be made.
The images of all the pregnant women are breath-taking!!! Thank you so much for including my pictures in here, I am beyond humbled and touched. :-)
Fabulous article! I am so pleased to see sentiments that I've had over the years now in print! It's time to be honest and acknowledge that although times have changed the stereotypical mentality still exists. As you stated the magazines are targeting a certain audience. They want consistent sales and believe that focusing on non-ethnic readers through the cover models will gain consistency. If they have an ethnic cover model they run the risk of being confused with being an ethnic magazine. Don't want to hurt sales that way! Thanks so much for your honesty and we'll just have to see what happens and speak through our money!
This is a fabulous documentary of how society continues to marginalizes those of us who are not of Euroean ancestry. This marginaliztion parallels the continued mental slavery that encompasses our African Diaspora. As a beautiful West Indian woman who gave birth to two children 11.5 months apart( yes, they are not even a year apart) I felt that I was pregnant for two years straight! I would have loved to see those who looked like me on the front of some of the magazines as I spent two years in the OBs office. I spent my time chatting with the staff instead and those magazines missed out on a potential subscriber.
We need to realize that we are beautiful in all ways and embrace our true beauty in the state of pregnancy. As a physician, mother, wife, sister girlfriend, aunt to be :), I would love to direct my family ad friends to pregnancy focused magazines that highlight and feature women of different cultures and ethnicity. My cousin who is a physician as well and a national competitor in heat yoga( yes I said heat yoga), is currently pregnant with her second child and would be a great feature in any pregnancy magazine on how to maintain physically fit during your pregnancy. And like me, she is beautiful!!!! No shame in my game.
Anyhow, as a consumer, I urge these pregnancy magazines to realize that there is a market of potential conumers that they are missing based on their marketing strategy.
I echo your sentiments, " Dear Pregnancy Magazine(s): Please diversity! CHANGE has come".
FloRho
The world is becoming more diverse by the day. It only makes sense that magazines would reflect the world. Pregnancy Magazine should do better.
I am currently pregnant with baby number three, so I've perused the pregnancy magazines you speak of as recently as today in my doctor's office. And I must say you are spot on. The lack of diversity in these magazines (and others) continues to be a problem. And I personally refuse to subscribe to magazines that don't reflect me. (That's where the green comes in.)
As a side note, four years ago I worked as a staff editor for a nonprofit organization's magazine. As part of our regular planning and art meetings, we specifically looked at diversity when deciding who to interview or who to photograph for an issue to ensure that our magazine more accurately reflected our membership/readership.
The point being that publishing a magazine that reflects diversity doesn't just happen. It takes thought and planning and someone to keep the issue in the forefront.
Another thing to research JJ is the diversity of the magazines staffs. Because quite frankly a room full of white women looking at a magazine full of white women will not likely see anything out of the ordinary.
Hmmm, kind of snow balls, huh?
Very good blog. You make an excellent point. I want not only to see more races/cultures represented but would love to see features on more mixed-race families. You would think with all the mixing going on that people would recognize that the "typical family" doesn't look that typical anymore but even here, in the diverse DC area, I still get asked if I do babysitting on the side when I'm at the park with my kids because, ultimately, people assume I'm the nanny because my children are fairer than me.
well put ladies!
Yakini, my pleasure! you looked absolutely radiant. You really deserved to be in a magazine!
I agree about mixed races and adding other sorts of diversity as well.
La, you make an excellent point about planned attempts to reflect diversity. Wasn't/Isn't the the problem with the newsrooms in the nation? I recall discussing these same issues 15 years ago in J-School! Amazing how things never change. Wow!
La, you make an excellent point about planned attempts to reflect diversity. Wasn't/Isn't the the problem with the newsrooms in the nation? I recall discussing these same issues 15 years ago in J-School! Amazing how things never change. Wow!
Great article, JJ. Pregnancy and motherhood are such universal concepts that it seems like a no-brainer that magazines dedicated to the topic would feature an array of ethnicities. I hope your article begins to open the minds of pregnancy magazine publishers. Good job.
*stands up and applauds WILDLY!!!!!*
Amen, sis. Amen!
I'm a journalist by trade—have worked everywhere from The Associated Press to the New York Daily News to Parenting magazine. And let me be the first to tell you that oftentimes, I was the only black girl in the room, from the top editor down to the person who scrubbed the toilet. Newsrooms are rarely diverse (unless you're talking about the staff of an African-American focused magazine, and with the death of VIBE, this is become even more rare) and LaRhonda is exactly right when she points out that a roomful of white women will likely not see anything out of the ordinary when looking at an issue full of white women.
The staff at Parenting magazine knew this much when I was working there—that if I didn't see enough moms, dads, or children of color in the magazine, it was going to be discussed at the editor's meetings. Ditto for story content that failed to acknowledge issues particular to women of color. I even had a looooong discussion with the photo staff about the KIND of pictures of black folk, i.e., we're not all light-skinned with fine hair. I was demanding some chocolate girls with cornrows, doggonit.
They listened. And when I left, they gave me a column. I like to think I represent in that magazine, but how many Denene's are out there, constantly agitating and demanding we not be ignored?
Not enough.
That's why WE have to speak up. Sgt. Leggs was spot on when he hit the magazine with a letter and a beautiful picture of his wife. WE should make a point of following suit. I'm going to sit down today and write my letter. You should, too!
But thank goodness for sites like Bellyitch, MyBrownBaby, BlackandMarriedWithKids, Execumama, BabyMaking Machine, MamaLaw, and a bazillion others that are reppin' us hard. If no one else will, at least we are!
Awesome post, my love. Incredible.