Naomi Campbell checks interviewer while advocating for more models of color

Naomi Campbell has become notoriously known for her episodes of violence. Specifically, she has been charged with assault 3 different times for hitting or throwing her phone (obviously this was before cell phone market values were $600) at assistants and her housekeeper. It’s safe to say that sometimes she doesn’t handle her anger well. However, that does not equate to her being an “angry” person as an interviewer suggested to her a couple of weeks ago.

The interview was a one-on-one with Campbell about a new campaign she launched with Bethann Hardison and black supermodel Iman to bring more models of color to the catwalk. But the interview took a turn when the interviewer wanted to talk about Campbell’s reputation as an “angry person” and how the campaign was  a good use of such anger. Check the video below.

(I haven’t found a transcript of this video. If anyone’s able to post one in the comment’s it would be hugely appreciated.)

She quickly reminded him that this wasn’t an opportunity to talk about her own life but those of other models of color. I found the interviewer’s framing of Campbell’s campaign as a “good use” of her anger to be extremely condescending and dangerously toeing the line of the “angry black woman” sterotype. It also trivializes the very real issue that is lack of diversity within the high fashion industry. I appreciate Naomi for setting him straight!

Feministing's resident "sexpert", Sesali is a published writer and professional shit talker. She is a queer Black girl, fat girl, and trainer. She was the former Training Director at the United States Student Association and later a member of the Youth Organizing team at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She received her bachelors in Women's and Gender Studies from Depaul University in 2012 and is currently pursuing a master's in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality studies at Georgia State University in Atlanta. A self identified "trap" feminist, and trained with a reproductive justice background, her interests include the intersections of feminism and: pop culture, youth culture, social media, hip hop, girlhood, sexuality, race, gender, and Beyonce. Sesali joined the team in 2010 as one of the winners of our So You Think You Can Blog contest.

is Feministing's resident sexpert and cynic.

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