Friday, February 06, 2015

12482: Washington Scandal…?

From USA TODAY…

Kerry Washington ‘InStyle’ cover raises eyebrows

By Maria Puente, USA TODAY

Does Kerry Washington’s latest magazine cover, on InStyle’s March issue, make her look too light?

Once again, social media lit up Thursday with another controversy over the intersection of beauty, race and Photoshopping in the media, with Scandal star Washington as the latest case-in-point.

The new cover has her brightly lit in a white, shoulder-baring dress, hands on hips, her hair fan-swept in that new artfully disheveled long-bob style.

Does her skin tone look lighter than she really is? Maybe it depends on your perspective.

Not that she was perturbed. She was “THRILLED” with the photo, she said on Instagram. “So honored. And crazy excited,” she added.

But some of her fans were not.

“I get that you’re happy to be on the cover of @InStyleMagazine ... but WHO IN THE HECK is on this cover? #Scandal #Photoshop#BadPhotoshop,” posted isthatkeyon under the photo.

“dang. why’d they do that? you don’t need photoshop,” added tamhasty.

InStyle was quick to respond with a statement denying that Washington’s skin was deliberately lightened.

“While we did not digitally lighten Kerry’s skin tone, our cover lighting has likely contributed to this concern. We understand that this has resulted in disappointment and hurt. We are listening, and the feedback has been valuable. We are committed to ensuring that this experience has a positive influence on the ways in which we present all women going forward,” the magazine said, according to the Associated Press.

Washington approved and tweeted her thanks:

These cover contretemps are not new, not even for Washington. Lucky magazine was accused of manipulating Washington’s image for a December/January cover in 2013 that some fans also declared unrecognizable.

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