No, this isn’t some foreign edition of Marie Claire, but a censored issued of the magazine from Iran – Apparently the censorer had a sense of humor:
The text reads:
“Every Woman has one: that perfect, goes with anything number that turns out to be the ultimate weapon in her fashion arsenal. Seven stylish women reveal why you can’t live without one.”
text:
From left to right:
It makes my figure the main attraction – Ellen
This rock-and-roll dress gives me confidence – Brooke
It releases my inner diva – Bushe
This ‘safety outfit’ works for every occasion – Danna
it goes beyond pregnancy – Morgen
Its the perfect emergency dress – Amy
It’s an heirloom – Ritu”
That’s quite culturally offensive, actually. Stereotyping and racial mocking at it’s best…
Comment by Kunal Ghevaria — 11/17/2004 @ 5:44 pm
I doubt it is racial mocking, since the women in the picture are of various races and those being attacked are those who oppress women in a particular way. I think it tries to make light of regimes that threaten women with punishment for expressing themselves through clothing. Perhaps you should redirect your annoyance at those enforcing the lack of freedom. It seems that this is an actual product of censorship, the point of the link is that the censors’ had a sense of humor to take an article about little black dresses and cover up the models. Does your husband know you are reading this?
Comment by nothalo — 11/17/2004 @ 8:13 pm
How can it be culturally offensive if it is a real example Kunal? seems like that is a projection of your prejudices more than anyone else’s. Many such publications are censored in a like manner because the reading material is still of interest to the consumer, which you would know if you had any experience of living in the Middle East. Get that chip off your shoulder and get over it.
Comment by ivan — 11/18/2004 @ 1:19 am
I agree with Ivan. How can it be culturally offensive if this is an actual example of iranian censorship. If you had opened your eyes Kunal, before rushing to the keyboard to vent your own predjudices, you would have read the small print relating to the picture and understood the purpose of the article. Buzzwords and phrases such as ‘culturally offensive’, ‘racial mocking’ and ‘stereotyping’ should be used when justified and appropriate, and most of all in context – unlike your own comments.
Comment by Raf — 11/18/2004 @ 3:32 am
Kunal,
This is the Editor -I’ve lived in the Middle East (United Arab Emirates) most of my life and am currently living there.
This was an actual page from a magazine censored in Iran and it was also published in a local media magazine over here.
Comment by adnan — 11/20/2004 @ 1:51 am
So to sum up these comments, Kunal Ghevaria your tremendous sense of self-importance is only exceeded by your ignorance and stupidity.
Comment by nothalo — 11/20/2004 @ 10:44 am
so you’re back in the uae, eh? sounds like a good song title:
back in the u-a…
back in the u-a…
back in the u-a-eeeee…
ok, nevermind.
love the little black dresses.
Comment by lavonne — 11/20/2004 @ 10:11 pm
ha!
Comment by x — 11/22/2004 @ 1:31 am
there’s been some confusion – the image wasn’t photoshopped. they used a black marker on it. one of the sites linking to this post got it wrong so i thought i’d clarify.
Comment by adnan — 12/15/2004 @ 10:57 am
“Seven stylish women reveal why you can’t live without one.”
Sensory Impact shows us an image from a censored issued of Marie Claire from Iran, which features pretty great captions applied to a mock fashion shoot featuring women in burkas….
Trackback by Screenhead — 12/20/2004 @ 1:03 pm
el censor cachondo
El Marie Claire de Enero de 2003, tiene una foto de Renee Zellweger en la portada, las secciones habituales de la revista: Ser Mujer en el Mundo, Ocurrencias femeninas, mujeres bellas entre rejas y un largo despliegue de piernas…
Trackback by La Petite Claudine — 12/21/2004 @ 11:19 am
Some more background: Usually magazines get censored in the Middle East (Iran isn’t part of the Middle East). Apart from Saudi Arabia and Iran, most magazine have minimal censorship in the rest of the countries i.e. bare breasts, nudity and possible personification of God.
So it especially hilarious, that the possibly bored censorer decided to be creative and turned those black dresses into burkas.
Comment by adnan — 12/21/2004 @ 11:33 am
Iran’s Censorfile
Iran’s Censorfile
Trackback by Iran’s Censorfile — 6/9/2005 @ 12:01 am
Why I love my little black burka
The Iranian government will censor magazines from the US and Europe by physically blacking things out—even models’ skin. In this spread from Marie Claire, for example, Iranian censors turned black dresses into burkas.
Trackback by Stay Free! Daily — 7/29/2005 @ 6:36 am