Superficial advances against racism won't last

Superficial advances against racism may not last, says Lise Ravary.

Since the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, the discovery of unmarked graves near Indian Residential Schools in Western Canada, and the death of Joyce Echaquan in Joliette, Que., the country has entered an unprecedented exercise in introspection.

Or so we think.

Things are changing quickly, or at least they appear to be. I am delighted to see people of colour and Indigenous people move into the spotlight. But are the challenges shallow, or will they last?

A year ago, right after the Floyd murder, most major American women's magazines featured racialized women on their covers. Having managed many top-tier Canadian women's magazines, including Chatelaine, I know how it works: The publishers of popular fashion magazines cannot resist a trend and will go out of their way to monetize what's hip. At the moment, anti-racism is the social flavour of the day.

The key word here is

“day.” The lifespan of such trends, even when wrapped in marvellously good intentions, rarely goes beyond a few weeks or a few months. I predict — and I hope that I am dead wrong — that white models will soon predominate on magazine covers once again.

I don't believe in miracles. Deep, meaningful change takes time. It is so easy to pull the wool over people's eyes.

Let me share an old magazine-business secret with you. Since the 1960s, big name publications only used-Black models on their covers in July and January. Why? Astute businesspeople, they knew they had to pay lip service to women of colour because they were getting complaints from readers and from Black organizations. So they picked the two issues that historically sold less than the rest and reserved those covers for a Black personality. Then, they could claim that Black covers don't sell.

In 1974, Vogue put a Black woman, Beverly Johnson, on its cover for the first time in the magazine's decades-long history. At the time, this decision was hailed as a major advance for Black women in the fashion and beauty industry. In 2020, Johnson revealed in a piece in the Washington Post that during her career, she was paid less than her white colleagues. So much for change. As for photographers, there has been only one Black cover photographer in Vogue's history, Tyler Mitchell, and it was Beyoncé who wanted him.

Why am I sharing this with you?

Because it taught me to beware of fake progressives. Because it matters to know these things, not to be caught in a web of comforting lies. Because I don't want to be manipulated.

Speaking of women, last week was a stupendous one for Indigenous women of valour in public life, who are taking their rightful places in positions of power and influence.

■ Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, 41, was elected grand chief of Kahnawake, following in the footsteps of legendary chief Joe Norton. She is also a member of the LGBTQ2S community. This is real change, not cosmetic.

■ RoseAnne Archibald was elected first female national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, a position of influence and visibility from coast to coast.

■ Lynda Price, goaltender Carey's mother, was re-elected chief of Ulkatcho First Nation in British Columbia.

■ Last but not least, an Inuk, Mary Simon was named governor general, replacing the disgraced Julie Payette. Simon's resumé reflects competence, experience and intelligence. May she succeed, even though she does not speak French. Of course, that bothers me. There are two official languages in Canada, and Inuktitut is not one of them. Should we have additional official languages in this country, particularly Indigenous ones? Perhaps, but that's another discussion.

I'll only say this about French and Mary Simon's appointment: Imagine for a moment that a governor general spoke only French and, say, Innu-aimun.

How would English Canada react if English were pushed aside? That, too, requires some introspection.

Given the complications of COVID, Trudeau would be better to start the campaign while the going is good, both in terms of mood and ability to connect with voters at low risk. Tasha Kheiriddin

JASON KEMPIN/GETTY IMAGES FOR IMG In 1974, Vogue put a Black woman, Beverly Johnson, on its cover for the first time in its history. In 2020, Johnson revealed that during her career, she was paid less than her white colleagues. So much for change, writes Lise Ravary.