All hail to Kerry Washington! The ‘Scandal’ actress is speaking out against ADWEEK for altering her image on their latest magazine cover.
As an advocate for self-love and empowering young women, it’s no surprise that Washington took to social media to express her disappointments.
“So…You know me. I’m not one to be quiet about a magazine cover. I always celebrate it when a respected publication invites me to grace their pages. It’s an honor. And a privilege. And ADWEEK is no exception.
I love ADWEEK. It’s a publication I appreciate. And learn from. I’ve long followed them on Twitter. And when they invited me to do a cover, I was excited and thrilled. And the truth is, I’m still excited. I’m proud of the article. And I like some of the inside images a great deal. But, I have to be honest…I was taken aback by the cover,” she writes.
But that was just the beginning. Washington continued with, “Look, I’m no stranger to Photoshopping. It happens a lot. In a way, we have become a society of picture adjusters – who doesn’t love a filter?!? And I don’t always take these adjustments to task but I have had the opportunity to address the impact of my altered image in the past and I think it’s a valuable conversation.”
It’s true. Washington has spoken out in the past about unrealistic beauty standards and its disservice to her young female fans, especially those of color. Back in 2015 Washington again did not approve of an altered In Style cover where her skin appeared to look lighter(See HERE).
And in 2013, it was her fans who blasted Lucky Magazine for altering her features and darkening her skin on their own magazine cover.
The actress’ statement concluded with,
Yesterday, however, I just felt weary. It felt strange to look at a picture of myself that is so different from what I look like when I look in the mirror. It’s an unfortunate feeling.
That being said. You all have been very kind and supportive. Also, as I’ve said, I’m very proud of the article.
There are a few things we discussed in the interview that were left out. Things that are important to me (like: the importance of strong professional support and my awesome professional team) and I’ve been thinking about how to discuss those things with anyone who is interested, in an alternate forum. But until then…Grab this week’s ADWEEK. Read it. I hope you enjoy it. And thank you for being patient with me while I figured out how to post this in a way that felt both celebratory and honest. XOXOXOX
What are your thought sweethearts, do you believe the actress overreacted about the cover or did she do the right thing in speaking out? Were her points valid?
