BIG Bliss??

I am a bridal show junkie: Bridezillas, My Fair Wedding, Rich Bride Poor Bride, and my newest fave Say Yes to the Dress.   There's something magical about seeing two people who really love each other decide to it official.  So this morning when I saw that TLC has decided to make Say Yes to the Dress feature plus-size women I was excited.  The one thing I was not thrilled about was the name: Say Yes to the Dress: Big Bliss.

Big Bliss?! Are. You. Serious.  Why do you have to emphasize the season is featuring plus-size women? Is it too hard to keep the original name of the show and let the faithful audience pick up on the fact that the brides are plus-size?  The ultimate insult to injury is the fact that they are calling the brides big and then add bliss. Is that supposed to conjure up some image of a beautiful blissful big bride?  What's next Say Yes to the Dress: Indian Sari's, Say Yes to the Dress: Mazel Tov!, Say Yes to the Dress: Jumping the Broom!!  We already know our culture loves to put people into boxes and it affects us all in various ways.  It just kills me that on one of things we all seem to do regardless of our differences the show found yet another way to point out our (obvious) differences.

Do I think the show is a great idea? Yes. As a woman I love watching brides of all backgrounds and body-types find The Dress.  Just change the name. That is my BIG request.

A Muslim PSA: My Faith My Voice

America was built on the notion of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  In this dream freedom for everyone is innate.  Our racially-charged history shows that dream has yet to be actualized.  In recent weeks it has come to the nation's attention that a mosque is scheduled to be erected near Ground Zero and open its doors on September 11, 2010.  New Yorkers are upset and those who lost family members are beyond furious at what they perceive as a slap in the face.  In response to the backlash the Muslim community launched this ad campaign:

I'm not going to debate the merits of New Yorkers and Americans alike who are angry with the Muslim community for the location of the mosque.  That is obvious.  I am also not going to defend why the Muslim community felt it was a good idea to build the mosque at that location.  That is also obvious.  I am here to discuss the ad.

I like the ad.  The use of many different races and ethnicities used to portray the religion was smart. In my experiences people are surprised when you do not fit into their box of what a _______ (fill in the blank) looks like.  They just cannot wrap their heads around it and search for an explanation.  As a young black female there are countless incidences where I have been rudely asked, "What ARE you??!"  Like I'm an alien or some endangered creature they have never seen.  It is beyond offensive.  When I explain to these peons that I am Black it blows their minds. They are usually taken aback, "but you don't look black!" (What exactly does that mean??) So they immediately follow up with, "..you must be mixed with something!"  I have learned to handle these comments with a flippant remark that dispells that notion and (hopefully) their ideal that there is only one type of Blackness in this country.   I am happy that the My Faith My Voice commercial does the same thing.

The ad shows the world that not Muslims are not all Middle Eastern, African, or Indian.  They are also Black Americans, Hispanics and Caucasians.  They are deaf, women, and even children. 

My Faith My Voice shows us that the Muslim religion is not something to fear.  They are no different than any other religion that has fanatics. Do not let the fanatics speak for everyone.  It isn't fair. 

I wish a campaign like this had been run after the 9/11 bombings and even during our last presidential election.  Perhaps if we had not had nine years to let the fear and hatred of the Muslim religion fester, our country would be a little more open-minded to the religion.  I hope the campaign is received with open arms and that we can all try to move past our differences.  We are all just people.