They are a minority, what Im talking about is the nameless models who front company, cosmo and the like.

Does it show?

But even then you have Miss World which actively encourages women of black origin to enter. I simply disagree with the need for a seperate contest for black women...just as I would if there was a white only beauty contest.

It's tricky though, becuase 90% of the UK population is white. So if things were all even, 90% of the magazines should have a white person on the cover....

No idea if that is the case or not. but if the cover matched the demographic (if it should at all is another matter), then that would be how it worked out.

The thing is, when you have had such Icons as Iman, Naomi and Tyra, it is harder for a black model to become "super" if you will because they get likened to the above...alot of todays models all look the same to me, I can hardly tell the difference whilst in the days of Cindy, Naomi, Linda et all they had "it" which made them stand out. My friend was told to "stop straightening her afro hair because it made her look too similar to Tyra Banks, and there is only 1 Tyra"...she has been in numerous magazines and has just signed a contract with a major sports label. They have readily encouraged her ethnicity, so I think the way is there for young black women to model, its just whether or not it interests them and they have the tenacity to do it all.

Thats all very fair enough and I dont disagree with you. On the straightening of hair too many white girls do that IMO but thats a different thread altoghether. Curly haired brunettes where are you!

Im here...but I straighten it

See what I mean, damn those GHDs!

*snuggles her GHD's and whispers* "He didnt mean it baby, no he didnt"

No it's not racist. And full power to the people organising it - it's a fantastic idea (any excuse to oggle women )

What I do find annoying is that it would be difficult to do the opposite without being branded racist.

That's the true injustice.

It is TECHNICALLY racist..they are excluding a racial group on the colour of their skin.

Im afraid he did I have a weakness for long curly brown locks and the nasty GHDs make them go away

I thought racism was about prejudices not inclusion.

So black people should have put up with not being allowed to sit on a bus SO LONG AS they werent told WHY they werent allowed? The act of that segregation spoke volumes about the feelings of the people towards black people. It was wrong and must not be tolerated.

A "white only" beauty contest implies that non-white women are seen as less attractive/less worthy etc and therefore not welcome. The same can be said for the "black only" contest.

A big difference is that Rosa Parks & co had no alternative to riding on the bus. They couldn't go with another bus company which allowed black people to sit at the front, because racism was enacted into law. this isn't the case with Miss Black Britain. It's racist, but not to the same harmful degree.

Oh give me strength.

People find people of their own race attractive, simple as that it's a fact, get over it others have.
By default a contest with white judges is more likely to find a white contestant the winner.
Vice versa if the judges were predominately black.

Can't be asked to look at any more pictures of black contestants with very white features or with made up to make them look 'red' as the like to do stateside either.

racism covers a whole range of subject including inclusion & exclusion. If you exclude races from events you are being racist.

By your logic, a whites only pub wouldn't be racist.

No but you also couldn't set up a whites only bus company now, just because there are alternative bus services for the other ethnic groups to go on.

You're the third person to make that mistake this week; I wonder where it comes from? The expression is, "I can't be arsed".

Why would you want to? It'd be commercial and PR suicide, just as setting up a bus line which only took black people on board.

Insurance companies which only allow women drivers or senior citizens to take out policies with them may be a closer analogy.

Rubbish!

Chinese/Japanese people are "non-black", but they're not white!

I hope you aren't including everybody in that?

It's not a mistake it's deliberate, more polite take.

The anology was referencing an earlier point about Rosa Parks; please read the quote included in my previous post.

The point was not why you'd want to set up a whites only bus company, but the fact that if you did it would be illegal. Hence, why is it not illegal for a blacks only beauty contest (or cheaper insurance for women drivers for that matter).

Indeed, and what about mixed race. What category do they fall in ?

Not that there should be a "category" IMO

Minority events can be legit because they might aim to compensate by focusing on that minority in an unequal playing field.

There are notable exceptions, but are a proportional amount of models, black? I'd say no way. However, if there were, you'd have to start questioning an event such as this one.

Contests like this are not supposed to be about celebrating black beauty only, they are supposed to be about celebrating black beauty in the face of under-representation. In this context they are perfectly legitimate, but take away that context and they would be racist.

The mainstream always focuses on minorities getting 'special treatment' and most of it is based in ignorance of just how uneven things can be, and how much discrimination can take place, both overtly and covertly, in many different professions and areas of life.