Imitation is the Best Form of Flattery? Really?

I cannot hold this anymore, and I don't think that I should. There is a certain ex-stripper turned celebrity girlfriend that has gotten a ton of attention because of her "unique" look.  In a recent interview outside of a Guess store in NY, she mentioned that she styled herself, and that what the public has always seen, are pictures of clothes that she has picked out for herself.  Now let me break down this gorgeous girl that we all know and love, Amber Rose.

I was inspired to do my blog page, in part because of Kanye West and Amber Rose.  Initially, I read an article in Complex magazine where I gained a ton of inspiration.  What I also gained was a refreshing take on who Kanye thought his ideal mate could be.  In the interview done in Complex mag, when asked who his ideal mate could be, his answer was a "super hero".  I imeadiatly started to try and define and visualize who and how a super hero for Kanye would look.  I imagined her to be a smart, intelligent, gorgeous women, who was well versed in everything!  I imagined her to be a women of integrity, a role model, a fierce fashionista, extremely creative, and someone who had all of that to offer the world to make some sort of positive change.  Then I started to think about women that I know personally that fit that description in some way shape or form.  After that...I learned about, and saw Amber Rose.  

I wasn't surprised, but majorly dissappointed.  I was dissappointed because she was not in anyway shape or form what I invisioned.  Don't get me wrong, the pieces that have been put together to create who we know as Amber Rose are good, but they certainly did not live up to the "super hero" woman that I created in my head.

The master mind behind her "look" deserves kudo's.  Amber is one of America's answers to the question of what "American Beauty" is. We should all know that the answer is an "exotic" ambiguous woman.  Amber fits that discription because while she is a white woman from Philly, her hair has been shaved and bleached so that the natural texture and color is not revealed, her skin has been darkened so that it is difficult to determine her race, and breast and butt enhancements have been added to make her look more "ethnic", "black", "full figured", "curvaceous". 

 Once she was introduced to the media, and especially as Kanye's girl, many black women embraced her.  I know that many of my friends personally took a look at her pictures, shrugged their shoulders, and said "cute black girl".  My mother even asked "Baby, who is the new black girl that Kanye is dating?"  I realized that what the master mind behind Amber Rose had done was make her into a black woman, and that maybe it was done on purpose to have her accepted by the black community.    If many black women think this, then they tend to not have a problem with her dating Kanye, also with the added curves, it makes her more appealing to black men.  I certainly don't think that black women should lash out on the idea of interracial dating, but I don't think it is okay to pass someone on as something that they are not either.  Besides that, I have some questions, that have come up in my mind while all of this "Amber Rose Mania" continues.

Questions

What kind of affect does her "look" have on black women? Black Men? Young black girls?

How does it make black women who have worn their hair bald for longer than Amber Rose has been famous feel now?

Is it fair for black women who have worn their hair short to be criticized for duplicating a look that has been worn by black women for centuries?(note many African hairstyles/cultures)

Who really is the person behind Amber Rose's style?  Were they thinking any of these things when her "look" was created?

Has Kanye thought about any of these questions?  Should he?

Does her look, and who she is dating perpetuate any negative stereotypes that exist about interracial dating?

Would other black/white/latino/asian women have a better chance of dating an entertainer if they looked less like what they were and more ambiguous?

In conclusion, when the people/culture that is constantly imitated is not acknowleged or celebrated in a positive way, but always duplicated and commodified, it is not flattery.  For those of us who rocked a short hairstyle before this storm, we just have to sit back and ride it out, because for us it is a part of who we are, and not a current trend.