Full Lips: The Mac Instagram Image that Sparked a Debate

Mac posted a behind the scenes image of a black models lips yesterday during NY Fashion week.

Photo Credit: Mac Cosmetics

The image was strikingly beautiful and properly titled ‘Royal Romance.’  Unfortunately,  some of the comments were ugly and filled with hatred and racism (before anyone jumps to conclusion or tries to jump down my throat about my statement when the word ‘n@$%^r is used racism is the proper term). The irony about the commentary is the popularity of lip injections to achieve this very look. The ‘full lips’ look.  While Mac did remove the comments the sting from the hateful commentary can still be felt. I’m going to be brutally honest here. We live in a society where one race is told their features, style, hair, hairstyles, etc., are not acceptable while glorifying the same features (full lips), style choices (traditional African attire), and hairstyles (braids, cornrows, etc.,) when a caucasian woman adds them to her look. Cultural appropriation at work.

Now you’re probably wondering why I, a fashion and lifestyle blogger who focuses on the needs of tall men and women, am writing about this. This image should answer your question.

I am a blogger by choice and a woman with full lips by birth and bloodline.
Baby J. My first passport picture taken before we came to the U.S.

I am a morena, a black/brown Latina with Caribbean lineage. I experience life in the black lane because of my melanin, my full lips, my height, and my hair despite the fact that my last name is Gonzalez and I’m hispanic born to two Panamanian parents in Panama City, Panama.

My grandmother (4’11) and mom. My grandfather (6’5″ – source of my height and full lips).


Being tall and stick thin was not the only thing I was teased about growing up.

I was teased more for my full lips.

I vividly remember being teased about it in elementary school; the years before I grew into them. There was a young girl, the shorter of a set of twins who was in my 2nd or 3rd grade class. She was relentless on the playground and because of that I hated recess. People always felt the need to comment about my big lips, my big feet and my ‘big bird’ height. So I can let you know firsthand that gaining confidence when you’re constantly teased about your natural, ancestral given features is a hard feat.

Thank goodness for my mother’s confidence. Growing up she was the epitome of style and grace standing at 5’10” with full lips.
My mom pictured with my cousin.

I will add, in full disclosure, that it really took me a while to wear bold lipstick. I was afraid it would attract negative attention and commentary. While my mother may have instilled confidence in me there were still people who spewed hateful comments about my features or made snide remarks along the way. So I did what I thought I had to do to avoid the attention. Now I wear my bright and bold lipstick with the same boldness and confidence I have when I wear heels. Like I’ve said before on TALL District….’Every entrance is your runway.’ So you may as well own it.

I love my features now. All of them. Heck I even embrace my stretch marks. Its all a part of the growth. Literally. So I welcome everyone to join in on this love fest. Whether you’re tall, have appropriately sized feet (big feet is what others might say), big/full lips, big eyes, whatever it is that makes you you, embrace it. Own it. Love it. Do it unapologetically. God made you in his image and God doesn’t make mistakes.

Let your haters hate and watch from the sidelines and/or the cosmetic surgeons office.

Besos from a tall Latina!

TALL Blessings,
J. Enovy

Janice ‘J. Enovy’ Gonzalez
Founder
TALL District
www.TALLDistrict.com

   Send article as PDF