Originally, it was reported that Jay-Z wrote a poem explaining that he was no longer going to be using "the 'b'-word" anymore. While it took him a while to respond and deny it, I believe it's still relevant.

People have been talking about Jay-Z's recent pronouncement that he will no...

In the past two episodes of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, we've seen not only the other cast members essentially outing the abuse claims on national TV, but also Taylor and Russell's reaction to it. As I watched Taylor and Russell awkwardly and disjointedly interact in the car ride home,...

What is COLORed, you might ask. It's a person of color who has or has had an ed (eating disorder).

I have a friend who texted me yesterday to say: "I'm crying because I'm ashamed to be a black woman with an ed." I've recently started reading

The first season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills was -- as would be expected -- grand, opulent, and ostentatious. This second season, though, has delved into many more issues and the once innocent fun is clouded by reports of abuse and suicide.

As a...

People -- and media -- keep talking about losing weight and shaping up à la "Black Swan." "Do this to lose weight like "Black Swan!" "This workout will get you in "Black Swan" shape!"

If I see one more...

A year ago, I wrote about Spring 2010 Fashion Week because I was finding it quite uncomfortable to look at most of the models. Now, Spring 2011 Fashion Week is occurring and I'm finding that I'm having a similar reaction.

Dear NBC,

Sigh. You're doing it again. First it was The Biggest Loser, then Losing It with Jillian, then Bravo planned a SkinnyGirl show before Bethenny Frankel got pregnant, and now you've created Thintervention with Jackie Warner.

I already know about the dangers of The Biggest Loser. Third season's Kai...

Memorial Day is to commemorate US soldiers who died while in military service. It's to honor those who did what the majority of us aren't willing to do: sacrifice their lives for this country, its principles and its citizens.

For me, Memorial Day is also a time to remember those...

Not having a TV, I've never watched Jessica Simpson's show, The Price of Beauty. I decided, though, that I had to watch the latest episode online because I'd heard a few weeks before about their experience in Uganda and was intrigued. I wanted to see the...

When I found out Tiger Woods would offer a public apology last Friday, I wanted to hear it. I don't really care about his personal life, nor is it my responsibility to judge his sincerity. I was, however, interested because of my own experiences with amends.

My most intense and...

This week, there was quite a stir about a Ralph Lauren ad that featured an unrealistically thin female. Many were shocked by this image. I was shocked that so many people were shocked.

New York Fashion Week Spring 2010 occurred recently. Normally, I avoid looking at...

When I recently read that Tyra Banks had never publicly worn her hair natural in the history of her entertainment career, I felt sad for her. Yes, this random female felt sad for Tyra, a multimillionaire and international superstar. I also thought about the fact that I've never...

Ask yourself this question: "Do I treat myself as well as I treat my pet?"

(If you don't have a pet, pretend any animal, such as Bo Obama, belongs to you.)

I've occasionally thought about this when dealing with my dog. When I go into the kitchen, Shaka comes in...

I read, and much enjoyed, The Times' article "Vogue editor launches new war on size-zero fashion". Now, I'm not going to hold my breath that this will change the fashion industry. After all, a few years ago, Spain declared that models had to maintain a certain weight and we...

I'm not Catholic, but I decided to participate in Lent last year. Was it to strengthen my relationship with God? Was it to try to create more peace with myself?

No. My motivation was to lose weight. I should have known right away that it wasn't a good idea.

I...

While reading a previous issue of Newsweek, it mentioned that on January 19, descendants of Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington would read letters to their ancestors about Barack Obama. It made me think, What if I were to write to my grandma about Barack? What would I say...

Recently, I've been thinking about how so many people, but particularly women, apologize for their bodies rather than celebrating how great they really are. This was triggered when I looked at myself in the mirror -- sans clothes -- and freaked out about how my body was morphing into this...