Slang : Benetton Mom
Written on 3:40:00 AM by Oakie Chiraskamin
Benetton mom (n.) : A rich woman who adopts babies from Africa or other exotic locales, apparently for their use as fashion accessories.
Usage : Madonna and Angelina Jolie are engaged in a very public battle of the Benetton moms.
I am not sure whether this slang has a relationship with United Colors of Benetton or not.
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Well I realise that this is just a bit of fun but Angeline Jolie does have the admirable credentials of being a U.N. Ambassador.
Last month she was rated the “best celebrity mum in the world" and from a semiotic perspective, by bringing the worlds cameras on an African orphan and an Asian orphan, along with her own Caucasion baby she tacitly endorses inter-racial cohesion.
This is a good thing given that Cambodian orphans receive very little help from its neighbours Vietnam, Laos and Thailand and are often looked down upon as socially inferior along the borders and further afield where they often work.
Its only a few years ago that the genocide in Cambodia and particularly the Tuol Sleng torture camp in Phnom Penh that everybody who has been finds horrific. Only the Nazis and the Hutus and the Tutsis killed each other with such enthusiam.
Some people can't imagine what sort of prejudices was leveraged to encourage a peaceful agrarian society to turn in on itself and start butchering each other.
Social discord is the start and then rival factions start to play on peoples prejudices thus encouraging tragedies like the killing fields which very few of Cambodias neighbours take the time to visit. Maybe it’s too close to home.
I say racial tolerance is a good thing and is crucial for education in uneducated societies that rely upon an agrarian economy. Some of the best advertising in the world comes from agencies where the multi-ethnic presence is quickly evident; London, New York, Amsterdam for instance.
Homogenous advertising agency cultures produce homogeneous work. The Benetton work is still referred to and talked about today as it was fantastic work that said so much and influenced the way that people embraced different cultures rather than looking down on them or paying attention to skin colour. They are a source of inspiration to the enlightened.
Just my thoughts for the day, maybe I’m defending Angeline because we share the same tatooist. :)
Charles, Thanks for your response. Jolie's credentials are great. In my point of view, i really admire Jolie starting when she adopted Maddox. But someone take this action differently, Madonna did the same thing but maybe different intension.
Oh yeah, Jolie's tattoos are nice. Do u mind to show one?
Good point Oakie, I did listen to the Rough Talk interview that Madonna gave on BBC World and she came across as completely insincere, in fact very much the material girl.
In true internet 2.0 style here's the link of the tattoo that I had done by Ajarn Noo. It's quite an experience going to the temple, and I will go back again some day.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlesfrith/sets/72157594512021761/
I'm afraid I don't have a picture of the lastest tattoo it's quite a famous Thai logo! Interested?
Lastly here's an excellent Youtube clip on adoption from the wonderful Fallon blog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXG1DraA_Ws
Perhaps you could do me a favour Oakie I would very much appreciate a picture from a Thai magazine scanned. Can you help?
oops, I forgot. Here's the first tatto I ever got.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlesfrith/301296308/in/set-72157594512021761/
Charles,
Which magazine title do you want? or any thai magazines? I can share you :)
It's an edition of Lips magazine, I was informed that my daughter Minnie who I've not had access to for a very long time appeared in it so I went out and purchased the magazine to see how she looks as I miss her very much.
Unfortunately I think I had the wrong edition and I couldn't find the picture it would be either December/January/February I guess.
Many thanks if you can help out.
One more question, is it in Fashion photo shooting or interview section?
I don't know but here are some pictures if that's helpful.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlesfrith/page9/
Charles, i found it!!! Leave me your email so i can send it to you via email.
Wow! I'm forever in your debt. Please do cefrith at hotmail dot come.
Thank you so much.