--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One of the things I noticed when I worked…" description: "\"One of the things I noticed when I worked at Vibe was that backstage at a fashion show, they always referred to the black models as \"black girls.\" I th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/hilton-als-7671_black_one-of-the-things-i-noticed-when-i-worke_3179632.jpg" --- # One of the things I noticed when I worked at Vibe was that… ![“One of the things I noticed when I worked at Vibe was that backstage at a fashion show, they always referred to the black models as "black girls." I thought, "They never say 'white girls.'.” quote by Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/hilton-als-7671_black_one-of-the-things-i-noticed-when-i-worke_3179632.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/hilton-als-7671_black_one-of-the-things-i-noticed-when-i-worke_3179632.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/hilton-als-7671_black_one-of-the-things-i-noticed-when-i-worke_3179632.jpg) > “One of the things I noticed when I worked at Vibe was that backstage at a fashion show, they always referred to the black models as "black girls." I thought, "They never say 'white girls.'.” [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The anecdote highlights racial labeling inconsistency in fashion backstage culture, pointing out that black models are singled out while white models are not. **In simple terms:** Black models are labeled differently than white ones. Key Takeaway Challenge unequal labeling in fashion. Themes equality race language media identity Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type analytical social commentary When to use this quote - fashion shows - media production - diversity training - HR policies Key Concepts social labeling implicit bias representation Questions to Reflect On - Why are labels applied unevenly? - How can language be made more inclusive? A Different Perspective The term may reflect broader industry biases. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-girl/) [Black Girls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-girls-282020/) [Black Models](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-models-2989322/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Fashion Referred](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion-referred-5820205/) [Fashion show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion-show/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Models](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/models/) [Models Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/models-black-3796707/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Vibe Backstage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vibe-backstage-5820204/) [White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white/) [White girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-girl/) ## Related quotes > [I have been painting models with black and brown skin only for the past years. So, I did already have this experience, this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-have-been-painting-models-with-black-and-brown-skin-only-for-the/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [It is annoying that some people only see black women as role models to other black women, rather than as role models to lots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lolly-adefope/it-is-annoying-that-some-people-only-see-black-women-as-role-models/) [Lolly Adefope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lolly-adefope/) > [I think all races are represented in America much more than in many other places, but it's also nice to remind people about that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/i-think-all-races-are-represented-in-america-much-more-than-in-many/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [No one is calling any of these designers racist. The act itself is racist. There were more black models working in the Seventies than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iman-abdulmajid/no-one-is-calling-any-of-these-designers-racist-the-act-itself-is/) [Iman Abdulmajid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iman-abdulmajid/) > [I want young black girls to have more dancers to look up to. I want to be able to spread more poppies in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michaela-deprince/i-want-young-black-girls-to-have-more-dancers-to-look-up-to-i-want-to/) [Michaela DePrince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michaela-deprince/) > [When I started Black Girls Code in 2011, there weren't any programs that had a foundation in communities of color to teach our kids…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/when-i-started-black-girls-code-in-2011-there-weren-t-any-programs/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [“Black Girls create magic, so that makes me magical.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-lahart/black-girls-create-magic-so-that-makes-me-magical/) [Stephanie Lahart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-lahart/) > [It was the desire to see black girls and our experiences in the books that I was given to read at school that forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marley-dias/it-was-the-desire-to-see-black-girls-and-our-experiences-in-the-books/) [Marley Dias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marley-dias/) > [Wow, I did so much for young black girls and girls around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willow-smith/wow-i-did-so-much-for-young-black-girls-and-girls-around-the-world/) [Willow Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willow-smith/) > [The great thing about Meg in 'A Wrinkle In Time' and Shuri in 'Black Panther' is that none of them are stereotypes of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-russell/the-great-thing-about-meg-in-a-wrinkle-in-time-and-shuri-in-black/) [Taylor Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-russell/) > [I really do hope 'The Hate U Give' provides mirrors for readers who don't often get them in books. I've had so many young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/i-really-do-hope-the-hate-u-give-provides-mirrors-for-readers-who-don/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I always want black girls to feel confident in who they are, and in their skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bree-runway/i-always-want-black-girls-to-feel-confident-in-who-they-are-and-in/) [Bree Runway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bree-runway/) > [“This Book is Dedicated to Black Girls Everywhere. You are Powerful. You are Beautiful. You are Loved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-jos-older/this-book-is-dedicated-to-black-girls-everywhere-you-are-powerful-you/) [Daniel José Older](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-jos-older/) > [I wasn't seeing black girls in the books I was assigned to read at my school. I was tired of only reading about white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marley-dias/i-wasn-t-seeing-black-girls-in-the-books-i-was-assigned-to-read-at-my/) [Marley Dias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marley-dias/) > [“But beneath them all, at the very bottom of the stack, is a worn and slightly tattered magazine called African Mamas Sucking Hog. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-dubus-iii/but-beneath-them-all-at-the-very-bottom-of-the-stack-is-a-worn-and/) [Andre Dubus III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-dubus-iii/) ## More by Hilton Als > [Challenging is good, like good conversation, yes? Who wants to have dinner with the same old easy listening music sounding friends all the time?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/challenging-is-good-like-good-conversation-yes-who-wants-to-have/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I think someone like Khandi Alexander, who's now on 'Treme,' is one of the most extraordinary actresses I've seen in years. But she's dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-someone-like-khandi-alexander-who-s-now-on-treme-is-one-of/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I have not seen 'The Lion King.' I don't do black folklore. And I'm black.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-have-not-seen-the-lion-king-i-don-t-do-black-folklore-and-i-m-black/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I think you're not really teaching anyone unless you're learning yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-you-re-not-really-teaching-anyone-unless-you-re-learning/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I used to always love taking photos, but I would always give a camera away to someone else. Now I don't give the camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-used-to-always-love-taking-photos-but-i-would-always-give-a-camera/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [If I feel like I haven't really tapped into the essence of the story when I do an assignment, I may revisit it on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/if-i-feel-like-i-haven-t-really-tapped-into-the-essence-of-the-story/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [Inspiration takes many forms, but it's rarely pure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/inspiration-takes-many-forms-but-it-s-rarely-pure/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [Great sadness can be off putting, hard to comprehend, especially if it hasn't been your experience. It's amazing for me to know now that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/great-sadness-can-be-off-putting-hard-to-comprehend-especially-if-it/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I think that Tyler Perry's genius really has been to tap into the domestic market. He knows what his audience is based on, having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-think-that-tyler-perry-s-genius-really-has-been-to-tap-into-the/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I love Andre Leon Talley as a person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-love-andre-leon-talley-as-a-person/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I thought of the structure as musical. The first piece, for instance, contains the names/subject matter of every person to come in the book.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-thought-of-the-structure-as-musical-the-first-piece-for-instance/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [People have a copyright on their own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/people-have-a-copyright-on-their-own-life/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [People are quick to make monuments of anything they live long enough to control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/people-are-quick-to-make-monuments-of-anything-they-live-long-enough/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [Racism seduces us with its desire to categorize, shutting out the living and breathing and 'different' world all around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/racism-seduces-us-with-its-desire-to-categorize-shutting-out-the/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) > [I was so well loved by my mother that if people have any expectations of me I really don't notice because I'm hardest on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/i-was-so-well-loved-by-my-mother-that-if-people-have-any-expectations/) [Hilton Als](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) [Explore all 88 Hilton Als quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) [Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "One of the things I noticed when I worked at Vibe was that backstage at a fashion show, they always referred to the black models as \"black girls.\" I thought, \"They never say 'white girls.'.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hilton Als" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/one-of-the-things-i-noticed-when-i-worked-at-vibe-was-that-backstage/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Black" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/one-of-the-things-i-noticed-when-i-worked-at-vibe-was-that-backstage/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/hilton-als-7671_black_one-of-the-things-i-noticed-when-i-worke_3179632.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/hilton-als-7671_black_one-of-the-things-i-noticed-when-i-worke_3179632.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d3/hilton-als-7671_black_one-of-the-things-i-noticed-when-i-worke_3179632.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One of the things I noticed when I worked at Vibe was that backstage at a fashion show, they always referred…” — Hilton Als", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Hilton Als", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilton-als/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "One of the things I noticed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/one-of-the-things-i-noticed-when-i-worked-at-vibe-was-that-backstage/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilton-als/one-of-the-things-i-noticed-when-i-worked-at-vibe-was-that-backstage/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```