Gabourey Sidibe in Elle: Light, Bright and Almost White

When word broke out that African-American actress Gabourey Sidibe would grace the cover of Elle’s 25th anniversary issue, the magazine received plaudits all around. It’s not often that an overweight black woman finds herself on the cover of a major fashion mag. But as the blog Womanist Musings pointed out several days ago, now that the cover has been revealed, Sidibe’s skin appears several shades lighter than her natural tone.