Bel Ami Online: Adam Archuleta Fucks Austin Merrick

Orion Hunter says:

“Terms by themselves do not injure us. It’s how they are used.”

I agree, to a point. But terms set the the tone and temperature of debate and discussion. Debate and discussion are how *civilized* societies decide important issues and seek to resolve conflict. Therefore terms and their mutually agreed upon definitions are vital to both enlightened debate and conflict resolution.

Bottom line: Words matter.

Goodnight all.

Orion Hunter says:

@darkthunder1983: Higgins has had at least one black model iirc (goodlooking African dood with a beautiful body and twists, as I recall).

Btw, I don’t know if Duroy’s a racist (that’s a pretty serious charge that I hate to level without better evidence) but I think it’s safe to say he’s not the most racially sensitive person out there.

I wish he would either present his ethnic models without the unnecessary and often patronizing references to their, ahem, “novelty” or just dispense entirely with the half-hearted attempts at diversity. I don’t think that’s asking too much from the oh-so put upon and unfairly maligned Duroy (and/or his staff).

Orion Hunter says:

@marcus carls: Your quote: “I agree that words matter, but they matter in the context of their use.” You’re right, and on that we are in complete agreement. But here is why I think George Duroy/Bel Ami is being intentionally and/or unnecessarily inflammatory, dismissive and/or presumptuous in regard to the subject of race.

First, when it comes to the issue of Austin Merrick’s racial identity, GD had an invaluable and unimpeachable resource at his immediate disposal – the model himself. Many of these studios do not hesitate to ask their models how they self-identify SEXUALLY. In fact, quite a few insist on subjecting us to interviews, anecdotes and back stories that painstakingly extol heterosexual exploits and virtues. So why not afford Austin Merrick (or any ethic/racial minority) the same courtesy/opportunity when it comes to defining or clarifying racial or ethnic identity? Somehow I doubt very seriously if Merrick refers/referred to himself as “mulatto,” – mixed race, biracial, multiracial, or parent-specific (you know, the Mariah Carey model of saying “My dad is black African-Venezuelan and my mom is white Irish-American”) maybe – but I just can’t see him using “mulatto.”

Second, in regard to the word “mulat” or “mulatto.” In this specific instance, GD is marketing to an English-speaking audience. Therefore it is incumbent upon *HIM* to educate or familiarize himself with the nuances and pitfalls of the English language (or employ someone who is target-language proficient, especially if he is going to expound upon a potentially sensitive subject such as race). If I give a pitch or speech in Mandarin Chinese for a Chinese audience and I use a somewhat ambiguous, loaded or inappropriate word of phrase in the Mandarin dialect that, when translated back to English, is revealed to be harmless or acceptable, whose fault would it be if some of the Chinese still take exception? Who should take the blame for any resultant misunderstanding?

Me, for using the word or phrase without knowing or fully understanding/realizing its possible negative implications or connotations (the old “lost in translation” excuse)?

Or the Chinese who may take offense at its use?

I believe GD was in the wrong here and that he would have been better served if he had simply offered a sincere and unreserved apology without any of the self-serving, defensive, evasive and dubious explanations he sunk to elsewhere.

And third, why continue to bring up race AT ALL (especially when you consider the clumsy/hamhanded way in which Duroy and Bel Ami have handled these discussions in the past)? Why not just present the model without all the explicit racial language and let him rise or fall on his individual merits? Compare the ExtraBigDicks Feb. 13, 2013 update with Damian Taylor and the *colorful* description of his “cinnamon” ass. That kind of description is race-free, relatively innocuous, inoffensive and tantalizingly accurate imo – lol!! It paints/points out actual distinctions or differences without resorting to unnecessarily inflammatory, offensive or racially explicit or divisive language.

So it *CAN* be done.

But I guess that is simply asking too much of George Duroy and the Bel Ami staff. Forgive the length (time on my hands) and delay (just saw your response while looking up something for reference on another site; felt obliged to respond – ha!). Be well, dood!!