Oprah never bought a $38k handbag

[gollygee]

She went to a shop that sells handbags, saw one she thought looked nice, and asked to see it, without knowing the price. She was only told she couldn't afford it, she tried to assure the clerk that she was sure she could, and she left the store without being allowed to see it and without knowing the price.

Later she tweeted that she just learned the bag cost $38k and she wouldn't have bought it anyway.

Now she is being attacked over and over again for actually buying this bag. There are so many erroneous assumptions. She didn't buy it! She didn't even look at it! She didn't know the price until days later! When she did, she posted a shocked tweet over the price. This information is out there and people are ignoring it.

Is any part of this reaction due to sexism and/or racism? I really think so. Would a rich white man who went into a golf pro shop and asked to look at a stupidly expensive golf club, but never actually saw it, never heard the price, and never bought it, receive the same attacks? I don't think so.

She's black, she's a woman, and she was looking at a woman's accessory. I would understand if people responded with, "Why would anyone make a $38k purse!" I mean, yeah that's an obscene price for a purse. But people are attacking her as if the cost of the purse is her responsibility or as if she bought it or indicated she would have bought it. All she did was dare to ask to look at it. That's all. She even specifically said in her tweet she would never have bought it.

I think the outrage directed specifically at her for something she didn't do, and the ability to willfully ignore facts that contradict the outrage, are influenced by her gender and the color of her skin.

[niyad]

1. k and r because you just may have a point

I did notice that many people were outraged at her "purchase" of the handbag, even though the articles, all of them, clearly pointed out that she merely wanted to look at one, not that she actually bought one.

[BainsBane]

2. Absolutely it's about racism and sexism.

Last edited Wed Aug 14, 2013, 12:23 AM - Edit history (1)

I focused on racism when I wrote about it here , but the subsequent threads proclaiming "women shouldn't spend more than $250 on a handbag" while making no reference to the kind of things men spend money on, even when queried, is sexist. The racism was evident in some of the remarks in my linked thread. One person insisted Jennifer Aniston was justified in purchasing expensive handbags while Oprah was not (ignoring the fact Oprah only looked at the bag).

People go to great lengths to deny racism and sexism, whether in the Trayvon Martin case, Oprah's handbag incident, or the recent thread about her cover with an Afro. I don't think posters have any awareness, or concern, for how their comments alienate the few African Americans who continue to post here.

[bravenak]

3. Finally.

She didn't even get to LOOK at the purse closely. She was refused that by the clerk cause it was too expensive. Or am i crazy? I mean I am crazy but, I think I have my facts straight.

[Fumesucker]

4. Ready, Fire, Aim

Hmmm... I've seen that sort of behavior before but I can't quite put my finger on where.

Perhaps it will come to me if I sit here and read a little more DU.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

5. They're offended she even went into the shop....

And they're applauding the shop owner for saying it was too good for her.

So, YES. Tis racist.

[AtheistCrusader]

6. Good grief, the shit people sieze upon to get upset over.

The only story here was the discrimination. Not the goddamn handbag.

[SaveAmerica]

7. And Cause never was the reason for the evening...

[ismnotwasm]

8. Oprah Winfrey,

Who is a self made African American Woman is also a great philanthropist--giving time, energy and millions of dollars to worthy causes, is now fucking apologizing for the incident of racism she experienced getting 'blown up'; after the saleswoman calls her a liar; after being lied about. I find it highly suspect that the bag became a bigger topic of conversation rather than the experience of racism. I find it highly ironic that she felt the need to apologize for anything given the circumstances.

So yeah race and gender are indeed part and parcel of the whole mess.

[Phentex]

9. Why will people repeat a lie rather than read?

We like to make fun of idiot republicans and their lack of education but this Oprah issue raises some questions of basic literacy here. There's even a video with Oprah explaining the story in her own words and yet people are still screaming about the PURCHASE of the purse.

Please note: I am NOT calling DU'ers illiterate. Just wondering why people refuse to read an article before commenting with an untrue statement.

[Phentex]

10. Interesting how NOBODY in this other thread mentioned

the cost of the car. Nobody told this man he should buy a less expensive car and send the rest of his money to poor kids. Nobody pointed out the audacity he had in even test driving such an expensive car...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3512004

[redqueen]

11. Interesting is one word for it.

I'd say it's more sadly typical. People need to acknowledge their racism.