Sometimes I keep thinking that culturally, in America, we tend to be forward-thinking, but then I realize we have a conservative man in the White House and Julia Roberts has been honored by People Magazine as the World’s Most Beautiful Woman — for the fifth time. It sounds like People Magazine is starting to catch the BET Female Rap Artist Award Syndrome.

I will admit when I first heard this, I thought this must be a PR stunt. Roberts must have a new film that is coming out and being awarded this title (again) must be the best way to catch publicity.

People Magazine still very much is at the heart of celebrity and entertainment reporting, but sometimes it feels like they want to balance that act of hyping up movie & TV stars from the past and covering the newest of the new in Hollywood.

I am not sure if people want to hear about another basic marriage divorce of Drew Barrymore (do millennials even know who she is?) or the story behind former-spoiled child stars gone bad whose last names don’t end with Bynes or Lohan. Moreover, that is where the publication is having issues. It is somewhat mysterious. Do they not get the stars of the 90s/00s who helped sell these magazines are not really doing it anymore? The problem is these legacy stars are just not the wave anymore, unless you’re Jennifer Aniston.

If you did not know already, Julia Roberts has had this honor in 1991, 2000, 2005 and 2010. It is safe to say that during the first times she got it, it was earned. Those were the times that her career was peaking.

However, like Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie, Demi Moore, and Roberts, as talented and Oscar-chugged as she is, she is irrelevant in the world of acting. She has not had a hit movie in years, as seen in the earnings of Mother’s Day making $32.5 million and Money Monster with $41 million in the domestic box office.

That is where the term most beautiful (or sexiest) comes in. I believe whoever is in charge of doing the annual World’s Most Beautiful Woman (or Sexiest Man) needs to follow the step of New Haven or any other college and turn the words plus one: diversity, inclusion, and relevancy into a reality.

The latter is much important as it goes hand and hand with a celebrity. Also, from what I hear, most of these legacy stars seem too busy raising their children, helping out impoverished countries and keep a lower profile in their movie/TV careers to have drama that would land them on a UsWeekly or a People Magazine.
It is also very critical that People Magazine diversify and include. This magazine should not continue to promote just the Euro-centric. Because, in my mind, it teaches people — mostly young people — that, “hey I have light pale skin with blonde hair and blue eyes, and therefore I am better looking that you [minorities].”
Since 1985 (for guys) and 1991 (for girls) there’s only been six celebrities who are persons of color to receive the award. Denzel Washington (1996), Halle Berry (2003), Jennifer Lopez (2011), Beyoncé (2012), and Lupita Nyong’o (2014), Dwayne Johnson (2016).

Where’s Janelle Monáe? Monae is a critically acclaimed musician who has made a great transition into the world of acting this past year as she starred in the box office smash Hidden Figures and the Oscar-winning drama Moonlight. She is a self-proclaimed android who moves to beat of her drum when it comes to her stylistic appearance. Where’s her “World’s Most Beautiful Woman” crown?

Alternatively, how about Priyanka Chopra? She’s Bollywood’s version of Angelina Jolie, who found TV stardom in America with the success of ABC’s Quantico. Tessa Thompson, maybe? I am still blown away by her performances in recent films like Dear White People, Creed, and Selma. Moreover, she is set to star in the new Thor film coming soon. Where’s Rihanna? At this point in her career, I am surprised they did not hand it over to her yet. There’s also a plethora of male celebrities of color I could go on for days who can earn the honor if they need help deciding who get the sexiest man in the fall.

Some people would probably respond to this by saying: Why you have to make it about race? Moreover, my answer is, race does not have to be an issue in America, but at the end of the day, it is.

Also like Isha Aran of Fusion.net said, “it is not even progressive” (and definitely) not innovative, if you ask me, to be giving the crown to a middle-aged actress.
People’s core demographic is not millennials or non-white individuals. Most of those two demographics get their celebrity news/aesthetic fulfillment from Perez Hilton or TheShadeRoom. It is more “suburban mother who decided to pick up a copy as a guilty pleasure while checking out at the grocery store” or “people sitting the dentist office waiting room.”

Even Cosmopolitan and (former cookie-cutter) Teen Vogue have done a great job with major cultural critique/becoming more political. People Magazine might want to stop playing it safe. Because if you do not take risks, you will never grow.