Tyra Banks has finally broken her silence on the contentious ‘race-swapping’ challenge featured in America’s Next Top Model, following a prolonged period of criticism from viewers.
The former supermodel, now 52, has long faced scrutiny over the culturally insensitive task which required contestants to ‘transform’ their race.
In a photoshoot from the show’s fourth season, aired in 2005, hopeful models were tasked with portraying various ethnicities through makeup and attire, including East Indian, African American, and Eskimo.
Participants applied face paint and donned traditional ethnic clothing in an attempt to mimic racial characteristics, stirring controversy.
Banks has recently confronted the problematic aspects of her reality show in a new three-part Netflix documentary titled Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model.
“I didn’t think it was controversial,” Banks remarked, defending her decision to include the challenge. “I was caught up in my own little bubble, in my own little head.”
‘This was my way of showing the world that brown and black is beautiful. But then we put it out there and the world was like, are you crazy? Have you lost your mind?’
Shockingly, America’s Next Top Model would go on to include the controversial race swap challenge years later in 2007 with the same task brought back again for cycle nine.
Tyra Banks didn’t think the controversial race swap challenge was problematic at the time
Models were tasked with changing race for a photoshoot in America’s Next Top Model
Banks acknowledged that she does now understand the cultural implications of race-swapping.
‘Looking at the show now with the 20:20 lens, it’s an issue and I understand 100 percent why,’ she said.
Banks previously said via a representative to Entertainment Weekly that the intention of the original ‘race swap’ shoot was to hit back at the modeling industry where ‘lighter skin and straight hair were pervasive beauty standards.’
ANTM aired from May 2003 to April 2018 and saw a group of young, aspiring models compete in various contests, runway shows, and photoshoots as they fought to be crowned the competition winner and earn a modeling contract.
Created by Banks, who also served as an executive producer, it was one of the biggest reality shows of all time.
However, in recent years, many have pointed out that the series contained numerous controversial moments.
Elsewhere in documentary, set for release February 16, Banks said she ‘went too far’ after reflecting on the viral scene in which she shouted at Tiffany Richardson that she was ‘rooting for her.’
Unpacking the scene, which aired in 2006, the former host realized her behavior was out of line and shed light on why she reached breaking point.
Aspiring models used make-up and clothing to embody different ethnicities on the show
Races included East Indian, African American and Eskimo
The challenge initially aired in 2005 and was brought back for another iteration in 2007
‘I just wanted to change this woman’s life,’ she said of Richardson. ‘I felt like she could have been a supermodel with a capital S.’
‘I went too far, I lost it,’ Banks added.
‘It was probably bigger than her, it was family, friends, society, black girls, all the challenges that we have, so many people saying we’re not good enough.
‘I think all that stuff was there in that moment. That’s some black girl stuff that goes real deep inside of me but knew I went too far.’
