Lupita Nyong'o's Vogue cover shielded at Publix Supermarket

July issue of Vogue Magazine

While in the check out lane at my local Publix grocery store, I noticed that the July issue of Vogue Magazine featuring "12 Years A Slave" Oscar Winner Lupita Nyong'o on the cover was shielded with a white cover.

After unpacking my groceries, I decided to call the store manager and ask why the issue was shielded. He said it had nothing to do with having an African American female on the cover. I then called corporate headquarters in Atlanta and spoke to Brenda Reid, Community and Media Relations manager, who informed me that each store manager has the option of shielding magazines they feel customers may find offensive, and even though Vogue is not a tabloid, the cover has PUSSY RIOT listed on the cover which may be constructed as offensive.

Pussy Riot is a feminist punk rock protest group from Moscow, Russia featured in the magazine. I asked Ms. Reid if a magazine with "Pussycat" or "Pussy willow" would be considered offensive and shielded from public view, and she said, "I would not want to speculate on that."

Go figure...Publix Supermarket's motto is "Where shopping is a pleasure."  It is owned by Publix Super Markets, Inc., and operates over 1,000 stores in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee. Glad I got my copy of Vogue in the mail!