Tia Mowry Reflects On Racist Magazine Incident

Sister, Sister, starring twins Tia and Tamera Mowry, aired from 1994 to 1999. While the siblings were on a hugely popular hit series, they were also enduring racism, which Tia recently discussed.

While on Entertainment Tonight’s Unfiltered Tia Mowry said they were told they couldn’t be on the cover of a teen magazine because they were Black. 

Getting emotional, Tia explained, “The show was extremely popular. We were beating — like in the ratings — ‘Friends’ around that time. My sister [Tamera] and I wanted to be on the cover of this very popular magazine at the time. It was a teenage magazine. We were told that we couldn’t be on the cover of the magazine because we were Black and we would not sell.”

While wiping away tears, she said, “Here I am as an adult and it still affects me, how someone could demean your value because of the color of your skin.I will never forget that. I will never forget where I was and I wish I would have spoken up. I wish I would have said something then. I wish I would have had the courage to speak out and say that wasn’t right.”

Tia did not name the magazine.

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The 42-year-old also opened up about struggling as a Black girl in the entertainment business, “I was insecure. I used to take diet pills. I would also feel insecure about my hair because being young and being in this business, I never saw girls like me. I never saw girls that, you know, were embracing their curls or I never saw curly hair being portrayed as beautiful. Let’s say that.”

She added, “I love that now I’m seeing images that are really embracing natural, beautiful curly hair and just beautiful Black women in all shades: dark, light skin, brown…representation is important and that really helped me, meaning me seeing those images, is what helped me embrace my natural beauty.”

Watch the powerful interview below: