Kerry Washington addresses Photoshopped ‘Adweek’ cover perfectly

Weary. That's how Kerry Washington described she felt about her cover photo on Adweek's latest edition...

Apr 6, 2016

Weary. That’s how Kerry Washington described she felt about her cover photo on Adweek’s latest edition.

Washington, who has often spoken out against the unrealistic standards of Photoshopped covers, took to Instagram to first thank the magazine for allowing her to grace the cover but then to take them to task.

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“I always celebrate it when a respected publication invites me to grace their pages. It’s an honor. And a privilege. And ADWEEK is no exception,” she wrote. “I love ADWEEK. It’s a publication I appreciate. And learn from.”

So…You know me. I'm not one to be quiet about a magazine cover. I always celebrate it when a respected publication invites me to grace their pages. It's an honor. And a privilege. And ADWEEK is no exception. I love ADWEEK. It's a publication I appreciate. And learn from. I've long followed them on Twitter. And when they invited me to do a cover, I was excited and thrilled. And the truth is, I'm still excited. I'm proud of the article. And I like some of the inside images a great deal. But, I have to be honest…I was taken aback by the cover. Look, I'm no stranger to Photoshopping. It happens a lot. In a way, we have become a society of picture adjusters – who doesn't love a filter?!? And I don't always take these adjustments to task but I have had the opportunity to address the impact of my altered image in the past and I think it's a valuable conversation. Yesterday, however, I just felt weary. It felt strange to look at a picture of myself that is so different from what I look like when I look in the mirror. It's an unfortunate feeling. That being said. You all have been very kind and supportive. Also, as I've said, I'm very proud of the article. There are a few things we discussed in the interview that were left out. Things that are important to me (like: the importance of strong professional support and my awesome professional team) and I've been thinking about how to discuss those things with anyone who is interested, in an alternate forum. But until then…Grab this week's ADWEEK. Read it. I hope you enjoy it. And thank you for being patient with me while I figured out how to post this in a way that felt both celebratory and honest. XOXOXOX

A photo posted by Kerry Washington (@kerrywashington) on Apr 5, 2016 at 2:46pm PDT

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She then turned her attention to the image itself and the egregious Photoshopping.

“Look, I’m no stranger to Photoshopping. It happens a lot,” she continued. “In a way, we have become a society of picture adjusters. Who doesn’t love a filter?!? And I don’t always take these adjustments to task but I have had the opportunity to address the impact of my altered image in the past and I think it’s a valuable conversation. Yesterday, however, I just felt weary. It felt strange to look at a picture of myself that is so different from what I look like when I look in the mirror. It’s an unfortunate feeling.”