Spain's First Daughters are Goths

[kskiska]

Spain's Goth First Daughters Embarrass, Embarrassed By Dad

Here's Barack and Michelle Obama with Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and his family. The State Department uploaded it to Flickr. (What an unlikely sentence!) Whoops—no one in Spain has ever seen Zapatero's Goth daughters before!

According to Zapatero, Spanish law allows him to prevent the Spanish media from running any photographs of his 16 and 13-year-old daughters Laura and Alba. For their privacy, see. And because maybe it would be considered weird for the PM to have goth daughters, but it totally shouldn't be. It is a natural part of life, becoming a teenaged goth.

http://gawker.com/5368039/spains-goth-first-daughters-embarrass-embarrassed-by-dad

[proteus_lives]

1. Oh, that's great.

:rofl:

Goth? Get with times Spain! Goth is sooooo 90s!

[Sultana]

3. @ the moment Spanish young ppl are embracing the "goth"

[Ezlivin]

90. Actually Goth is much, much older than that

Go to Barcelona, make it to the center of the city and look for the Barri Gotic.

Both Picasso and Miró worked there. Not too shabby, eh?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Maybe they're Goths...

But I think they should exhibit better posture...

They look predatory!

Is this part of the Goth look?

[glowing]

8. Their posture is horrible. Mrs. Obama looks so grande.

[charlie]

20. From other pictures

it looks they got it from their Dad. He has the same shlumpy forward lean, it's just not as noticable because he's rangy.

[Luminous Animal]

36. It's part of the teenage look.

Especially young teenage girls with big boobs. I spent 6 years gently tapping my daughter's back to remind her to pull her shoulders back and to stand up straight. Finally, 6 months from her 20th birthday, she's got it.

[ensho]

81. you bring back memories of my mother poking me in the back

for me it wasn't about my breasts, I just slumped around.

[xchrom]

4. kids being kids -- however == i must say i do love the dress mrs zapatero

is wearing.

[HughMoran]

5. They look like Eigor

:rofl:

[Treo]

27. I was thinking Ugly Betty NT

[Luminous Animal]

35. You are, indeed, a hugh moran.

[HughMoran]

74. I take it you're of the "pro-troll" persuasion

Moran indeed :P

[Toucano]

6. ¡Que lastima! n-t

[marmar]

103. LOL!!!!!

Que horror! :scared:

[UndertheOcean]

7. Leave those kids alone.

[inna]

30. no kidding.

sweet kids, i like the energy.

(bad posture/clothes notwithstanding.)

[LuvNewcastle]

9. I think they're just darling.

:evilgrin:

[chatnoir]

10. Awkward First Family Photo

:D

And the First Lady of Cameroon Chantal Biya brings the glamour:

[REP]

42. OMFG

Ms Biya's expression is priceless - she's ready for her closeup! - and so is Ms Obama's - she's trying not to laugh.

[keroro gunsou]

105. hellllllllooooooooooo nurse!

eol.

[BunkerHill24]

111. LOL

Mr. & Mrs. Biya are known the "big spenders" when they travel overseas.

<BBC>

"Officials in Cameroon have defended President Paul Biya's controversial holiday in La Baule, southern France.

"His trip has been making headlines in France and Cameroon, as he is alleged to be spending $40,000 (£24,500) a day on 43 hotel rooms."

"The average annual income in the West African country is $1,000."

"The BBC's Randy Joe Sa'ah in the capital, Yaounde, says Mr Biya and his wife Chantal began their holiday on 15 August after meeting French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Reports in the French press say the couple and their delegation are staying in the five-star L'Hermitage Hotel.

Mr Biya has been president of Cameroon since 1982."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8236962.stm

[JeanGrey]

127. Nope, MIchelle does. Totally outclasses her!

[BlooInBloo]

11. Why do they always end up Adams Family, rather than the girl in the Tainted Love video?

:rofl:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FCKt0cdu6s

[bridgit]

14. Pft, dude, yer kill'n me'ear but then it's all like what? No Ginger Snaps Back!?!?

:wtf: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUN_PJlCzqg

[BlooInBloo]

16. Oh nice! Kinda like a heavier Korn, or a SOAD that acutally heard of the word "music".

[bridgit]

23. no doubt ~

:spray:

[vadawg]

15. lol yup two scarey goth chicks at that....

:)

[PDJane]

12. Mrs. Obama has real class.........

and she outshines anyone in either of those pics! So nice to see after the last first family.

[Libertas1776]

13. Funny,

the first thing I thought it meant was Visigoths. Are they even still around?...and...oh who am I kidding, its late and I don't know what the heck I am talking about. :boring:

[Zomby Woof]

17. Will you post Moor later?

;-)

[omega minimo]

24. It's late. Abyssinia.

:hi:

[Libertas1776]

25. Oh snap!

you went there :rofl:

[mwb970]

51. Modern day descendants of the Goths?

http://forums.skadi.net/showthread.php?t=62595

[subcomhd]

18. I bet they're vandals too. nt

[TwilightGardener]

19. Scary looking chicks. But they'll grow out of it and cringe at this photo someday.

[bridgit]

21. Oh, I don't know, to me they look like a fine upstanding family from Seattle

Or maybe Tribeca :thumbsup:

[omega minimo]

22. So?

[Retrograde]

26. Well, Spain was invaded by the Visigoths

who left behind their genes and some of their language. I suppose the girls are throwbacks to their ancestors.

[Ghost Dog]

49. I can assure you that the "Visigoths" ARE TODAY'S SPANIARDS,

mixed with a lot of other blood, of course, including Celt-Iberian, Basque, Berber, Arab, Greek, Phoenician, Italian and Frankish... (not necessarily in that order). :)

But, hey, just leave those kids alone. It's not their fault who their parents are.

[vixengrl]

28. Being a Goth is quite normal. I was prone to wearing black and listening

to heavy music, although it was usually Black Sabbath and Metallica, and / or sometimes punk like Dead Kennedys or Black Flag at their age. But they need to get some better posture. The poor girls seem so slumped over. Being alternative is a thing of pride, really. It means you are different and fabulous, so, um, don't slouch.

[vadawg]

29. thing is you can be a cute goth chick or a scarey goth chick

and they got he scarey thing down.....

[BuyingThyme]

31. I think we should look at the bigger picture.

[REP]

43. They're actually rather pretty, with beautiful eyes

Despite the bad posture and all, their expressions look more like pretty well-adjusted teens than anything else. Nice to see their parents are letting them be who who they want to be.

[tammywammy]

88. Agreed

The one looks very much like her father. They just need to be told to "stand up straight" a few times. :)

[triple point]

97. What's with the combat boots?

:eyes: :silly:

[Posteritatis]

106. That bit's fairly common

Also was when I was in high school in the nineties. I'd been seeing it often enough that I didn't parse them as exceptional or unusual until you pointed them out.

[triple point]

124. Wow, I had no idea.

How weird...
;-)

[d_b]

32. mom is too

apparently

[gtar100]

33. One thing I notice with Obama in his photos with other leaders

is that everyone seems to really like each other. There's not this forced dignity that was around *ush. If there's one thing he absolutely excels at, it's foreign relations.

[treestar]

120. This is true

I think most foreign leaders are just so relieved blivet is gone but the Obamas are obviously well liked on their own account, too.

[Hippo_Tron]

34. For fuck's sake, they're kids

Just because their father is a head of government doesn't mean they aren't allowed to go through the same ridiculous phases that most kids go through and then laugh at later.

[aquart]

37. That color is wonderful on Michelle.

Now could I see the entire dress, please?

[d_b]

38. bring on the photoshops

[thelordofhell]

39. Looks like they should be in a Heart cover band.......Corazon

Oooooooohhhh BarraCUDA!!!

[Blue_Tires]

40. is that photo real?

this guy is supposed to be the prime minister of spain and he can't even get his daughters to look presentable? in public?? with a foreign head of state present?!?!

now that this photo is out, will ANYONE -- voters, media, the rest of the world -- take Zapatero seriously?? Dude, you're supposed to be their fuckin' father!! Make them dress like they have some goddamned sense or have the decency to keep them out of the photo...

[Luminous Animal]

41. They look fine and Spain will survive the...

ATTACK OF THE MUTANT TEENAGE GOTHS!

[ConsAreLiars]

44. Spoken like a true authoritarian idiot. Again, another pops up with an answer to

the eternal question: "How stupid can you be?" You joined the competition. Be happy.

(edit punctuation typo)

[Blue_Tires]

53. ok, it was very late and I was half-asleep when i posted that, but still

where am I wrong for suggesting the daughters of a head of state dress properly for an official photo op? much less one with another head of state? their lack of judgment in wardrobe is a reflection of their parents, imo...

let's be honest here -- what would the reaction have been if the Obama girls were posing in the photo all 'cripped out?' you're telling me the president wouldn't receive any criticism as a result??

[Luminous Animal]

79. Ghetto trash. That's what the freepers called Malia

when she wore a T-shirt with a peace sign.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/7/9/751767/-Obama-daughter-wears-t-shirt,-Freepers-call-her-ghetto-trash

Some freeper quotes via DKos.

"we;’re being represented by a family of ghetto trash."

"Looks like a bunch of ghetto thugs. A stain on America."

"Looks like a typical street whore."

"What we now are sending the ghetto over to represent us. and if so who the hell is that flea bag who looks to be dragged from the trash dumpster."

"you could go down any ghetto right now and see exactly the same."

"could you imagine what world leaders must be thinking seeing this kind of street trash and that we paid for this kind of street ghetto trash to go over there"

"the world must be laughing like mad right now at that we have this kind of street trash in our white house."

[treestar]

119. But what was the occasion?

I can't picture the Obamas not having their kids dress up for official photos.

[treestar]

118. I see your point

They can be who they wanna be, but you'd think mom and dad would insist - I know lots of mom and dads who would insist on dressing up for family photos, let alone photos to be taken with important world figures.

:rofl:

I guess I have to say kudos to mom and dad for not caring as much for appearances as for their girls being who they wanna be.

[Lochloosa]

45. McCain? Is that you?

"GET OFF OF MY GRASS"

[Blue_Tires]

54. lol

yeah, at some point in my life, without even noticing, i woke up and realized i had turned into my father :)

[Ms. Toad]

58. They're just kids.

I'm glad their parents are letting them express themselves - and aside from the combat boots and the black nails and eyeliner on the taller one I don't even really see anything even particularly out of the ordinary. Mrs. Zapatero is also wearing black and stacked bracelets as large as the shorter daughter.

[Odin2005]

65. Whoa, man, the 50s called, they want their cultural authoritarianism back.

[Blue_Tires]

75. as i said earlier:

i was half-asleep earlier so the tone in my post is over-the-top, but I ask again: Why is it authoritarian to believe certain social/professional occasions require proper attire? In most of these cases, 99 percent of people worldwide agree on without question (ex: weddings, funerals, job interviews, formal dinners, etc.)...I'm not saying the girls can't do what they want to do, but when your father is prime minister meeting with other world leaders, at least look the part if you don't want to play it for five minutes...Decorum dictates the adults in that photo dress properly (and they have); why are the daughters exempt?

[Posteritatis]

100. Without resorting to circular arguments, tell us why you're so outraged over this (nt)

[Blue_Tires]

108. i just thought it was

a breach of taste and manners...Were I to meet the president, I would try to look my best...When I was a teen, were my family to meet the president, my parents would have made damn sure I looked and acted the part (and of course they did when meeting people of far lesser status)...

But I realize now other peoples' mileage will vary...And it is a completely different world from those hazy teen days of 1992;)

[Book Lover]

113. Jesus Christ! They are wearing dresses, they have makeup on

what else do they have to do to make *you* happy?

[Vickers]

67. If that was satire, it was great. If you were serious....

...meh.

[seemunkee]

70. Do you have kids?

I'm guessing no.

[Blue_Tires]

76. no...

but i did have the biggest screamfests with my parents back when I was going through my 'bad-hygiene slovenly slacker' phase...and my parents, in the long run were of course right...

[ehrnst]

73. Um...do you remember the Bush twins antics while they were in college? (nt)

[Blue_Tires]

77. sure...

and i called them out for general jackassery a few times...

[Ignis]

84. "Also, get off my lawn!"

:rofl:

[Arugula Latte]

115. Oh, come on. What's the harm, Gramps McCain?

Leave 'em alone...They're teens.

I happen to like Goths. Seeing that reminds me of my college days and all the Robert Smith wannabes that prowled campus.

[Clintonista2]

46. They look like hogwarts students

[keroro gunsou]

107. funny that...

all that talk about Hogwarts, Durmstraang, and Beauxbatons... you'd think that Spain would have a decent, and well-hidden, school for their own magical peoples... unless they commute to Beauxbatons... Heck, even America had one, Salem Witch Academy, go figure.

[SoCalDem]

47. Does Zapatero not understand Spanish law?

If he did not want his daughters to be in the photo, surely he could have sked them to sit out.. The other leaders posed, sans kidlets:)

Shame on the photographer..most of the pics are taken at an odd angle and pretty poorly staged. Poor Mrs. Zapatero looks very bowlegged..and they are pretty far from the camera too. why show their legs & shoes, when it's the faces & expressions most people are interested in.

[crispini]

66. He just didn't think it would wind up on the interwebs, I guess.

And several of the other leaders have brought their older kids. I think it's sweet.

PM of Bangladesh and her daughter:

[Posteritatis]

109. Where does Spanish law come into this at all? (nt)

[Stables2010]

48. Yo these "Kids" are 13 and 16 leave them alone for fuck's sake

[Ghost Dog]

50. Check out this (from same photo-session, they say):

http://www.vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=6747788

Edit: Found here: http://www.eurotrib.com/

[Union Yes]

52. I was much wilder at that age and have little room to criticize.

I earned every ounce of my father's embarrassment toward me.:+

[dropkickpa]

55. Spain 1st couple get coolest parents on earth award

Rock on!! They are totally in the public eye and don't force theit kids to conform to some stuffy ideal just to please "the public" because they must maintain an image. Good for them!

[surrealAmerican]

60. I agree.

I think it's charming. They let their daughters express themselves, even when it may be embarrassing for the parents. That means they're good parents, at least in that respect.

[BreweryYardRat]

86. +1.

They should be an example for parents the world over.

[Posteritatis]

102. +3.14159265 (nt)

[mopinko]

56. mom and dad, i feel your pain. i had one of those, too.

at least these girls don't seem to be collecting tattoos yet. although they might have a few hiding under those big dresses.
this too shall pass.

[Stevenmarc]

57. I'll take goth over falling on the floor drunk

[ensho]

82. you have a good point. goth over drunk any day

nt

[crispini]

59. haha I love that flickr stream

somebody already's thrown up a comment on the PM of Montenegro's wife's shoes. Ah, the interwebs.

[crispini]

61. Ok, so what is the President of Gambia carrying?

A ceremonial stick? Musical instrument?

[Viking12]

71. Bong.

Don't leave home without it!

[Odin2005]

62. Embarassed that his kids are Goths?

So what?

[aikoaiko]

63. Everyone in Madrid wears black.

Even Lily Pulitzer clothes are black on black in Madrid.

[Vickers]

68. "Even Lily Pulitzer clothes are black on black in Madrid. "

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[-..__...]

64. Things could be worse...

[BolivarianHero]

69. Not surprising...Zapatero is the shit...

His super-attractive Culture Minister honoured the Spanish folk-metal band Mago de Oz, a band I hold as an example of why European tastes in music are superior to most of the crap that North Americans listen to.

[AspenRose]

85. +1

[BolivarianHero]

104. Another case in point...

Finland: Nightwish is King
USA: Metallica releases its best album in 20 years and proceeds to be trounced by fucking Disney airhead Taylor Swift as top selling record artist of 2008.

Comparing Taylor Swift to Nightwish is like comparing some British or Israeli kid to Wayne Gretzky.

[Sultana]

125. I concur

Nice lame-ass blanket statement.

[fascisthunter]

72. why not...

[Codeine]

78. Goths are hot

and have been since I was a kid in the 80s.

They could learn some posture, however. Damn. They look so awful with their shoulders rolled forward like that, even Dad.

[Pharlo]

80. Wild assed conjecture here, but everyone that is fixated on the

girls' posture - based upon the fact that their father has the same condition, is it possible it's a genetic back issue?

Typically, 'proper posture' falls into the mother's realm of 'concerns'. Her posture is good. Normally, children will exhibit the posture of their mother, not their father. Which makes me wonder if it's not a genetic curvature of the spine over which they may not have much control.

As for the 'goth' thing, no big deal. And, maybe the fact that he prefers not to have his children photographed isn't because he's embarassed by them so much as it's that he's trying to protect their freedom to be 'goths' without having them being criticized in the media for pursuing their interests.

I remember being a teenager. Bad enough with just dealing with the people in your peer group. I can't even imagine trying to be a teenager while an entire country (particularly your father's political opponents) feels they have the right to criticize your every move.

Just my opinion.

[SeattleGirl]

89. I did not realize their father had a condition.

I, too, just posted about the girls' posture, not realizing that it might be a genetic back condition.

I have seen a lot of teens slouching around; that's why I commented as I did.

[Odin2005]

95. I thought it was common for teen girls with body image issues to slouch in order to...

...make their breasts less obvious. :shrug:

[Posteritatis]

98. Really now, going from a photograph to diagnosing their genomes? (nt)

[Pharlo]

116. Not at all,

just pointing out that the parent most likely to prod a kid to 'straighten your back', 'don't slouch', 'stand up straight' is typically the mother. Since her posture appears good, and the girls tend to slouch like their father, I just threw out the "wild assed conjecture" that there is a possibility of genetic issue the 'my god, those girls have terrible posture' critics ought to consider before saying anything.

I have no idea if it's genetic, or if they just prefer to slouch for some reason. But, it is a possiblity that I would consider before I publicly criticized them for their posture.

I do know that when I was that age there was one girl in my class who did slouch like these girls, and it was a medical issue. And yes, her siblings had the same posture.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

123. You're right

They do stand like their father does.

[frylock]

83. let us make it abundantly clear..

if you hate life, truly hate the sun, and need to smoke and drink coffee, you are goth. if, however, you like dressing in black 'cause it’s "fun," enjoy putting sparkles on your cheeks and following the occult while avoiding things that are bad for your health, then you are most likely a douche bag vampire wannabe boner.

[WeDidIt]

93. There is no choice but to burn down Hot Topic

:rofl:

[SeattleGirl]

87. I have absolutely no problem with the way these girls are dressed.

I do wish they'd stand up straight, though. They both look as if they are trying to tuck their heads down between their shoulders.

[Rex]

91. Oh brother, somemore stupid bullshit. Kids have their own idea about

what looks kewl.

[MellowDem]

92. Whoops...

I thought you were referring to the Visigoths, as though the daughters were descended from them, considering quite a few settled in the Iberian Peninsula. I must say, that is a hilarious photo, something you would see on awkward family pictures.com or something, haha.

[Renew Deal]

94. That's so conformist.

[LeftyMom]

96. On the upside, they're covered up and not overdoing the makeup.

Teenagers must feel like they can't win sometimes.

[w8liftinglady]

114. you mean,like the Bush twins?

[undeterred]

99. I wonder if they got to meet Sasha and Malia...

who I can't quite picture as Goths.

[endarkenment]

101. more accurately: visigoths

[musiclawyer]

110. They are EMOs. Such kids haven't been called goth for years.

[NYC Democrat]

117. Goths and Emos are separate sub-cultures

[dana_b]

126. nope. My daughter is 19 y.o. and called herself a "goth"

from ages 13-16. If anyone had called her "emo" (there were lots at her school), she would have LOL'd or gotten really pissed off - depending on her mood that day.

I think the kids look fine and its refreshing to see a world leader and his wife let the kids be themselves.

[Book Lover]

112. They look great!

I love the pendants. They look cool.

[NNN0LHI]

121. They're creepy and they're spooky, mysterious and kooky

They're all together ooky, the Addams Family

Their house is a museum, when people come to see-em

They really are a scre-um the Addams Family

(spoken: Neat, sweet, petit!)

So get a witch's shawl on, a broomstick you can crawl on

We're going to make a call on the Addams Family

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

122. Like most kids, they don't have very good posture (n/m)

[elshiva]

128. They're cute.

:)

[lebkuchen]

129. That privacy law for children is the same over much of Europe

I'm surprised Zapatero allowed his children to be photographed at all, but still, Obamas handlers need to learn international laws w/re to protocol.

Meanwhile, when American elementary/middle/high school children bring guns to school, and use them, their pictures are plastered all over the US media as if to glorify the action.

As an aside, Michelle Obama needs to cover her shoulders when meeting global leaders, especially those in Asia. Her greatest strength isn't in her arms.