DISCRIMINATING CONTEST Cosmo

Does Cosmogirl have a thing against black people? Though it may seem unlikely, several African-American bloggers are now asking whether their influence caused the cuddly teen magazine to change the rules of a contest.

The contest, cosponsored by Take Action Hollywood, invited teenagers to submit short films about a social issue. Earlier this year, the films were posted on Cosmogirl's website, where readers were encouraged to vote for their favorites. The winner will receive $10,000 and be featured in the magazine's August issue.

On April 5, Patrice Elizabeth Grell Yursik, who writes the blog Afrobella, posted a message encouraging readers to vote for the film by Kiri Davis, the only African-American among the remaining three semi-finalists. "I'm guessing that Kiri's film might not appeal to the typical CosmoGirl demographic," wrote Yursik. "But if you ask me, Kiri is the future." Angel La followed up with a similar message on Concrete Loop, and within a few days Davis's film went from last place to first place in the voting. The rules, as they stood, allowed each person to cast one vote per day.

[Watch a featurette on Davis's short film after the jump!]

• <EM>Glory</EM> or <EM>Hell? Writers' Dueling Memoirs
• Add Bribery to Francis' Bill