Ok. I can't seem to let this go, though I think it's had enough airtime. I've become increasingly frustrated about all the Michele Bachmann sexist Newsweek cover talk.
Everyone is weighing in on this, so I'm going to as well. I don't think it's sexist.
I did some quick googling research on Newsweek, their covers and was there anything notable about their coverage of women.
In the discussion of Bachmann's deer-in-the-headlights expression, people continuously refer to the infamous Sarah Palin Newsweek cover. You know the one, she's sporting her super short running shorts. All the Republicans decried, "Oh my! This is sexist!" Really?
I'm tired of the sexism card being used when convenient. How about when it comes to voting on bills that affect women's health, welfare, financial empowerment? Is it not sexist when you push for legislation that de-funds clinics and programs that give specifically empower women to live day-to-day?
What's interesting is that no one seems to reference the "new" Newsweek. When the new layout was unveiled by Tina Brown, the new Editor-in-Chief, it was Hillary Clinton on the cover, looking confident and in charge. Check it out here.
I think it's great. And do you know what that edition of Newsweek was covering? The 150 women that shake the world.
Further, The Daily Beast, which is part of Newsweek's website, has a WHOLE section titled "Women in the World: Stories + Solutions." It profiles different women in the world, challenges they face, what is being done to solve them.
In addition, the website puts together an annual conference: "Women in the World Summit." It brings together women leaders from around the world to discuss solutions to the challenges all women face.
When putting together my first blog post discussing the media's treatment of women running for office, I remember reading that it's easy for one to see when candidates lose favorability with the media as their pictures become increasingly unflattering.
And I think that's what is happening with Michele Bachmann.
I felt somewhat vindicated yesterday when I read an article by Joan Walsh on Salon.com. She reached out to the Dalai Lama of feminism, Gloria Steinem, to get her take on the whole thing. Terry O'Neill, President of NOW, was recently quoted as using Steinem's test to figure out if this cover is sexist. The test is what would be the reaction if it happened to a man or would it ever be done to a man? O'Neill remarked that using this test results in it being sexist as it's never happened to a man (um, Howard "yyyeeee-hhhhaaa" Dean anyone?)
Steinem noted that O'Neill was right about her test, but felt the photo was borderline and the commotion may be "grasping at straws."
I have a feeling that as long as Bachmann and Palin are running, we have not heard the end of sexism accusations. I think it's good the conversation is going on, but I just hope that it's not used as part of either candidate's media strategy.
(The views expressed in this blog post is solely those of the author and not of CT NOW).
Everyone is weighing in on this, so I'm going to as well. I don't think it's sexist.
I did some quick googling research on Newsweek, their covers and was there anything notable about their coverage of women.
In the discussion of Bachmann's deer-in-the-headlights expression, people continuously refer to the infamous Sarah Palin Newsweek cover. You know the one, she's sporting her super short running shorts. All the Republicans decried, "Oh my! This is sexist!" Really?
I'm tired of the sexism card being used when convenient. How about when it comes to voting on bills that affect women's health, welfare, financial empowerment? Is it not sexist when you push for legislation that de-funds clinics and programs that give specifically empower women to live day-to-day?
What's interesting is that no one seems to reference the "new" Newsweek. When the new layout was unveiled by Tina Brown, the new Editor-in-Chief, it was Hillary Clinton on the cover, looking confident and in charge. Check it out here.
I think it's great. And do you know what that edition of Newsweek was covering? The 150 women that shake the world.
Further, The Daily Beast, which is part of Newsweek's website, has a WHOLE section titled "Women in the World: Stories + Solutions." It profiles different women in the world, challenges they face, what is being done to solve them.
In addition, the website puts together an annual conference: "Women in the World Summit." It brings together women leaders from around the world to discuss solutions to the challenges all women face.
When putting together my first blog post discussing the media's treatment of women running for office, I remember reading that it's easy for one to see when candidates lose favorability with the media as their pictures become increasingly unflattering.
And I think that's what is happening with Michele Bachmann.
I felt somewhat vindicated yesterday when I read an article by Joan Walsh on Salon.com. She reached out to the Dalai Lama of feminism, Gloria Steinem, to get her take on the whole thing. Terry O'Neill, President of NOW, was recently quoted as using Steinem's test to figure out if this cover is sexist. The test is what would be the reaction if it happened to a man or would it ever be done to a man? O'Neill remarked that using this test results in it being sexist as it's never happened to a man (um, Howard "yyyeeee-hhhhaaa" Dean anyone?)
Steinem noted that O'Neill was right about her test, but felt the photo was borderline and the commotion may be "grasping at straws."
I have a feeling that as long as Bachmann and Palin are running, we have not heard the end of sexism accusations. I think it's good the conversation is going on, but I just hope that it's not used as part of either candidate's media strategy.
(The views expressed in this blog post is solely those of the author and not of CT NOW).
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