Is Sexism Ever Edgy?
Steven Nelson’s recent article for the Daily Caller took a look at some curious expense report items for Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, D – Conn., and other members of Congress. It’s comforting to know that Nelson is holding our elected officials accountable for the way they spend our tax dollars. But we feel compelled to hold him accountable for the article’s sexist opening line:
Americans may know Connecticut Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro for her progressive politics and edgy fashion sense, but…
What does Congresswoman DeLauro’s fashion sense, “edgy” or otherwise, have anything to do with her expense reports? The inclusion is random, unnecessary, and just plain sexist.
To make it worse, instead of linking to an article that may give some kind of justification for this comment on her fashion sense, Nelson instead links to a perfectly ordinary picture of the Representative in tasteful, thick-rimmed glasses and a striped scarf. Soooo “edgy.”
The truth is there was absolutely no good reason to refer to the Congresswoman’s fashion sense at all and the ubiquitous “It’s an article about a woman politican. We have to say something about her clothes” way of thinking only contributes to the problem of media sexism faced by women in office and women candidates.
We encourage the Daily Caller to be a little more “edgy” by treating women fairly in the media. Now that’s a trend we can all get behind.
Published by Kate McCarthy on 07/19/2012