Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right
Women’s eNews had a great, thought provoking article today about the sexist double standard in politics. For as long as anyone can remember, women have always faced sexism in the media, especially when it comes to politics. Remember when Huffington Post made much ado about Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s scrunchie? Remember the Michele Bachmann Newsweek cover?
But what happens when the sexism shoe is on the other foot? New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has been ridiculed about his weight while Senator Scott Brown, R-Mass. can’t seem to shake his nude Cosmopolitan past.
While it may be tempting to view this as men getting a taste of their own medicine, this kind of coverage has no place in politics. Rather than level the playing field, it actually provides political cover for the far more numerous and egregious attacks against women.
The only true way to free politics of sexism is to focus on candidates' positions and values and NOT on what they look like or what they wear.
Published by Kate McCarthy on 11/08/2011