A short-short lesson in sexism

[trinityvixen]

Newsweek took a ton of flak for putting this picture on their cover the other week. The haters claim this move was sexist because it reduces Palin to a pretty face instead of a credible political force.

Well, PS, Palin is just a pretty face on an empty (but lovingly be-coifed) head. She put this image out there to use her sexual attractiveness as the one-and-only lure she actually has. Because every time she opens her mouth, people remember why they don't want her in charge of the local Denny's, to say nothing of the country. The best explanation for why this picture being attached to an article that explains exactly that:

The problem with crying “sexism” about Newsweek’s use of this picture is that it’s photo she took for calculated appeal being used to show her calculated political appeal.

Bingo. This picture? Was all about appealing to organs below the belt so as to distract those above the neck. Instead of attaching it to an article that went "Wow, isn't she brilliant," Newsweek pointed out that, no, actually, the pretty package is empty. This is the perfect shot to portray that.

Anyway, regardless, Newsweek felt compelled to prove that they're equal opportunity. So after dutifully printing out the responses to their cover, they cheerfully proved one angry letter-writer wrong by throwing her quote over this picture of Barack Obama. There, now everyone's hot political leader has had his/her sexy action shot in Newsweek and the conservatives who didn't think sexism existed before Sarah Palin became John McCain's running mate can shut the F up.

(I read the comments on the Palin cover with gritted teeth because People. Do. Not. Get. It. When I turned the page to find the picture of Obama, I snorted out loud. On the street. Drawing more than a few looks. Which is even more awkward given that I was looking at a picture of the President wet and shirtless.)

Comments

[trinityvixen.livejournal.com]

I think you're right, actually. Obama was the nominee presumptive long before Sarah Palin was on the scene and we definitely saw him in his bathing suit before we saw her in her track suit.

Are there elements of that outfit she wears that could be construed as sexual? Oh hell yeah, but it takes some doing. I mentioned that her wearing something tight and revealing her legs falls under the category of sexualized presentation--easier to see how when you try to imagine a man doing that and being on a serious news mag. In this case, what I think is playing in here is part of what you mention--with our culture being heavily sexualized--working against this being an inherently sexy picture. If anything, it's about exercise, and exercise is not, to say the least, sexy in and of itself. It's almost too wholesome to be baudy.

[droidguy1119.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I mean, she looks exactly like she should: like she's gonna go jogging. It seems very "political photo promoting exercise" to me. It seems so All-American of her.