GOP VP candidate Sarah Palin
If you’re a Vice Presidential candidate, and your campaign is shouting from the rooftops about your sexist treatment by the media,
and you’re battling the perhaps unfair perception that you were chosen because of a cynical political decision based on you being an attractive woman,then maybe, just maybe, the best way to combat these issues is NOT
posing for Vogue magazine
(even if your pose is all tough gal in the wilderness.)
I mean, seriously: Vogue? Of all the magazines, you chose Vogue, whose sole purpose is to glorify fashion?
Sure, it’s a coup for the formidable Anna Wintour, who wants her magazine to show strong women.
But what do you get out of it? What motivation would you have to pose for Vogue other than to play up your gender and chicness? What message are you sending to the public?
In January, Democratic contender Hillary Clinton declined to pose for Vogue:
A Vogue spokesperson says: “We were told by Ms. Clinton’s camp that they were concerned if Clinton appeared in Vogue that she would appear too feminine.”
[Insert joke here] but Hillary impressed people by running as a tough candidate, not as a tough woman candidate. She did pose for Vogue in 1998 while she was the First Lady, which is more appropriate for that role than for a candidate running for the highest (or second-highest) office in the nation.
Look, sexist coverage is just plain wrong, no question. But capitalizing on gender appeal while loudly complaining about sexism is wronger.
I’m just sayin’.
(I had planned on writing a completely different post today assailing the jerks who made these and advocating better coverage of Palin, but I somehow lost my appetite for it.)
Signed,
A disappointed & embarrassed woman
Posted under Uncategorized, election 2008, environment, politics
i personally think this whole thing is a complete shit show. i have two sort of contradictory feelings… on the one hand i respect for hillary’s approach to the media in a way i didnt necessarily before. on the other hand, i think palin may have it worse because hillary was old news. she was like a women that the media and the public had already slept with. palin, however… ugh. its just so disgusting. it makes me crazy.
Reply to alynThat said, I like your honesty here. So many women are angry, but afraid to show it… You know, for fear of supporting the stereotype that women can’t take a joke. the thing is, our presidency is not a freaking joke. this isnt a reality tv show where we get to turn it off once it’s done and forget it the next day. this has serious consequences for the next four years, and probably beyond that! i just wish each candidate could be afforded the seriousness that matches the demands of the job for which they are running.
Found you via Mizfit….Love it!
Reply to Meribethshit show? now that’s a phrase I love.
Reply to MizFitstuperb? we gonna get a whole post on that?
M.
[...] I’m Just Sayin’… [...]
All told, the entire campaign was poorly played out. The RNC will take notes and likely play things differently in ‘12.
Reply to Rob