Why is a woman’s appearance fair game?

Michelle Calloway

July 22nd, 2008

It isn’t news that the media has consistently commented on women’s appearance, but do women in the media realize how much they demean women this way? For example, this glowing Wall Street Journal article about Lehman Brother’s CFO Erin Callan (who has since “resigned” with the Wall Street meltdown), written by a woman, references her wardrobe style as "classic and elegant". Ok, it's a positive statement, but with all of the things one could say about Ms. Callan, commenting on wardrobe cheapens her in the role of CFO.

And of course, during Hillary’s historic run for president, numerous comments were made regarding her pant suits and her appearance. A video produced by the Women's Media Center shows alarming statements by the mainstream media personalities, especially by Chris Matthews, whose MSNBC show is still on the air despite such gross abuses. This video has to be seen to be believed and I encourage every business woman to watch it:

Note that one of the most hurtful comments in the video, referring to Senator Clinton, is “if that’s the face of experience I think it’s going to scare away a lot of the independent voters who are on the fence” – made by a woman. She was running against a 71 year-old man with scars on his face from multiple surgeries - and yet her looks became a matter of discussion. The entire video of actual media coverage screams sexism - but it weakens the case greatly when wardrobe and appearance references are made by other women as they cause others to see such comments as socially acceptable.

The black race has a term for a black person that acts against their race’s interests – they call that person an “Uncle Tom”. We need a term for women who turn on other women. I’m looking for suggestions so enter a comment with your ideas, and we’ll post a vote to determine which term we publicize whenever a woman dishonors womanhood so thoughtlessly.

You can also help foster a better culture. When you hear a woman commenting about attributes of another woman that have nothing to do with the job, point it out! It will get them to think twice. And if you've been guilty of expressing these thoughts, take note you're playing right into society's hands as well. If we want a reduction in sexism, it starts with us.

Have an idea for a term we can use for women who inappropriately dis other women? Tell us and we’ll get the vote going.

Build your personal brand! Do you have a story idea for Vjournal? Use the Contact Us form and select ‘Contribute a Story Idea’ – If it jives with our audience, we’ll help you put it together under your own byline.

Comments (2)

HINDUS AND SIKHS CONSTITUTE

Submitted by ameldon on Sat, 01/23/2010 - 4:41am.

HINDUS AND SIKHS CONSTITUTE IMPORTANT MINORITY communities in Canada. Although their cultural and religious traditions have profound differences, they both traditionally take a duty-based rather than rights-based approach to ethical decision-making. These traditions also share a belief in rebirth, a concept of karma (in which experiences in one life influence experiences in future lives), an emphasis on the value of purity, and a holistic view of the person that affirms the importance of family,security+ certification culture, environment and the spiritual dimension of experience. Physicians with Hindu and Sikh patients need to be sensitive to and respectful of the diversity of their cultural and religious assumptions regarding human nature, purity, health and illness,mcpd exams life and death, and the status of the individual.Mrs. S is a married 35-year-old Hindu woman expecting her fourth child. She has 3 daughters and on several occasions has expressed her desire to have a son. Because of her age she is referred for amniocentesis to rule out genetic anomalies. A healthy female fetus is reported, whereupon Mrs. S requests a termination of pregnancy. The pregnancy is now at 20 weeks. Mr. and Mrs. S are referred for counselling.
Mr. and Mrs. K, an orthodox Sikh couple, are happily anticipating the birth of their first child. The pregnancy is uneventful until 32 weeks, when gestational hypertension is diagnosed. Over the next 2 weeks Mrs. K's condition continues to deteriorate despite bed rest, hospital care and intensive medical management. Mr. and Mrs. K consent to cesarean section to save the lives of mother and child.a+ questions At 34 weeks a female infant is delivered by cesarean section under general anesthetic. The baby is grossly edematous, looks dysmorphic and has an Apgar score of 1 at 1 minute. Her birth weight is 1000 g, and the placenta is small and calcified. Mrs. K is still under general anesthetic, and Mr. K is not in the operating room. The physicians need to decide on the degree of intervention. Fortunately, the infant responds to basic stimulation from towelling and drying under a prewarmed radiant heater and to resuscitation with oxygen by face mask. Her Apgar score is 6 at 5 minutes and 8 at 10 minutes. The baby is transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit, and a buccal smear is sent for karyotyping to rule out chromosomal abnormality. Following the surgery, the physicians meet with Mr. K to discuss the baby's condition. The neonatal specialist, considering the baby's condition to be grave and irremediable, advises against intensive intervention.