Sexist or Not?
Cidu Bill on Nov 18th 2009
Sarah Palin complained that this week’s Newsweek cover is sexist, and… well, I think I sort of agree, though we might be dealing with semantics here: Certainly Newsweek chose this particular photo with the inten of trivializing Palin (the photo is real, but was taken earlier this year as part of a spread for Runner’s World magazine). And they probably wouldn’t have used this sort of photo to trivialize a male politician (can you imagine a cover story about Obama’s domestic policy agenda being illustrated with this?
So if using a “sexy” cover photo of a female politician is a context where you wouldn’t use one of a male politician is sexist, then I find myself in the odd position of siding with Palin.
Of course what I found most interesting about all this was Palin’s comment on the cover, ending with “If anyone can learn anything from it: it shows why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, gender, or color of skin” — clear proof, I guess, that she writes her own material. I mean, I sort of maybe know what she’s kind of getting at here, but…
And actually what makes that quote more interesting is the fact that it was written (apparently) on the same day that she vigorously defended racial profiling on the Sean Hannity show.
Filed in Barack Obama, Bill Bickel, Fort Hood, Fox News, Newsweek, Runner's World, Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, media, politics, polls, racial profiling | 43 responses so far
mkilby Nov 18th 2009 at 03:36 pm 1
Sarah Palin may have complained publicly about that cover, but privately she must be laughing all the way to the bank. Since missing out on becoming VP, every action she has taken has been designed for maximum PR effect, and bad PR is nevertheless still PR. Especially with the book that she had ghost-written for her about to come out, Palin doesn’t necessarily need (or want) to be liked, all she wants is to be noticed. Newsweek has merely played into her money (and/or power) grubbing hands.
Kate C Nov 18th 2009 at 03:41 pm 2
I’m going to say, No, because this ISN’T an article about Palin’s domestic policy; it’s an article about her sort of celebrity/media sideshow status and her lack of real political experience. The article is about why Palin is a “problem” for the GOP, and the picture sort of answers that question. Two years ago, when Hillary Clinton was the shoe-in for the Democratic nomination, and Obama was a long-shot, magazines DID publish that shirtless photo of him in the same sort of context: “Can you believe THIS guy wants to be president!?”
However, I do think the general focus on Palin as the embodiment of craziness/mediocrity in politics is sexist. There’s an number of terrible/stupid/extreme male politicians, but they get a pass.
Jeff S. Nov 18th 2009 at 03:42 pm 3
First of all, she agreed to pose for the photograph.
Secondly, it’s Sarah Palin.
Yawn.
paperboy Nov 18th 2009 at 03:49 pm 4
Yes, it’s always a problem when people don’t follow what one of the two political parties tell them to do. (And mkilby#1: the phrase is “CRYING all the way to the bank.”)
Darren S. A. George Nov 18th 2009 at 03:58 pm 5
She’s only making a big deal out of it because it gets her some desperately-craved attention.
L. Hollyfeld Nov 18th 2009 at 04:11 pm 6
The day Obama poses for a publicity photo in lycra short-shorts is the day the terrorists win. Somehow. I’m still working out the details.
JamesK Nov 18th 2009 at 04:18 pm 7
It’s not sexist to allow someone to face the consequences of what they do.
It is sexist to protect someone just because they’re a girl.
Palin did this photoshoot. She arranged the possings, she willingly had a national magazine take soft-core cheesecake photos of her while she was a serious vice-presidential candidate.
If Obama had done a photoshoot all done up like Fabio on a romance cover for Cigar Lovers Magazine, Newsweek would be well in their right to have that on their cover with a “WTF?” article to go along with it.
Just because the cartoonish caricature that Palin chooses to present is feminine doesn’t mean she gets to hide behind charges of “Sexism!” when we call her out for presenting a cartoonish caricature.
If Barny Frank did photo-shoots in leather straps and assless chaps, I’d take the public reaction with a wince and grimace, but wouldn’t be charging homophobia.
You’re an elected official, (well, Palin isn’t one of those anymore, but she was at the time), and if you choose to act like you’re posing for the Sexy Governors of the States 2009 calendar, expect people to take you to task for your lack of gravitas.
Short version: People are taking Palin to task for her lack of seriousness and clownish persona. It’s not anyone’s fault but her’s that those traits have been expressed as a cheesecakey MILF. Real women don’t need men protecting them from their own damned decisions.
Chakolate Nov 18th 2009 at 04:21 pm 8
I think Kate C nailed it. Palin posed for that picture, and Newsweek is pointing out that just the posing is, er… posing problems for the GOP. The picture is part of the story.
Elyrest Nov 18th 2009 at 05:06 pm 9
I agree with what’s been said so far. As far as I’m concerned she’s no longer a politician and as far as being sexist Palin is the one I think has done a disservice to women. I think Newsweek nailed it with the picture.
Bob Nov 18th 2009 at 05:15 pm 10
paperboy - try Googling both phrases and see what you get.
furrykef Nov 18th 2009 at 05:16 pm 11
What’s this about trivializing? You can’t trivialize something (or someone) already trivial.
Mark M Nov 18th 2009 at 05:17 pm 12
I agree with the comments here. That said, my first thought was why those who think Fox News isn’t really news don’t seem to have a problem with this magazine doing a cover story such as this. I wouldn’t have a problem with Entertainment Weekly or something like that doing the story, and I admit I’m not all that familiar with Newsweek, but after all they do have “News” in their name!
furrykef Nov 18th 2009 at 05:19 pm 13
Also, the phrase “cry all the way to the bank” was popularized (but probably not invented) by Liberace: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-cry1.htm
“Laughing all the way to the bank” is an often heard variant, but it doesn’t express the same irony that “crying” does.
- Kef
TheFish Nov 18th 2009 at 05:33 pm 14
Choosing this picture demonstrates a desire to portray Palin in a certain manner (echoed by the title and the parenthetical statement). She posed for the picture for Runners World, not for Newsweek, so using it rather than taking one themselves is taking it out of context. Clearly, Newsweek is intending to portray her in one way rather than reporting the news and letting people make up their own minds.
My take is that Palin seems to be in over her head as it seems that everything she does backfires. She either isn’t qualified for the national stage, needs better advisors or needs to lay low.
Another Josh Nov 18th 2009 at 05:43 pm 15
Since Palin’s book is titled “Going Rogue” this would seem to fit right in with the marketing campaign for the book. Only a “rogue” woman in politics (either in office or as a commentator, not sure what Palin is going for these days) would agree to be photographed in something like this (and Palin did agree to it), all the non-rogue women would be wearing nice pantsuits or dresses. I don’t see why she’s complaining, other than to get more attention. I’d just as soon people stop giving it to her, since as far as I can tell the only thing she has any expertise in is getting attention.
Mitch4 Nov 18th 2009 at 05:53 pm 16
After you guys figure out whether to laugh or cry all the way to the bank, would you mind telling me whether it’s God or The Devil who is found in the details?
Lee Nov 18th 2009 at 06:39 pm 17
Palin has been playing the “I’m so sexy!” game ever since she hit the public eye — remember her winking at the camera during the debates? It’s a day late and a dollar short for her to be playing the sexism card now.
paperboy Nov 18th 2009 at 06:54 pm 18
Thanks, furrykef#13; the whole point is that the person disparaged by critics yet a hit with the people MOCKS them by saying they’re “crying” as they cash their checks. I still like thinking Liberace first said it. (Just for the record, I think Sarah is the Republican Cindy Sheehan.)
Mark in Boston Nov 18th 2009 at 07:42 pm 19
We treat Palin the same as we treated Dan Quayle. (We were less fortunate with Dan Quayle; he actually became our Vice-President. Dan Quayle, like Spiro T. Agnew, was impeachment insurance.)
“If anyone can learn anything from it: it shows why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, gender, or color of skin.”
“What a terrible thing to have lost one’s mind. Or not to have a mind at all. How true that is.”
Maybe they’ll both be motivational speakers some day, like Yogi “When you come to a fork in the road, take it” Berra.
paperboy Nov 18th 2009 at 08:13 pm 20
Of course, we have to realize being able to give a good speech or a good interview doesn’t guarantee success in office.
Jeff Nov 18th 2009 at 10:28 pm 21
Mark Evanier looked up the word “rogue” and posted the definition…
http://www.newsfromme.com/archives/2009_11_18.html#018070
David N Nov 19th 2009 at 12:59 am 22
She agreed to the spread, also to the calendar IIRC, and the interviews. Like said before, it’s more sexist to think she needs to be protected from herself.
There’s a certain segment of our population would still cheer her on even if she was caught drunk, half naked, and in the back of a car nailing Levi Johnston. Outside a church. During services.
And I still think the tan on those legs is fake.
Winter Wallaby Nov 19th 2009 at 01:02 am 23
The logic that because she posed for a picture in Runner’s World, it becomes appropriate to use that picture in any context, and she has no right to complain, doesn’t make a lot of sense. It’s not that the picture is intrinsically sexist, it’s that using it here is sexist. Obama surely knew that his picture was going to be taken when he went swimming, but as Bill points out, it wouldn’t be appropriate to use it for a story about his domestic policy.
Yeah, me too. Well, even a broken clock is right at least . . . er, once every couple of years.
Nicole Nov 19th 2009 at 09:24 am 24
The pose is the pose regardless of where it appears. If Sarah Palin wants to be taken seriously she needs to leave the coquetish poses and cute winks at the door. But she wants to have it both ways… I am a serious stateswoman, no wait .. I am the beauty queen from Wassila.
The difference between this photo and the one of Obama is the Obama photo was candid. Suppose Obama posed shirtless for Basket Ball Times (if there were such a thing) … you can bet that he would get hammered for that.
Sarah chose to allow herself to be portrayed in this way…. and she clearly wants to use her beauty to attract voters . If she is going to act in a sexist way, she will be portrayed in a sexist way. She can’t complain about a magazine showing her the way she herself decided to be portrayed.
Fnord Nov 19th 2009 at 11:36 am 25
Newsweek didn’t invent that image out of nowhere, or Photoshop her face onto someone else. That’s one of her own publicity shots. If she didn’t want news reports to show her attempts at “sexy” then she shouldn’t have posed for that sort of picture in the first place.
It’s not sexist. It’s just pointing out the foolishness and irrelevance of her publicity attempts. The cheesecakey pictures are a great example, but the bare skin itself is not the point. If her PR folks had released a picture of her wearing a clown nose, Newsweek could have used that just as well.
Nicole Nov 19th 2009 at 11:53 am 26
Fnord … that is exactly the point I was trying to make. Don’t complain about people portraying you the way you portray yourself.
Harley Quinn Nov 19th 2009 at 12:11 pm 27
I don’t get her complaint anyway.
When I get to be her age, and I’ve had several kids, I’d be thrilled to have that figure and would be thrilled to have the picture plastered everywhere, I wouldn’t care what the article said!!!
Hell, I’d be happy with it now, and I am younger and have had no kids yet!!!
TheFish Nov 19th 2009 at 12:23 pm 28
Fnord: It is not one of her publicity shots, it was from a photo shoot for Runners World. It has come to light that the pictures were used without Runners World’s permission.
Two different worlds - one portraying her as a healthy woman runner who happens to be a politician. The other taking a photo out of context without permission to portray her as someone we should not take seriously. Based on that I would say that Runners World acted in the better journalistic sense.
Still not sure it whether was sexist or not, but it does seem that women get more scrutiny and less passes when it comes to appearance.
elizabeth Nov 19th 2009 at 12:56 pm 29
so that’s one cover picture of Sarah Palin in her running shorts this year, to go along with the one of her with her gun last year. At least we know she is an active individual (as opposed to Nancy Pelosi, who looks like her bones are going to shatter if she steps wrong).
Seems to me that Newsweek must be losing money so they’re going with someone they know attracts a lot of attention. I can’t imagine they’d get as much out of it, if they had put, for instance, Rush Limbaugh in swimming trunks on the cover…
So, seems just a tad sexist…
padraig Nov 19th 2009 at 01:15 pm 30
It probably is sexist, but Palin’s got no compunctions about capitalizing on her looks, so it’s fair game as far as I see.
Someone said a few months ago, “If Palin looked like Margaret Thatcher, would we still be talking about her?”
Elyrest Nov 19th 2009 at 01:15 pm 31
elizabeth - if Rush Limbaugh had a book coming out and he had posed for for an issue of Swimmers World it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see this on a cover. (My eyes!!) Limbaugh also isn’t a politician. I thought Kate C #2 explained it well - the article is about why Palin is a problem for the Republicans. The picture is a perfect example of one reason people see her as a problem.
Nancy Pelosi was born in 1940. Sarah Palin in 1964. Let’s wait until 2033 and see what Palin looks like then to have a fair comparison.
Scott Nov 19th 2009 at 01:36 pm 32
Let’s not forget that one of the reasons she was picked for the Vice Presidential slot was the Republican idea that Hilary voters would abandon Obama for McCain just because Palin was female. Now, that’s sexist.
Plus, the reason Palin isn’t taken seriously by so many people has nothing to do with pictures and everything to do with her not being able to say how many newspapers she reads. Given her reputation, if she cared about being taken seriously she wouldn’t have posed for the picture in Runner’s World in the first place. Being in shape is not where she is deficient.
paperboy Nov 19th 2009 at 02:14 pm 33
What’s wrong with it being sexy?
Nicole Nov 19th 2009 at 02:22 pm 34
paperboy, there is nothing worng with being sexy. Part of the issue is using that sexuality and the complaining when people call you on it.
Nicole Nov 19th 2009 at 02:23 pm 35
Oh .. and can wwe please stop talking about Rush Limbaugh in a swimsuit …… it burns
Keera Nov 19th 2009 at 05:18 pm 36
My take on this is: If you act like a cheerleader, you have to expect magazines to use pictures of you looking like one.
Mitch4 Nov 19th 2009 at 05:45 pm 37
I thought she was pretty old-fashioned about such things as clothes and makeup … thus her title “Going Rouge”, right?
paperboy Nov 19th 2009 at 06:47 pm 38
Nicole#33- It was an obscure reference to Spinal Tap: If memory serves me okay, there’s a scene where a woman complains about a “sexist” album cover and Derek, being a bit thick, asks “What’s wrong with being sexy??”
katie Nov 19th 2009 at 07:13 pm 39
http://www.amptoons.com/blog/archives/2009/11/17/no-it-isnt-sexist/
This is a pretty interesting take on this whole kerfuffle. The crux of the argument is yes of course the image is sexist, but Palin posed for it, was rather proud of the fact that she was featured in Runner’s World blah blah blah; she’s objectifying herself, and it seems that the Newsweek cover is commenting on that, rather than trying to use Palin’s sex appeal to sell magazines. Isn’t the cover story about how everything she touches turns into a massive clusterf**k?
az Nov 19th 2009 at 10:03 pm 40
Not only is she an expert in foreign affairs…
Nicole Nov 19th 2009 at 11:51 pm 41
Paperboy #38 … my bad … I don’t remember how long ago I saw Spinal Tap … but it would probably open me up for a geezer award
Brent Nov 20th 2009 at 03:34 am 42
Personally, I think she’s playing up the issue because it allows her to cast herself as a victim yet again. If there’s one thing her supporters go wild over it’s the liberal media persecuting their idols, and Palin likes to stir that sort of thing up. Rabble-rousing is really what Palin does best as a politician… during the campaign there were a couple of events where McCain was looking particularly unnerved by how much Palin was riling the crowd up.
steve Nov 20th 2009 at 11:04 pm 43
newsweek’s explanation was plausible. The articles focused more on her self promotion and marketing than her “policies.” It shows how far she will go to sell herself and it shows very well how little she understands about being presidential.
What I find interesting is that the super patriot Palin is violating any sense of flag etiquette. She is using the flag as a prop in a commercial photo. It is displayed disrespectfully like a crumpled up towel and Ms. Patriot is casually leaning on it. I am not a big flag etiquette nut but this is basic. She raised hell about Obama not saluting it, at least it he did not use it like a gym towel.