Does the Boston Herald Just Not Like the Name Elizabeth?
Women beware: if you plan to run for office in Massachusetts your name should probably not be Elizabeth unless you prefer to be called Liz or Lizzy by The Boston Herald. That’s right; The Boston Herald is at again with its patronizing nicknaming of women candidates. The only surprise about today’s trivializing column is that is written about GOP U.S. Congressional candidate Elizabeth Childs and not The Herald’s favorite target, Elizabeth Warren. Childs, who is running for the seat that Barney Frank is vacating, is called by the nickname “Lizzy” on five separate occasions throughout a column by Holly Robichaud.
Is it a coincidence that two women candidates who share the name Elizabeth are consistently referred to by patronizing monikers in this newspaper? I don’t think so. The Herald’s insistence on referring to Elizabeth Warren and now Elizabeth Childs as “Liz”, “Lizzie”, or “Lizzy” speaks to a deliberate need for the editorial staff of The Boston Herald to belittle women candidates with whom they do not share political beliefs (It should be noted that from the articles that were accessible neither Michelle Bachmann, Sarah Palin, nor Nikki Haley have been given nicknames when mentioned in The Boston Herald). It speaks to a deliberate need for this paper to disempower women who dare to run for or hold positions of power of which they do not approve.
The issue with Elizabeth Warren and Elizabeth Childs being dubbed “Liz”, “Lizzie”, or “Lizzy” by The Boston Herald is that the critique of the candidate lies in their gender and not their politics. If the Herald wanted to bestow a nickname upon Elizabeth Warren that referenced her economics policy, that would be a fair criticism. If The Herald wanted to nickname Childs based on how she appears to have switched political parties that would be fair. However, resorting to reducing their name to the child-like moniker of “Lizzie” or “Lizzy” effectually reduces their images to those of girls. Painting a girl-like image of Warren is a tactic to try to make her appear powerless when in reality she is one of the most powerful candidates running for office this year. Painting a girl-like image of Childs seeks to make her appear to be indecisive like a girl who cannot choose which flavor ice cream she wants instead of a woman who is allowed to shift in her politics and have opinions that differ from those around her.
After all was Sen. Joseph Lieberman re-named Joey in the face of his party switch? Has Tim Pawlenty ever been referred to as Timmy as his name floats around as a possible GOP vice presidential pick? Do we see headlines wondering if Sen. Robbie Portman is going to be Romney’s VP? No, we don’t. Instead we see headlines and articles questioning their beliefs and the policies they support or oppose. We are not directed to envision these men as little boys. We are not directed to envision these men as powerless. We are directed to see these men as leaders. Why can’t it be the same for women running for office?
Published by Kate McCarthy on 08/06/2012