Even if it is Shiny, Wendy Long’s Purple Blouse Doesn’t Matter
Reid Pillifant of Capital New York decided to introduce U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s GOP opponent Wendy Long not by touting her extensive constitutional law experience, her impressive education, or even the fact that she is a senior Romney campaign advisor. Nope, he decided to introduce her by telling us she was wearing a “shiny purple blouse.”
The article aims to introduce readers to this new candidate, and does a fair job of showcasing her accomplishments and her opinions on various issues and challenges that she feels will be important in the upcoming race further down the page. So why start off with a sexist tone? What she is wearing is irrelevant to her campaign and there is no mention of what the men in the article are wearing.
Sadly, this need to describe a woman candidate’s appearance is just par for the course in today’s media. So tell us Pillifant, does a shiny blouse make one a more qualified candidate? If it doesn’t matter, why is Long’s outfit important enough to lead with? That’s just plain sexist.
Published by Kate McCarthy on 02/28/2012