Huffington Post on Hillary Clinton: JUST PLAIN SEXIST
The Huffington Post yesterday published a slideshow and reader poll entitled, “Hillary Clinton Wears A Hair Clip To The UN: ‘Do Or Don’t?” This is only the latest in a string of similar posts focused solely on the hair styles of Secretary of State Clinton, all listed under the publication’s “Style” section and tackling such hard-hitting topics as a sudden change in style, a fluctuation in height, to cut or not to cut (or perhaps just trim), the reappearance of a headband, and comprehensive summaries of Clinton’s hair as both First Lady and Secretary of State. That’s not even counting the attention HuffPo has given to her shawls and shoes, or her “giggles” and “crushes.”
This type of sexist media coverage is just what Name It. Change It. is working to prevent when it comes to the representation of female candidates. As long as women leaders like Hillary Clinton receive more attention for their appearance than they do their politics, women everywhere will be held back in their campaigns and their careers.
At a time when Secretary of State Clinton is leading Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, undue focus on a matter as trivial as hair is both distracting and damaging. Constantly relegating SOS Clinton to the Style section and using her appearance for cheap laughs does no justice to her position as a leader, and adds to the toxic media climate that marred Clinton’s 2008 Presidential run.
The Name It. Change It. campaign is all for keeping women leaders in the headlines, but let’s not focus on the hair on Clinton’s head, but rather on the historic headway she is making in international relations.
Published by Kate McCarthy on 09/21/2010