Sexist Headline Writing 101
A headline writer at the National Journal showed their sexist chops when writing the headline for a piece about Congressional candidate Mia Love.
The article’s original title was “Mia Love You Long Time,” a reference to Full Metal Jacket, in which a prostitute uses the same phrase to proposition a man. The headline had nothing to do with the content of the article, which expounds on Love’s many accomplishments as city councilmember and now mayor of Saratoga Springs, Utah. Instead, the writer finished an otherwise positive piece by unnecessarily sexualizing the woman candidate.
It didn’t take long for objections to be raised about the title. After less than 90 minutes the headline was changed to “Love Being Here.”
National Journal’s Communications Director Taylor West says the change was made after a reader brought the headline to editors’ attention. West says that the headline was not signed off on before being posted and that it did not meet the magazine’s standards. According to West, an editor agreed the headline was inappropriate and changed it within 15 minutes of the issue being raised by someone who called the Journal.
Name It. Change It. is glad to see such a quick response from National Journal and very happy that people are calling out problematic coverage. Since this kind of sexism is all too common for female candidates and the only way to stop it is to Name It.
Published by Kate McCarthy on 05/31/2012