She’s Beauty and She’s Grace, She… Just Might Be Intelligent, Too
In an article on Slate.com, titled Here She Comes, Miss (Elected) America, Hilary Levey Friedman appears to be astounded that a former pageant contestant could ever be competent enough for politics. She asks, “Why are so many beauty queens running for office?”
Probably for the same reason that male actors run for office…
Or that male body builders run for office…
Because they see an opportunity to take a leadership role in changing things for the better, and they seize it.
Ms. Friedman disregards the fact that people of all occupations and genders decide to pursue careers in politics and instead singles out beauty pageant contestants, labeling them as “wannabe politicians.”
Immediately writing these women off as incapable is astoundingly ignorant and really damn sexist. Every single person who runs for office “wants to be” a politician; why isolate these women as “wannabes?” It certainly can’t be because the women aren’t accomplished enough. For instance, Lauren Cheape won the title of Miss Hawaii in 2011 and is currently running for Hawaii’s House of Representatives. She graduated from University of Hawaii, was integral in the passing of the Feed Subsidy Bill, and has won multiple awards for community service and fundraising. Or take Shelli Yoder, for example, who was a Miss America runner-up in 1993 and is now running for U.S. Congress. She has 15 years of non-profit executive management experience and holds multiple awards for her dedication to public service. By the way, she used her pageant scholarship money to pay tuition for her second Master’s degree. Yep, she has two. Still think she’s a “wannabe?”
Unfortunately, women in politics continue to be lambasted for their appearance regardless of their qualifications, skills, or potential. Worse yet, the level of scrutiny they are subjected to is exclusive to their gender. With your help, Name it. Change it. will continue calling out sexism every time it rears it’s ugly head.
Published by Kate McCarthy on 07/03/2012