Election sexism watch (episode 6)
by Cath ElliottI’m not sure whether it’s down to Nick Clegg’s performance in Thursday’s Leaders’ Debate, and the subsequent sudden and entirely unexpected rise of the Lib Dems in the voting public’s affections; or whether it’s down to the eruption of the Icelandic volcano and the travel chaos that has since ensued, but believe it or not there’s actually very little to update you on as far as sexist shite* coverage of the election campaign goes.**
It’s bizarre I know, but it seems the meeja may have finally woken up to the fact that it needs to focus on more important things than what Sarah or “SamCam” have been wearing. It may have finally got the message that people are tired/bored/thoughly pissed off with reading superficial nonsense about the latest “Cameron cutie” or about which party leader so-called “Lambrini Ladies” would prefer to snog.
But whatever the cause of this abrupt about-turn in the election coverage, whether it’s Clegg or Eyjafjallajokull, I can honestly say, hand on heart, that I for one am immensely grateful. In fact I’ll be glad if I never have to write another election sexism post again.
I really hope I’m not being unduly optimistic here, counting my chickens before they’re hatched and all that. After all, there’s still a couple of weeks to go. But if things do carry on the way they have over the past few days, it looks as though my job here might actually be done.
Fingers crossed!
**Apart from The Daily Mail obviously, which will no doubt continue with its sexist shite coverage right up to polling day and beyond.
Here, for example, is Jan Moir on Cherie Blair:
“Just when the Labour Party start to claw back the Tory lead in the polls and entertain the idea that they might win again - enter the dragon.
Almost three years to the day since she left Downing Street for the last time, cackling to the British media that she would not miss them….”
And here’s Liz Jones being, well, Liz Jones, and hating on everyone but Liz Jones:
“Never mind David Cameron’s face on that poster, his life is airbrushed. Married life is not like this.
And I can’t help but wonder what is being left undone while these women wander about the countryside wearing navy LK Bennett courts.
Can’t you see Sarah Brown’s brain whirring away, wondering if she put the dark wash in the dryer?”
Oh, and here’s The Sun. Talking gibberish. Prizes for anyone who can tell me what the fuck this headline even means:
Sam ‘n get it while it’s hot
*If you see any glaring examples of sexist shite during the General Election campaign that you think I may have missed, feel free to email them to me at cathryne_1999 at hotmail.co.uk
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Crossposted at Too Much to Say for Myself
Election sexism watch (episode 5)
by Cath ElliottThe Ellie Gellard edition.
This was the week when, much to the collective faux outrage of the tabloids, the young woman who was tasked with the job of introducing Gordon Brown at the launch of Labour’s manifesto, was discovered to have written something once on the Internet that wasn’t entirely supportive of him. “How very dare she!” frothed the hacks (and the right-wing bloggers), as they all worked furiously to try and spin a story out of sweet FA. “Quick everyone, to her Facebook page, let’s see what else we can turn up!”
Here’s the Mail’s first take on the non-story:
The Stillettoed Socialist: Brown introduced by glamorous Labour activist…who didn’t even want him to be PM
“The glamorous activist who introduced Labour’s manifesto has previously called for the violent death of Margaret Thatcher and for Gordon Brown to be removed as Prime Minister.”
And here’s their second shot at it, again by Kirsty Walker, but 12 hours later and with that spelling error sorted out :
The glamorous “Stilettoed Socialist” who said: Gordon Brown must go
“A glamorous young activist who introduced Mr Brown to the crowd at Labour’s manifesto launch in Birmingham has previously called for him to be removed as Prime Minister, and for the violent death of Baroness Thatcher.”
And here’s the Sun:
Brown, get your coat
“THE glamorous blogger who gave a gushing introduction to Labour’s manifesto launch once called on Gordon Brown to QUIT, it emerged last night.”
Election sexism watch (episode 4)
by Cath ElliottIt looks like it’s not just the Mail and the rest of the tabloids that are having a problem with how to refer to Miriam González Durántez. Here’s what the Times has to say about her for example:
“She is the wife of a politician, emphatically not a politician’s wife.”
“Excellent”, you’re probably thinking, “that’s more like it.”
And indeed it would be, if only someone hadn’t decided to title the piece:
Winning the vote, Nick Clegg’s wife is getting on with working life
And if the writers of the above quote hadn’t gone on to say:
“She is the wife of a politician, emphatically not a politician’s wife. Miriam González Durántez — Mrs Nick Clegg — has proved to be a huge election asset to the Liberal Democrat leader, simply by staying away.”
Election sexism watch (episode 3)
by Cath ElliottBloody hell, I hadn’t envisaged there’d be enough of this sexist shite* to fill up a fresh blog post every sodding day! Ah well, here we go with episode 3 then….
Much to the combined frustration of just about everyone everywhere (well okay, me and some of my friends, and the handful of people who read this blog) the Mail is still banging on about the (mythical, entirely invented by journos) “war of the wives”.
First up it’s Jan Moir, who appears to have landed the role as the Mail’s principal “first wives” correspondent:
War of the wives: Sam goes solo…but did she really need to call on Daddy?
“Of course, Tory wives have never seen a Tory wife quite like Sam. No wonder the grassroots matrons disapprove of her and her fancy Notting Hill ways.
Out on the stump yesterday, Mrs Cameron’s dress-down outfit of skinny jeans and cotton jacket spoke of the high street and affordability, not of privilege and expense. Or twin sets and blue rinses.
That won’t have gone down well with the old guard. And traditionally, Tory wives are there to make the sandwiches and keep their opinions to themselves.”
Election sexism watch (episode 2)
by Cath ElliottI was sort of hoping I’d set myself a difficult task in looking for evidence of sexist shite* in this election campaign: what with it being 2010 and all. But it turns out I couldn’t have been more wrong. It’s everywhere.
Here’s Amanda Platell in today’s Mail:
Have Cameron’s cuties really got what it takes to transform politics?
As a study of female ambition it’s worthy of a Vanity Fair picture spread: the Tories proudly parading their latest clutch of female candidates in a glossy photoshoot.
These are Dave’s Dolls, the real women he’s promoted and, in some cases, selected, to fight and win safe Conservative seats in the General Election. And what a fascinating bunch they are. No twin sets and pearls here.
Some blue blood, but not a blue rinse in sight, they are his new fighting force; the secret weapon with which he believes he will win the war.
Cameron’s cuties, Dave’s dolls: Amanda Platell is Shakespeare and I claim my 5 groats!
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