@sybann: Agreed. The more moral outrage the radical right spends now on behalf of their beloved icon, the less spending power it'll have come 2012. She may have succeeded in keeping her name in the spotlights but she's pissing people off left and right and spending vast reserves of her severely limited cachet. So let's get all the entertainment and easy outrage we can out of her before she flames out or just ends up taking a cushy job on fox and becoming another Coulter clone.
I love Jezebel, but things are REALLY all-Palin-all-the time arond here recently. There are SIX stories about her on the first page of Jezebel right now.
"Good To Know: Sarah Palin Believes In Racial Profiling, Glenn Beck "
"Sarah Palin: Media Sideshow, Or Viable Candidate?
"Palinizing" Prejean, Prejeanizing Palin: Two Conservative Women Look Out For #1
Palin Admits She's A "Quitter," Never Went To Hockey Games
Contest: Your Turn To Go Rogue
and this one.
Can we please stop giving her the attention she so desperately wants and move on?
@SlappySquirrel: THANK YOU. I mean hello, she LOST the election and we're not getting 6 stories per day about McCain. I am starting the slow clap in your honor.
@HannahBethD: I just don't get why so much is written about her in the first place. There isn't much to be said that hasn't been said already.
It really saddened me yesterday when I saw that there were hundreds of comments (and yeah, I contributed one) on the Newsweek thing when there were less than 30 on the latest healthcare/abortion update.
I think I'm going to to stop clicking/commenting on these posts. I think we ALL have better things to do with our lives than waste another moment on this woman.
"I think it’s the perfect image for the cover. Why? Because the title of the article is "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Sarah?" And behold, the problem. She has no boundaries, and no concept of how she is perceived by others, or why no governor should pose in short shorts, leaning on a flag in front of a blue star banner with a bumpit and makeup for a photo that makes her look like a cupcake."
Seriously? It isn't like they used the photoshopped image of her in the American flag bikini with the rifle. She POSED for this photo, and I think allowing her to be the victim in a situation she was complicit in creating gives her too much credence. She claims sexism when it is convenient to her, and embraces feminism only when it suits her. She has done NOTHING to forward the progress of women in politics or society. Her appeal (and most of the vitriol directed towards her, too) has to do with the way she has sold her personality and her personal life; her politics have always been on the back burner of her image.
To me, this photo is quintessentially Palin: she is front and center, in full beauty queen mode, with the American flag draped lazily and forgotten behind her. It might have been slightly more fitting if she was, like, stepping on the flag, but kudos to the photographer for capturing the hollowness behind the shit-eating grin.
The first thing that strikes me when I look at this photo is how fake, manipulated, and just plain ridiculous (jogging outfit? in an office? with the flag? and what the hell is she holding?) it is, just like its subject.
I subscribe to Newsweek. And I was taken aback when I saw this cover. I'm not a supporter of Palin or her politics -- but this is a sexist cover. Would Newsweek have chosen cover in this style of they were writing about Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's political future? Using the this-is-not-sexist line of thinking, it would be okay to show Arnold oiled up and sporting a banana hammock at one of his old bodybuilding competitions.
As a feminist, I despite treating any woman like a slice of cheesecake. That is precisely what Newsweek has done here. #sarahpalin
Has Sarah Palin not yet learned that the more she talks, the faster her approval ratings drop?
We were talking about her at work today, and every single one of us in my pod - and we run the political gamut, too - thinks she is whiny and obnoxious. And it's not because she's a woman, either. It's because she cries foul at every piece of criticism lobbed her way, whether its valid or not.
Being high-profile doesn't mean everyone loves you all the time. That's part of what sucks about being famous - everyone has an opinion about you, and not all of them are going to be nice. #sarahpalinbarbarawaltersbullcr...
I'm sorry, I just don't get the outrage here. I don't think the fact that she's wearing running shorts equates to objectifying her body at all. She doesn't even appear particularly sexy in this photo, she looks sporty (albeit obviously made up for the photo shoot) and casual. She has always tried to portray herself as a casual, "regular" person, so what's the problem here? I've said before that she faced the same kind of sexism that Hillary Clinton did during the campaign, and defended her against that, but I just don't see the sexism here. Honestly, I'm more offended by the flag being draped over that chair and Palin leaning on it. #sarahpalin
@bookling: But this is the thing- why THAT photo, out of all of the millions of them around?
They don't just pull whatever photo is at hand and slap it on the cover. Every decision is carefully considered by a group of people. So why did they choose one of her wearing running shorts instead of a suit? Or if they wanted something casual, why not of her in jeans or something? #sarahpalin
@whynotshesaid: Would it have been un-sexist if they had chosen a picture or her in a suit or in jeans? Just because she'd be showing less skin? It's not like she's wearing lingerie in this picture; she's wearing sportswear.
Why this photo? I don't know, and I'd certainly be interested in hearing what reason Newsweek gives. I just don't think they chose this photo because it's "sexy" to sell more issues. #sarahpalin
@bookling: I imagine there are three possibilitiesd - to undermine her as a serious person (which isn't freaking hard to do, just let her talk for five minutes without interruption), or to appeal to the part of the potential audience that finds her sexy, or to stir up shit and sell magazines. Possibly all three.
There are so many politicians who have posed for that feature in Runners World, and "the hottest governor from the coldest state" is the only one whose photo has appeared on the cover of a major newsweekly. I do not think that is a coincidence. #sarahpalin
@bookling: The thing is, Newsweek is a professional and business magazine. Usually the people on the cover are people of power and respect. As a result, they are usually portrayed as such on the cover. As much as I dislike Sarah Palin, she is still a powerful voice in this nation, and deserves respect as a woman and as a public figure. This picture paints her to be a typical "girlie girl" with her running suit on and her hair and make up done to the nine's. I feel like if Hilary Clinton had been on the cover, or Nancy Pelosi, they'd be in a power suit, perhaps shot from below to enhance how strong and independent they are. And yet, with Sarah, we get her doing a beauty pose in a track suit. #sarahpalin
@DearJamie: That's exactly it, though. They would put Clinton or Pelosi on the cover looking respectable because they are serious politicians. Palin, on the other hand, has proven over and over again how ridiculous she is. It seems to me that Newsweek is making a statement about Palin, not about women, because there are obviously many women that they do represent respectfully. #sarahpalin
The thing is, you might not like her, I don't, but she's still a woman and she still deserves to be treated as more than a side of beef. It's not on women to make ourselves "worthy" of mens respect by dressing in proper patriarchy approved clothing at all times. It should be on men to respect us as equals.
@bluebears: Hm. I guess I'm still not sure how the cover equates to her being viewed as a side of beef. It seems to be a combination of factors in this photograph that make her seem less than serious, but I'm still not sure that equals sexism. She's pissed because Newsweek isn't taking her opinions seriously, but I don't really think she's pissed because there is a picture out there of her in running shorts. I mean, I'm mad they made this choice only because it gave her another reason to "call out" the media on how poorly she's been treated. Is it the juxtaposition of headline and picture that bother you or the picture in and of itself? #sarahpalin
@boring diatribes: It's the picture, taken out of its proper context in a RUNNING magazine. As I mentioned downthread several other politicians have been photographed in running gear for this magazine (GWB even appeared on the cover) and Newsweek has NEVER reprinted those pictures to use in a serious non-running related news story. If they did this to male politicians then that would be another story. But they don't and they never would because men are to be taken seriously and women are to be denigrated. Don't you see how disrespectful this is towards ALL women in politics not just Sarah Palin?
@bluebears: YES. I don't like this entire paragraph:
First things first: Sarah Palin chose to pose for these photos in Runner's World. Yes, her commitment to exercise is proven and admirable. But she had to have known by then that the cheerleader-esque photos could be used against her. ... Palin's red pumps may have been disproportionate, but she still sent a message by choosing them.
WHAT? Are we really blaming Palin for this cover because she posed for another publication for another reason? I mean, I bet she once wore a low-cut cocktail dress on a date with her husband. Maybe even FM pumps. Does that make it her fault if a photo of that date night is used to illustrate an interview with her? Must she go jogging in a burka to "protect herself" for this kind of undermining?
We need to stop accepting that women's clothing choices are relevant in sexist behavior against them. It's one thing to expect professional dress in a work setting. But it's another to victim blame with that tired old "But what was she wearing?" defense. We are entirely too quick to tell women they "had to have known" they were going to be degraded and start acknowledging those really responsible. #sarahpalin
@bluebears: I don't know, that's why I was seriously asking. Like I said downthread as well, it's hard for me to defend her as a typical politician or compare her to other female politicians because she's NOT typical. I really don't see how this is disrespectful to all women in politics because not all women in politics are currently out doing Oprah to promote their new books. (None of my female political idols have dropped their titles in order to write books so once again, it's hard to say). I also think it's not really our place to say what they would "never" do to a male politician--we can say what has been done but to say what never will be done? I guess I don't see this the same way you do; I see it as her being shown as the ridiculous, famewhore that she is, and you see her as a side of meat being denigrated. #sarahpalin
@boring diatribes: Well many former female politicians have wrote books and appeared on Oprah (or similar shows) to promote them so I really fail to grasp your point. I'm confused as to why you believe that using a photo she used for a shoot with a runners magazine perfectly illustrates her as a "ridiculous famewhore." #sarahpalin
@bluebears: The thing is, she has done nothing to warrant being taken seriously. She has done nothing to make me think that this picture is anything different than the image she has tried to portray. What exactly am I supposed to be taking seriously that this picture is out of line? We should assume respect for her and hypocritical opinions BECAUSE she's a woman? She chose not to be Governor anymore, and she chose to write a book about the "inside" world of her campaign and life. What exactly is Newsweek undermining here?
We're talking about one particular person who has made many choices about her image and her beliefs. I'm not granting her legitimacy just because she's a lady; I'm not isolating this and refusing to consider its context just because she's wearing shorts. #sarahpalin
@lisas: PREACH. When we have two standards, one for HRC and one for Palin, we give the Limbaughs of this world an exposed weakness to jump on. Rarely has this been more clear than during the 08 campaigns. #sarahpalin
@JerseyGrrrl: Thirded, so if we ever wear shorts and not baggy pants to run those photos can and SHOULD be used in the context of discussing our political beliefs. Just think if someone used a risque photo of you when discussing your work how demeaned you would feel. #sarahpalin
@boring diatribes: I'm not talking about you respecting her. I could care less if you respect her, I certainly don't. I'm talking about a major news publications obvious sexism and double standards. #sarahpalin
@bluebears: Me too. I always feel like I end up defending Palin in discussions, but it's because I refuse to have a second standard of treatment for women whose opinions I disagree with. I feel like the best way to make the case to anti-feminist women that they're missing something is to demonstrate just what that something is. And in Palin's case, it's acknowledgment of and outspoken defense against the sexism she's encountered.
And, as you point out and I love, this cover is about more than just Palin. It's bigger than that. #sarahpalin
@JerseyGrrrl: thank you for saying that and for understanding. honestly it seems so obvious to me, if they can denigrate one woman they can denigrate any woman. I would never call Palin a feminist but she is a woman and she does have the right to equal treatment. #sarahpalin
@bluebears: You're right. I recant. I hope that this scandal and OBVIOUS sexism help her get that talk show she's after. She just wants her political opinions to be heard! Maybe Prejean can co-host. #sarahpalin
@boring diatribes: I see your take on this as similar to those who accuse Rev. Al Sharpton of only wanting press when he brings racism to light. Whether or not people are using scandal to their own ends is always debatable, but it doesn't diminish the importance of bringing attention to poor treatment of marginalized groups.
I feel like you may be thinking Sarah Palin has "cried wolf" too many times (despite her notoriously saying she didn't face sexism in the workplace [Hmmm...]), but you should be able to see why this cover is truly problematic. #sarahpalin
@JerseyGrrrl: I had a problem with that section of the post too. It smacks of slut-shaming. She's a runner. She runs in shorts. She posed in said shorts in a magazine for runners. It's not like she showed up in her jogging clothes during her visit to the UN.
I keep forgetting -- it's only sexist if the woman who's being targeted agrees with our politics. This is especially fitting for a site JUST YESTERDAY posted a story about how trite it was for Vogue to question Secretary Clinton about her clothing choices. [jezebel.com]#sarahpalin
I think it showed a huge lapse in judgment when she posed for those pictures, and THIS ONE in particular. She was this sitting governor of Alaska at the time. This pic was taken in her office. Why on Earth you take a picture there, in huge prom hairdo, shiny hose, pageant pose, holding a trophy and with the American flag next to it? Had I been her PR person, I would not have allowed it.
This cover picture - to me- makes sense as part of the Newsweek headline ("How to you solve a problem like Sarah?") . On one hand, she wants us to take her seriously. On the other, she keeps pulling stunts like this.
You know what this reminds me of? The pictures of Rep. Jeff Flake, the guy who spent a week in a deserted island. Also beefcakey, and also giving us voters a reason to not take him seriously.
Edited by Little Green Frog (Wise Latina) at 11/17/09 2:23 PM
Little Green Frog (Wise Latina) was starred
Little Green Frog (Wise Latina) was unstarred
Edited by Little Green Frog (Wise Latina) at 11/17/09 2:44 PM
Little Green Frog (Wise Latina) was starred
Little Green Frog (Wise Latina) was unstarred
@Little Green Frog (Wise Latina): Here is the beefcake (that's even the title of the post): [www.thedailybeast.com]
Is this sexism too? I would say yes. But my question is, should I take him seriously when he himself is promoting this? (as SP agreed to the interview and staged photo shoot). It's conflicting. #sarahpalin
@Little Green Frog (Wise Latina): First of all people keep mentioning hose and I have the actual issue and it looks like bare legs to me but whatever who even cares. I fail to see why the manner in which she's posed should even make a difference in Newsweek using the photo, their use of the photo would still be totally irrelevant and unexpected. #sarahpalin
I too have seen the actual magazine and feel like I'm going crazy when people mention pantyhose. Maybe I have crazy shiny legs but they look like bare legs to me. Maybe with lotion on. #sarahpalin
@Katxyz: Ok, fine, when I saw the magazine it looked to me like she was wearing hose. Let's all agree that they look unnaturally shiny. Either hose or lotion or baby oil to enhance them.
Still, my takeaway from the cover is she wants to be taken seriously, but she agrees to pics STAGED like this (can you imagine M Obama, C Rice or H Clinton doing it? No!!). This was not an impromptu pic like Patterson's, or Obama at the beach (the pose! the flag!). She keeps saying "leave my kids out of it", but she brings them to Oprah. She says that she could have aborted the baby in LA, but wants no choice for anyone else. She lobbies for the bridge in Alaska, but then rewrites her version as "thanks but no thanks". She brings Levi into the spotlight and then acts like she's never met him.
This pic presents in a shocking graphic form a SP that wants to have her cake and eat it too.
PS: for the record, I don't particularly like Newsweek anyway, but I cannot stand SP. #sarahpalin
@Little Green Frog (Wise Latina): Thank you! I also saw this cover as making a point of contrasts, not trying to over-sexualize her or demean her. I think that she is attacking this cover for the same reason she did the extreme close up (which was denounced for being unflattering when it portrayed her as many other leaders have been portrayed) - she's upset about the content of the story and this is an easier attack. #sarahpalin
I would like to agree with Sarah about the fact that this an obviously sexist cover. But, she made it clear during the election that I am not a "real American," and I don't think that she would appreciate someone like me agreeing with her. #sarahpalin
11/18/09
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11/18/09
We must always remember this woman exists, and can wreak havoc. No matter what she makes herself into in 2012.
*shudder*
11/18/09
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#tips
11/18/09
Before people get all bent outta shape about the wall-to-wall coverage - remember ABSENCE makes the heart grow fonder. *wink*
You betcha!
11/18/09
I'll shut up now.
11/18/09
11/18/09
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11/18/09
11/18/09
Absence makes the heart grow fonder,
Questions make the mind go ponder.
It is deep.
11/18/09
"Good To Know: Sarah Palin Believes In Racial Profiling, Glenn Beck "
"Sarah Palin: Media Sideshow, Or Viable Candidate?
"Palinizing" Prejean, Prejeanizing Palin: Two Conservative Women Look Out For #1
Palin Admits She's A "Quitter," Never Went To Hockey Games
Contest: Your Turn To Go Rogue
and this one.
Can we please stop giving her the attention she so desperately wants and move on?
11/18/09
11/18/09
Judge Judy springs to mind. But even for her, six seems excessive.
11/18/09
11/18/09
11/18/09
Of course, but if the writers weren't writing about Palin, they might use that time to write about something awesome.
11/18/09
It really saddened me yesterday when I saw that there were hundreds of comments (and yeah, I contributed one) on the Newsweek thing when there were less than 30 on the latest healthcare/abortion update.
I think I'm going to to stop clicking/commenting on these posts. I think we ALL have better things to do with our lives than waste another moment on this woman.
11/18/09
"I think it’s the perfect image for the cover. Why? Because the title of the article is "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Sarah?" And behold, the problem. She has no boundaries, and no concept of how she is perceived by others, or why no governor should pose in short shorts, leaning on a flag in front of a blue star banner with a bumpit and makeup for a photo that makes her look like a cupcake."
THE END. #sarahpalin
11/18/09
To me, this photo is quintessentially Palin: she is front and center, in full beauty queen mode, with the American flag draped lazily and forgotten behind her. It might have been slightly more fitting if she was, like, stepping on the flag, but kudos to the photographer for capturing the hollowness behind the shit-eating grin.
The first thing that strikes me when I look at this photo is how fake, manipulated, and just plain ridiculous (jogging outfit? in an office? with the flag? and what the hell is she holding?) it is, just like its subject.
11/17/09
As a feminist, I despite treating any woman like a slice of cheesecake. That is precisely what Newsweek has done here. #sarahpalin
11/17/09
We were talking about her at work today, and every single one of us in my pod - and we run the political gamut, too - thinks she is whiny and obnoxious. And it's not because she's a woman, either. It's because she cries foul at every piece of criticism lobbed her way, whether its valid or not.
Being high-profile doesn't mean everyone loves you all the time. That's part of what sucks about being famous - everyone has an opinion about you, and not all of them are going to be nice. #sarahpalinbarbarawaltersbullcr...
11/17/09
11/17/09
They don't just pull whatever photo is at hand and slap it on the cover. Every decision is carefully considered by a group of people. So why did they choose one of her wearing running shorts instead of a suit? Or if they wanted something casual, why not of her in jeans or something? #sarahpalin
11/17/09
Why this photo? I don't know, and I'd certainly be interested in hearing what reason Newsweek gives. I just don't think they chose this photo because it's "sexy" to sell more issues. #sarahpalin
11/17/09
There are so many politicians who have posed for that feature in Runners World, and "the hottest governor from the coldest state" is the only one whose photo has appeared on the cover of a major newsweekly. I do not think that is a coincidence. #sarahpalin
11/17/09
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First things first: Sarah Palin chose to pose for these photos in Runner's World. Yes, her commitment to exercise is proven and admirable. But she had to have known by then that the cheerleader-esque photos could be used against her. ... Palin's red pumps may have been disproportionate, but she still sent a message by choosing them.
WHAT? Are we really blaming Palin for this cover because she posed for another publication for another reason? I mean, I bet she once wore a low-cut cocktail dress on a date with her husband. Maybe even FM pumps. Does that make it her fault if a photo of that date night is used to illustrate an interview with her? Must she go jogging in a burka to "protect herself" for this kind of undermining?
We need to stop accepting that women's clothing choices are relevant in sexist behavior against them. It's one thing to expect professional dress in a work setting. But it's another to victim blame with that tired old "But what was she wearing?" defense. We are entirely too quick to tell women they "had to have known" they were going to be degraded and start acknowledging those really responsible. #sarahpalin
11/17/09
11/17/09
11/17/09
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11/17/09
We're talking about one particular person who has made many choices about her image and her beliefs. I'm not granting her legitimacy just because she's a lady; I'm not isolating this and refusing to consider its context just because she's wearing shorts. #sarahpalin
11/17/09
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And, as you point out and I love, this cover is about more than just Palin. It's bigger than that. #sarahpalin
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11/17/09
Lets all accept misogyny when directed to women we don't like, that will really help women as a whole. See? I can be sarcastic too!!
11/17/09
I feel like you may be thinking Sarah Palin has "cried wolf" too many times (despite her notoriously saying she didn't face sexism in the workplace [Hmmm...]), but you should be able to see why this cover is truly problematic. #sarahpalin
11/17/09
I keep forgetting -- it's only sexist if the woman who's being targeted agrees with our politics. This is especially fitting for a site JUST YESTERDAY posted a story about how trite it was for Vogue to question Secretary Clinton about her clothing choices. [jezebel.com] #sarahpalin
11/17/09
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11/17/09
This cover picture - to me- makes sense as part of the Newsweek headline ("How to you solve a problem like Sarah?") . On one hand, she wants us to take her seriously. On the other, she keeps pulling stunts like this.
You know what this reminds me of? The pictures of Rep. Jeff Flake, the guy who spent a week in a deserted island. Also beefcakey, and also giving us voters a reason to not take him seriously.
11/17/09
@Little Green Frog (Wise Latina): I posted this downthread #sarahpalin
11/17/09
If she looked like she just came from a run, that photo wouldn't have given me heartburn when I saw it in Runner's World.
(re:Patterson, whew, that pic almost shows things no one wants to see, or at least I don't)
11/17/09
@Little Green Frog (Wise Latina): Here is the beefcake (that's even the title of the post):
[www.thedailybeast.com]
Is this sexism too? I would say yes. But my question is, should I take him seriously when he himself is promoting this? (as SP agreed to the interview and staged photo shoot). It's conflicting. #sarahpalin
11/17/09
11/17/09
I too have seen the actual magazine and feel like I'm going crazy when people mention pantyhose. Maybe I have crazy shiny legs but they look like bare legs to me. Maybe with lotion on. #sarahpalin
11/17/09
Still, my takeaway from the cover is she wants to be taken seriously, but she agrees to pics STAGED like this (can you imagine M Obama, C Rice or H Clinton doing it? No!!). This was not an impromptu pic like Patterson's, or Obama at the beach (the pose! the flag!). She keeps saying "leave my kids out of it", but she brings them to Oprah. She says that she could have aborted the baby in LA, but wants no choice for anyone else. She lobbies for the bridge in Alaska, but then rewrites her version as "thanks but no thanks". She brings Levi into the spotlight and then acts like she's never met him.
This pic presents in a shocking graphic form a SP that wants to have her cake and eat it too.
PS: for the record, I don't particularly like Newsweek anyway, but I cannot stand SP. #sarahpalin
11/17/09
11/17/09
I thought that's what you said. I haven't slept in more than a year by the way, just because of that, because I'm trying to work harder. #sarahpalin
11/17/09