The Public vs The Press!

Before the General Election, here in the United Kingdom, I featured a segment in a post about why voting matters; why as a female we should vote, which led to a feminist rant from me. After it being received quite well, I have decided to write a feminist orientated post, about how men and women are constantly victimized in the press, highlighting how our society revolves around attacking our people in the public eye showing how as a feminist, I support both the equality of men and women in the media. 

Just before I was writing this post, I was browsing a news website, a website which should become my homepage because every time without fail I log onto it just for browsing purposes.A website which I shall keep anonymous.  It’s a website that you would never believe into, it’s like listening to a toddler about what you should invest in for the future. You would listen to your 2 year child about the current exchange rates, the same as this website. 

The website love a photo, if you read the article then you’re wasting your time because most of their article has been copied and pasted from a previously written article. I will use my favorite celebrities as a way of demonstrating this point, firstly we have my true love if you like. Richard Hammond. For him, the Mail whether its related to an article or not they will mention his 2006 parking incident, the paper could be writing about a new pair of shoes he purchased or being spotted running, they’ll relate it to his accident. For example at the end of an article featuring his face, they should write 'oh yeah we forgot about this bit, lets chuck this in'. I know nothing to do feminism. I know but, then we have Kylie Minogue my icon; for her any article ends with a sentence about her failed relationships, now I am sorry but why should an article that has nothing to do with relationship be backed up with an article related to such dribble. Kylie’s worldwide success at touring and selling music should not be accredited to the male who is on her arm at events. He is bringing to her career, to what Id bring to her tour, unfortunately for me and fortunately for her, nothing. I cant sing as much as it hurts to admit such a flaw in my sass but its true. I would be no benefit to her on tour, like the particular male she is dating. Behind closed doors maybe, but career wise she has achieved her Global success on her own! The idea about women being recognized or just being wrote about because of their relationship at the time, was brought to my attention by Shonda Rhimes and her writing for my favorite TV series, Scandal. For one of her leading ladies, Shonda Rhimes had Abby Whelan played by Darby Stanchfield say these lines;

No, what happens to you happens to me.

I'm good at my job, Leo.

I am a lion up there.

I own that room.

I work for it.

I give a strong briefing.

And they write about that, they cover the news, and there are articles about how well I do at my job, but they also write about me.

If I wear lipstick, I'm dolled up.

If I don't, I've let myself go.

They wonder if I'm trying to bring dresses back, and they don't like it that I repeat outfits even though I'm on a government salary.

They discuss my hair color.

There are anonymous blogs that say I'm too skinny.

They have a running joke that I'm on a hunger strike - until I can be liberated by the Democrats.

Without bringing in such literary analysis, I will ask you this simple question, What is Shonda Rhimes the writer and creator of Scandal telling us? I’ll answer this for you, to save you worrying, that women in high powered positions are only recognized for their other halves. This soliloquy that Rhimes gave to the character of Abby is what gave me the springboard to go on a bit of an rant about the presentation of females but just a feminist rant.

The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton is another female I admire, but also is constantly picked apart for her appearance. I completely understand that being now a member of the Royal Family she will be scrutinized for her behaviour, but why should she be analysed for how she looks after giving birth. I was scrolling through the news feed and it reads ‘how does she look so slim 6 weeks after giving birth’ with pictures of her picking up Prince George in various positions, how unfair is this? So what if she has had the help of personal trainers every day, lucky her.  Why should we target our women in the public eye. All women reading this, will agree with me that whether we like or not we are destined to look like a catwalk model, but I suppose men feel this pressure too. Men and women are targeted everyday for their appearances and not living up to the expectations. We have women's magazines giving is a diary log of women in the public eye who have put on a few pounds and are in their bikinis on the beach. Now I am sorry but who cares? I don’t care whether Chantelle from Big Brother has eaten her body weight in Victoria Sponge. If she has that is her decision and it shouldn’t be the medias main focus. There have been thousands of lives lost over seas and all we could care about is the weight loss/gain for one our celebrities. And before you write in the comments that I am ignoring men, Im not because men deal with the same pressures. You all know how strongly I feel about the medias attention on ex-Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, if he decides to go on a family holiday abroad, he is papped for his gut hanging over his lower body. The headline reading ‘Top Gut’. This is no different to the attention that women face. Good Morning Britain anchor, Charlotte Hawkins faces the same back lash, she returned to the breakfast show this morning to face the press writing headlines focusing on her trim figure four months of maternity leave. Now I'm sorry, being a Mother is an act that I do not fancy anytime soon, I haven’t got an ounce of a maternal gene but I can guarantee that new Mothers are up and down picking up their off spring which can be substituted for a weight in the gym. Why should we be penalized for our appearance constantly in the press? 

Unfortunately I have run out of steam or ammo, for a longer post but I felt that I needed a rant, the sort of rant that I would go into in an A Level Sociology lesson.