So this morning, MSNBC has yet another "hot babe" newsreader, telling us all about the market. So besides "international super star" what's her name that Matthews and Scarborough drool over, now we have this new girl, Trish Reagan.
And, take a look at every female news reader, pundit on all of MSNBC, CNN and probably FOX.
"So what are you," some may ask, "jealous?"
My answer is over the fold (and I know you all, especially BiPM are waiting on pins and needles for my answer).
Am I jealous? Let me think. These are all young, extremely attractive young women who are "making it." Shouldn't I be happy that women are breaking into the male dominated biz?
I suspect maybe it's not jealousy.
Sure, what over sixty, average looking, average sized woman would not want to have those asset....looks, body and youth, easy entry into the world of fame and fortune? But that's not it.
It is the sexism. Let's be honest. In their own warped way, sick way, MSNBC plays the gender card all the time. While drooling, old, average looking Matthews accused Hillary of this (with his lies), it is actually his network doing it.
GENDER is an issue on the news programs.
As much as I am not thrilled with Katie Couric, she has taken a bigger hit over dismal ratings while Brian Williams gets no "responsibility" for even bigger losses at NBC.
But here's the real irritant for me. Why do networks get away with playing the ageism card ONLY for women; or the "looks matter" card, ONLY for women.
Look at the GE teams (NBC, MSNBC and CNBC). Not one of their male stars (Russert, Matthews, Williams, Carlson, Abrams, Scarborough) can even be considered remotely "hot." Sure, I love KO but if Keith were not the liberal intellectual, he would be, at best, just your average looking guy. In fact on the GE owned network, the men go from somewhat old and unattractive (Timmy, Buchanan) to at best average (Matthews, Scarborough,Carlson). I mean, why don't we, the women get to have a Clooney or a Brad as the pundit leads? Why aren't Russert and Matthews sent out to pasture, or Scarborough being told to get some plastic surgery?
But the women? None of them are average in any way. They are all young and above average in looks. If a woman does not look GREAT and young and beautiful, they are at best, occasionally invited to do a short report or a special on CNN.
So why does this bother me?
It's sexism. Women without drop dead gorgeous looks, perfect bodies, do not have a snowball's chance in hell of getting a gig in the news industry, no matter how bright, how intellectually superior they may be. No so with men. (Yes, I know it's also true in show biz in general. That does not make it any less unacceptable).
If people wonder why Matthews accusations of Hillary playing the gender card pushed a hot button with some of us, that is (just) one of the reasons. It is not freaking fair.
Our society has been playing the gender card all my life. It still is. And yes it still plays the race card. I just love when wingers (and some of the pundit shills) go batsh*t crazy over how that time, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson had used an ethnic slur against Jews, everytime institutionalized racism is acknowledged. Somehow their gaff, their insensitivity and stupidity is used to justify hundreds of years of racism with "see they do it too."
Same thing with the whole "gender card" game that was played out in the media recently and sadly here. Somehow, the "gotcha lie" on Hillary's visit to her alma mater is an "aha, see they do it too" and, for some, justifies or undoes or neutralizes the fact that gender is an issue in so many ways.
I don't know why I wrote this diary. Maybe MSNBC just pushed that button for me again. Or maybe I want to explain why many women, including myself and many of my friends, (even the ones for whom Hillary is not the first choice) do admit openly, the notion of a female president has a lot of appeal. No, we will not vote for Hillary just because she is a woman. It would be a cold day in hell before any of us would have even remotely considered a Libby Dole, or any other wingnut female. However, to us (and I know some here disagree which is their right) Hillary is a progressive, and has proven to us over the years she firmly supports many of the same causes we support. Women are no more monolithic than any other group. But we do share one thing. Many of us have been shut out of many things for many years because of our gender (whether outright sexism, or the ridiculous standards imposed on women: looks, body image, age not imposed on men).
This is my view and I am sticking to it.