Monday 23 November 2009

Some days it's hard to be a feminist

Especially when the front of your local daily newspaper screams at you

Battle of the Babes

first thing on a Monday morning.

So what is this warlike event between infants of which the Herald speaks?

Could it be some kind of baby wrestling? Or perhaps there are now two competing brands of sugar babes which go through the rigours of taste testing with an intrepid group of journalists all searching inexorably for the truth of which should be the victor?

Nope, it's the possibility of Nikki Kaye (National) and Jacinda Ardern (Labour) both contesting Auckland Central at the next election. You'll note however that the Babe-Battle language is not mentioned online, oh no, that's just for those who get their newspaper on actual newspaper.

I roll my eyes, yet again, in the Herald's general direction.

5 comments:

stargazer said...

i know that you didn't mean it that way, but i'm really glad you're a feminist and able to call out this bullshit for what it is!

and it's going to be really depressing having this kind of coverage from now til right up to election day. while other campaigns will be focussed on policies or PR, just because we have 2 young women as candidates, this one is somehow supposed to be all about appearance. assh*les.

A Nonny Moose said...

I once had a friend ask me "So, you think that all candidates, politicians and media representatives should appear in the media wearing a brown paper bag on their head and we judge them on what they say alone?"

Sounds like a good idea to me.

Cactus Kate said...

Oh dear.

Anonymous said...

I bet Nikki Kaye holds the seat, and with ease. Same for Paula Bennett in Waitakere.

AnneE said...

Oh super. Just to make sure we don't take them, you know, seriously. Once over a certain age and they'll mysteriously morph suddenly from babes to battleaxes, exactly like the cartoons in my mother's 1950s Women's Weeklies.