Over the last few days Stuff have inflicted those stupid enough to read it with an endless string excruciating stories about who John Key and Phil Goff find attractive.*
Key and Goff obviously playing a role, and communicating their support of a very particular model of sexual desire. For those who were slow on the culture narrative John Donegan spelt it out for us: "Those women who might be upset at his comments are obviously just disappointed they never made John Key's list and never will." The only reason women object to their role as the objects rather than the subjects of sexual desire is because they're not very good objects.
But I find it hard to care about that angle of the whole thing, because the Tony-fucking-Veitch-ness of this story enrages me.
Tony Veitch broke his girlfriend's back in four places. He was abusive and controlling during their relationship.
And the Prime Minister is prepared to go on his radio show every week, and make it clear that they share a worldview when it comes to women.
* And maybe it's just me, but there's something so weirdly generic about it all. Like they both went to google and entered "safely sexy celebrities". I guess it makes it clear how much discussion of celebrity crushes are often not actually about people's sexual desire, but statements of how they wish to appear to others. That's as true with Jezebel and Ryan Gosling as it is with this entirely painful conversation.
5 comments:
Tony Veitch broke his girlfriend's back in four places. He was abusive and controlling during their relationship.
I think there's quite a few people wonder if that was such a bad thing so as to get him fired, how come he's back on the radio.
He should be in jail.
You've been busy blogging a lot lately Maia,and very good stuff it is too. Hope you keep it up!
Yeah, I just want to say good posts - keep them up :)
I think I might have pissed off Stuff with my comment about the original article. Ever since then, none of my posts has been published.
As well as venting my spleen over the actual story, I also criticised Stuff for choosing the photos they did, accusing them of simply buying in to the same objectification that Key and Veitch seem so keen on.
In addition to the fact that Veitch is even in the public eye (or ear) still, even in addition to the fact that Key and Veitch had a good ol' chat about their fuck-lists, is the fact that the supposed leader of our country, the "man" who represents us at the highest level, allows himself to be seen like this, and by extension the rest of us as well.
aw thanks people. I should warn you that it probably shoulnd't last. I'm probably only posting as much as I am at hte moment because I'm not writing my thesis.
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