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Sexism is still sexism when it doesn't make the news Sexism is still sexism when it doesn't make the news
(5 days later)
A Texas advertising company, trying to prove how realistic the stickers they make for the backs of trucks could be, decided that the best possible way to prove it, was to create one that appeared to show a kidnapped woman tied up and lying in the back. Owner Brad Kolb told Texas news station KWTX that: "It was more or less something we put out there to see who noticed it." Because, really, what is violence against women if not a hilarious, attention-grabbing gimmick?A Texas advertising company, trying to prove how realistic the stickers they make for the backs of trucks could be, decided that the best possible way to prove it, was to create one that appeared to show a kidnapped woman tied up and lying in the back. Owner Brad Kolb told Texas news station KWTX that: "It was more or less something we put out there to see who noticed it." Because, really, what is violence against women if not a hilarious, attention-grabbing gimmick?
KWTX later reported that Kolb burned the sticker after an angry public response, which can only make one wonder at what point people are finally going to realise that this level of sexism is unacceptable before they go through with it, rather than after taking it round the block a few times and gauging the response. There shouldn't need to be a backlash every time an incident like this occurs for people to realise that violence against women isn't a suitable marketing tool.KWTX later reported that Kolb burned the sticker after an angry public response, which can only make one wonder at what point people are finally going to realise that this level of sexism is unacceptable before they go through with it, rather than after taking it round the block a few times and gauging the response. There shouldn't need to be a backlash every time an incident like this occurs for people to realise that violence against women isn't a suitable marketing tool.
Examples such as this show just how ingrained sexism is in our society. Over at the Washington Post, Richard Cohen produced a column whose title alone pretty much says it all: "Miley Cyrus, Steubenville and Teen Culture Run Amok". Yes that's right folks, he did indeed conflate girls dancing and "teen culture" with the brutal rape and subsequent online abuse of a teenage girl. He goes on to discuss the New Yorker account of the Steubenville rapes, saying "Cyrus should read it" and later adds: "acts such as hers not only objectify women but debase them". Reading the piece, you can see that Cohen actually means to criticise the misogyny of teen culture, and the inhumane treatment of the Steubenville victim. But by laying the blame for this at the door of Cyrus, and implicitly, other teenage girls who choose to be confident in and explore their sexuality, he himself does exactly what he accuses Cyrus of – he deals a serious blow to the women's movement, or indeed, any movement towards justice for victims of rape.Examples such as this show just how ingrained sexism is in our society. Over at the Washington Post, Richard Cohen produced a column whose title alone pretty much says it all: "Miley Cyrus, Steubenville and Teen Culture Run Amok". Yes that's right folks, he did indeed conflate girls dancing and "teen culture" with the brutal rape and subsequent online abuse of a teenage girl. He goes on to discuss the New Yorker account of the Steubenville rapes, saying "Cyrus should read it" and later adds: "acts such as hers not only objectify women but debase them". Reading the piece, you can see that Cohen actually means to criticise the misogyny of teen culture, and the inhumane treatment of the Steubenville victim. But by laying the blame for this at the door of Cyrus, and implicitly, other teenage girls who choose to be confident in and explore their sexuality, he himself does exactly what he accuses Cyrus of – he deals a serious blow to the women's movement, or indeed, any movement towards justice for victims of rape.
And these were just the more high-profile sexist moments of the past seven-or-so days. This is without even going into the online columns tearing down Kate Middleton because "Since giving birth, the Duchess's hair has looked rather worse for wear". Without even mentioning the advert for HGV drivers that appeared on the massive online job website Reed, which not only precluded the possibility any woman might have the audacity to have the relevant licence and apply for the position, but was also entitled: "NEED TO GET MORE TIME AWAY FROM HER INDOORS??" It's without even going into the fact that attendees at the TechCrunch conference in San Fransisco had to sit through a presentation extolling the virtues of a new "Titstare" app. (Does what it says on the tin).And these were just the more high-profile sexist moments of the past seven-or-so days. This is without even going into the online columns tearing down Kate Middleton because "Since giving birth, the Duchess's hair has looked rather worse for wear". Without even mentioning the advert for HGV drivers that appeared on the massive online job website Reed, which not only precluded the possibility any woman might have the audacity to have the relevant licence and apply for the position, but was also entitled: "NEED TO GET MORE TIME AWAY FROM HER INDOORS??" It's without even going into the fact that attendees at the TechCrunch conference in San Fransisco had to sit through a presentation extolling the virtues of a new "Titstare" app. (Does what it says on the tin).
Yes, Reed removed the job advert after a barrage of complaints, yes, TechCrunch issued an apology, but once again the public acceptability of sexism meant these measures only came after the damage had already been done – when really, in 2013, these incidents shouldn't be happening in the first place.Yes, Reed removed the job advert after a barrage of complaints, yes, TechCrunch issued an apology, but once again the public acceptability of sexism meant these measures only came after the damage had already been done – when really, in 2013, these incidents shouldn't be happening in the first place.
Bear in mind, that these are just the stories you hear – the ones that make the news – they don't even begin to scratch the surface of the individual, daily battles women and girls are facing against insidious, normalised sexism. The stories that are reported to the Everyday Sexism Project in their thousands every single week. Like the woman who was excused from jury duty on a rape trial this week, only to have the barrister ask her to stay behind because it's "nice to have attractive ladies in court". Or the girls who simply wanted to walk home from school in their uniform, the youngest aged just 11, only to face beeps and catcalls and men shouting thoughtful advice such as "get back to school slag". The woman who struggled to get on her plane at the airport because she had entered her title as "Dr", and the booking system had automatically converted it to "Mr". The 16-year-old who was told "girls can't do science" in her chemistry class, and the woman who wanted to apply for a PhD but was told to "focus on getting your MRS degree first". And, most ironic of all, the woman who attended an oil conference that had both a stand to attract more women into the industry and a bevy of "bikini babes" wandering around aimlessly to attract male customers.Bear in mind, that these are just the stories you hear – the ones that make the news – they don't even begin to scratch the surface of the individual, daily battles women and girls are facing against insidious, normalised sexism. The stories that are reported to the Everyday Sexism Project in their thousands every single week. Like the woman who was excused from jury duty on a rape trial this week, only to have the barrister ask her to stay behind because it's "nice to have attractive ladies in court". Or the girls who simply wanted to walk home from school in their uniform, the youngest aged just 11, only to face beeps and catcalls and men shouting thoughtful advice such as "get back to school slag". The woman who struggled to get on her plane at the airport because she had entered her title as "Dr", and the booking system had automatically converted it to "Mr". The 16-year-old who was told "girls can't do science" in her chemistry class, and the woman who wanted to apply for a PhD but was told to "focus on getting your MRS degree first". And, most ironic of all, the woman who attended an oil conference that had both a stand to attract more women into the industry and a bevy of "bikini babes" wandering around aimlessly to attract male customers.
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