The Double Edged Sword: Ageism and Sexism
On February 16, Don Lemon made a sexist remark about former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley's presidential candidacy on "CNN This Morning." Haley proposed that politicians above the age of 75 undergo mental competency testing when she announced her run for office.
51-year-old Haley, according to Lemon, "isn't in her prime." Lemon made the claim that a woman is only "considered to be in her prime in her 20s, 30s, and maybe 40s" in an effort to defend his position.
Comments like that are dangerous and adds to the notion that women lose worth as we get older. Ageism and sexism have combined effects on older women in many facets of life. They are reportedly more likely than men to experience ageism. They may experience combined prejudice in their ability to get jobs and what they are payed in those jobs.
Older workers are less likely to be hired by employers, particularly if they are women. Ageism and sexism coexist in the political sphere as well.
The Drudge Report published an undesirable photo of Hillary Clinton with the heading "Grandma Hillary," suggesting that she is too old to be president, after Hilary Clinton's daughter disclosed she was expecting a child.
We especially need the media to be aware in this day and age. We need journalists and editors to be aware of the various ways bias presents itself and to call it as it really is so that others might learn from it rather than perpetuating ageist ideology.
https://www.postandcourier.com/opinion/commentary/ageism-is-always-wrong-in-politics-and-the-workforce/article_a9754d32-2e1b-11e9-b12a-1fd073a17309.html
https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/20/media/don-lemon-cnn-this-morning/index.html#:~:text=Lemon%20attempted%20to%20support%20his,segment%20in%20the%20following%20hour.
It feels so bizarre to criticize Nikki Haley's policy by attacking her age, claiming she isn't in her "prime." Her policy proposal on mental competency tests are, obviously, a tactic to get people to talk about her, and there is so much merit to criticize that policy proposal based on its merits. Instead, unsurprisingly, a man will make sexist remarks about a woman rather than dissecting her ideas apart as they would a man. Don Lemon, a CNN anchor, has been criticized on the political right for being too "woke" or too "liberal". This instance just proves that misogyny exists across party lines, and no one is exempt from sexism.
ReplyDeleteThe media has such an impact on shaping/reinforcing attitudes and cultural norms. News anchors act as the portal to propaganda for the mass audience. I think because of these often controversial takes by news anchors, the public is aware of the bias and is less trustful of news anchors. The backlash against Don Lemon proves this case.
ReplyDeleteHey I thought you made a good post. And what a weird thing for him to say, I feel like that's a policy that most people would agree with but it just seems so weird to attack her in that away. And see what you mean by saying that women lose there value or that's what Lemon was implying, really nasty stuff.
ReplyDelete