my feminist rant of the moment
Nothing draws you in like the promise of a feminist rant, am I right?
I hate myself for responding to this, but I must. Please, let me refer you to Maxim's 5 Unsexiest Women Alive list, which includes (in descending order): Britney Spears, Madonna, Sandra Oh, Amy Winehouse, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
I'd love to counter with a list of Maxim's 5 Douchiest Editors, but how to narrow the field? So instead, let me say this:
Substance abuse and possible mental issues aside (which, upon consideration, makes this list even worse), these are five incredibly talented and successful women. Women who, as far as I can tell, have the following faults: aging, gaining weight, losing weight, having opinions, and giving birth.
Apparently, in the middle of living their lives, they stopped being worthy of wearing hot pants and a push-up bra in some over-airbrushed Maxim cover, and landed on this list.
How ridiculous is it that we ask these women to not only sing, act, dance, and make millions as industry moguls but to also fulfill "our" ideals of what "sexy" is? And who sets those ideals? Because Madonna is frakkin' sexy for a 49-year-old mom, and I am not just saying that because she could beat me up. And Sandra Oh? As in, Golden Globe award-winning, Emmy-nominated, amazing actress Sandra Oh? Are you kidding me? (btw -- cliff notes version of this post = "Are you kiddng me?").
I suppose this means I should be angry about any list that involves a woman's sexiness. But I'm not (and that's what makes this such a reasonable feminist rant, if I do say so myself), because unless that list reduces the women honored on it simply to the sum of their physical features, it's okay -- being sexy is okay. This, on the other hand, is just mean-spirited. Worse? It's mean-spirited without even coming close to being funny.
And you are welcome, Maxim, for the very minor increase in traffic. Douches.
Maxim is mean-spirited? Lies! I'll never believe it!
It wouldn't have been so bad if they had just stuck with women who are insanely annoying fame whores - Britney Spears and Madonna both qualify - but I agree that the Sandra Oh and Amy Winehouse picks were just because they have horse faces, which is mean. And I'm not sure where they got the Sarah Jessica Parker one. She doesn't look all that bad.
Posted by: Paul | October 11, 2007 at 12:11 PM
Speaking of reasons to go on a feminist rampage...
Did you see this little gem about Robinov decreeing that Warner Brothers will no longer produce movies that feature female leads?
Awesome.
Posted by: amandarin | October 11, 2007 at 03:49 PM
Preach on, sista. Amen!
Posted by: Megan | October 11, 2007 at 09:48 PM
Rock on with your pissed off self. You speak truth.
Posted by: Elizabeth McQuern | October 17, 2007 at 12:03 PM
Megan,
This has nothing to do with your feminist rant. I just wanted to say I've seen the DVD!! Being the narcissist that I am it was WONDERFUL!! I was very excited and flattered to see that you were ME on the LAV's. hee hee. Hope you're well. Feel free to e-mail me anytime. I got rid of my myspace.
See ya.
Celia
oink
Posted by: | October 18, 2007 at 08:49 AM
Would it be okay to relabel the list "Boner Killers '07"?
Posted by: Showboat | October 31, 2007 at 03:04 PM