Okay, NOW it’s sexism?: Ms. and the Obama New Yorker Cover
SIGH…I’m kinda exhausted from talking about the now-infamous New Yorker cover (no direct links to pics, y’all all know what the hell it looks like) at this point. I recommend that any readers who would like to join a REALLY interesting discussion about it read AJ Plaid’s cross-post and comments. (Also, she is fabulous - do yourself a favor and check out her blog. Yes, that was yet another plug.)
But I wanted to take a moment to explore what has to be one of the oddest tangental riffs EVER. I’m talking about Ms. magazine’s coverage of the feminist outcry over the New Yorker cover. This was brought to my attention by a friend of mine (a White anti-racist and feminist activist) who sent an e-mail to a group of similarly-minded friends asking us to explain to her how the cover was blatantly sexist. I was confused about the angle too, but then it dawned on me that feminists of color in general (and Black feminists in particular) have been outraged for months about some White feminists deafening silence in regards to the conflation of racism and sexism in attacks against Michelle Obama. I guess the idea is to show that they’re coming around. The vehemence of the reaction to the cover reminds me of one of my favorite slapstick film cliches: the person who has fallen asleep in their chair during a stage performance is startled awake, and - still dazed and not completely aware of what is happening around them - applauds the performance vigorously.
No one around them is fooled.
Mmmm-hmmmm.
Tags: Racism, Obama, Controversy, sexism, Fhat the wuck, Stereotypes, Taking off my earrings..., The New Yorker, Satire my ass
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July 18, 2008 at 10:26 am
Hey you–
Wow, thanks for the endorsement, luvie!
::hugs::
And count on Ms. to come in all late, and not even fashionably, either. ::Eyeroll::
–Abrazos,
AJ
July 18, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Exactly the feminots movement is now all about SHOW and not one thing real anymore so there ‘outrage’ such as it is is phony and worthless and hate to get off topic but kudos to you for your comment on Bernie Mac. It reallllly gets on my nerves how black females can whine FOREVER about ‘misogynist’ rappers but black comedians who spew MUCH hate towards black women get a free pass if you are not going to attack everybody you shouldn’t attack anybody.
July 19, 2008 at 10:43 am
@The Cruel Secretary: It is an honor and a pleasure to introduce you to my readers. You are faboo. Oh, and about Ms.: I wholeheartedly second that eyeroll. Thanks for stopping by! @flabbyabby: EXACTLY! It’s like framing an insult as a cheap joke makes it okay. I did not mean to go off like that on Racialicious, but that shit just pissed me off. Enough is enough is enough. Thanks for commenting!