'Enlightened Sexism' in Media Obscures Reality

[lexiconic]

In her latest book, Susan J. Douglas finds the treatment of women on TV is putting a haze over young women's awareness of sex discrimination. In real life, writers at Newsweek and NPR and business researchers are speaking out.

(WOMENSENEWS)--American women turn on the TV to prime-time dramas and see powerful mature women everywhere.

They are surgeons on "Grey's Anatomy," district attorneys on "Law and Order" and high-powered cops, lawyers and politicians. Katie Couric and Diane Sawyer anchor the newscast, often spotlighting Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's state visits. Television has even seen female presidents of the United States, something yet to be achieved in reality: Cherry Jones on "24" and Geena Davis on the short-lived "Commander-in-Chief."

Isn't that just so empowering?

No, says Susan J. Douglas in "Enlightened Sexism: The Seductive Message That Feminism's Work Is Done," published by Henry Holt this month.

Douglas says TV is such a powerful medium that it can shape people's real-world views, creating the false impression of equality. When that happens, the door is open to more sexism.

The implications of TV's take-charge women, she writes, is that sexism is dead, so now it's fair game to caricature and lampoon women as shrews and bimbos in fare such as "Real Housewives" and dating shows where women viciously vie for the favor of male contestants.

Douglas told Women's eNews she coined the term "enlightened sexism" when she began noticing a wedge between programming geared towards her cohort versus her students and daughter.

On one hand, there were highly successful, ambitious female characters. On the other, particularly in reality TV, there were young women who were "shallow, materialistic, obsessed with guys they barely knew, involved in cat fights."

On one hand, women had "made it." On the other, that idea was being exploited to put women back in their place. Neither extreme reflected what Douglas saw as women's actual lives, where inequalities are reflected in everything from the workplace to impossible beauty standards.

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[pbal]

Can someone explain to me how women having three terms of address versus men having only one is fair?

[lexiconic]

Mrs., Ms. or Miss: Addressing Modern Women

This quote says it all: "Twenty years later, when Ms. magazine was born, the editors explained, 'Ms. is being adopted as a standard form of address by women who want to be recognized as individuals, rather than being identified by their relationship with a man.' "

[pbal]

The quote says nothing. In a truly gender-neutral world, none of us would have to be recognized for anything beyond *who* we are, not *what* we are. It's a shame so many women are obsessed with gender in the name of equality. It's so, I dunno, sexist of them?

[beeker]

The quote says nothing. In a truly gender-neutral world, none of us would have to be recognized for anything beyond *who* we are, not *what* we are. It's a shame so many women are obsessed with gender in the name of equality. It's so, I dunno, sexist of them?

But pbal, everyone is obsessed and insecure enough that they need special separation.  We have:
African Americans
Italian Americans
Jewish Americans
Asian Americans
Pacific Islanders
and many more
We are no longer just US Citizens because then we all have the same obstacles, we need a hook to make us different so that those obstacles are discriminatory and some politician somewhere can break down that wall. 

[lexiconic]

The quote says nothing. In a truly gender-neutral world, none of us would have to be recognized for anything beyond *who* we are, not *what* we are. It's a shame so many women are obsessed with gender in the name of equality. It's so, I dunno, sexist of them?

No, sexist is being told (for one example) that women make less reliable employees because they go and do things like get married and have babies, and therefore are not worthy of promotions or more responsible, higher paying positions.

[Wiener]

No, sexist is being told (for one example) that women make less reliable employees because they go and do things like get married and have babies, and therefore are not worthy of promotions or more responsible, higher paying positions.

Does the truth hurt Lexi?  That is what you typed there, the truth, women do get married and have babies that makes them a bit on the unreliable side at times.  Now as a business owner do you foot the bill to insure your workers are free to work?  (like in house daycare or something of that sort)   Should that entitlement not be reflected in pay?  If those kind of entitlements are not available at said job, then that does mean you will miss work when the baby is sick.  Hence unreliable.

[lexiconic]

You are making a lot of assumptions. There are many women in the workforce with a large network of family and friends to fall back on. Making an assumption that a woman will be less reliable based on the fact that she is a woman instead of examining her performance and reliability as an individual worker is sexism.

[oldster]

and the very fact of biological differences means that Wiener's statements are horribly sexist.  She seems to accept and condone that her biology makes her of less value and second class in the workforce.  That is the sort of backward thinking that has a stultifying effect on women's rights.  What a shame that she, and other women, have that view of their gender.

And I'm not making assumptions, I'm not interpreting.  Her words are clear.  Perhaps not to her?  How sad for her.  I hope that she hasn't passed that attitude on to her children.

[Wiener]

and the very fact of biological differences means that Wiener's statements are horribly sexist.  She seems to accept and condone that her biology makes her of less value and second class in the workforce.  That is the sort of backward thinking that has a stultifying effect on women's rights.  What a shame that she, and other women, have that view of their gender.

And I'm not making assumptions, I'm not interpreting.  Her words are clear.  Perhaps not to her?  How sad for her.  I hope that she hasn't passed that attitude on to her children.

The truth is the truth.  A single parent male suffers the same effect at his jobs, and yes there are a lot of single Dad's out there.  So is it truly a sexist remarks or are they just the truth?

[beeker]

A single parent male suffers the same effect at his jobs, and yes there are a lot of single Dad's out there. 

That statement may have some merit to discredit sexism, at least it's fair to debate it.  I would imagine that there are some single male parents that are at a disadvantage because they place their children above their jobs.  If an employer treats the two differentlty then there may be a sexism issue, otherwise there may be more to it, including the posibility that maybe they're just buttheads.

[The Rock]

The Rock says that women need to know their damn roles and shut their mouths.

[oldster]

So is it truly a sexist remarks or are they just the truth?

Both?

[Wiener]

Both?

Ah and the baiting continues, yes?

[Citizen X]

Sexism, racism, ageism, classism, etc., etc., etc. America has to be the most victim-driven society in the world today.