It’s a time-honored strategy, and unfortunately, it works very well. Newsworthy women, from Hillary Clinton to Lady Gaga to Kellyanne Conway and beyond, are often publicly skewered not for their statements and ideas, but for their clothes, their hairstyles, and their bodies. Writer and law student Meredith Simons explores the harmful effects of such public discourse in this January 2017 Washington Post article.
Read it here: Simons, “Don’t like what a woman is saying? Call her ugly”
- Simons asserts that in addition to simply being unfair and unkind, insulting the appearance of prominent women has other, more harmful consequences. What are they? Summarize her arguments. Do you agree with Simons that insulting a woman’s appearance is a serious problem? Why or why not?
- So much of the politically-oriented writing in the US right now pits Democrats against Republicans or conservatives against liberals. Does Simons frame her argument in such a way? How can you tell? Point to specific passages to support your conclusion.
- Simons’s article presents evidence in the form of abundant quotations from numerous sources. How does Simons introduce the people she is quoting? Which of the moves described in Chapter 3 of your text does she employ? Would Simons’s essay have been more effective with fewer quotations? Why or why not?
- Read (or re-read) Ellen Ullman’s essay in Chapter 20 of your text. Ullman and Simons both address consequences of the objectification of women in the workplace, but they offer different strategies for dealing with it. How do their strategies differ? Whose advice might you repeat to a friend having similar workplace problems? Why?
- Simons argues that ordinary people should push back and object to unacceptable comments. Try it now. Find a current news report about a prominent woman that pays more attention to her appearance than to her views or statements (or use one of the links to such a report in Simons’s article). Write a letter to the person who made the unacceptable comment (and/or the organization that published or broadcast the comment), and explain your objection to what was said. Use the original comment as your They Say, and feel free to draw additional They Say support from Simons.
They Say I Blog 
Meredith Simons is trying to say that women face criticism and judgment about their appearance. Whether it is in politics, journalism, or just being a weather woman, women are always being criticized for what they wear instead of what they think. I strongly agree with Simons that this is a critical issue because every time we choose to judge a woman’s appearance, we fail to judge them for their ideas, and it is their ideas that truly matter.
Simons talks about “gender-policing”. It is based off traditional gender norms in which society believes that women are responsible for taking care of the household and that men have the power to do anything. Therefore, gender plays a crucial role in the United States. Men think that women should be attractive, and only that. But, this has harmful consequences.
The problem with constantly insulting a woman is that it limits their confidence and self-esteem. It prevents them from wanting to fulfill their leadership goals. It also prevents little girls from wanting to grow up and fulfill their desires to become leaders. Women should have the voice to speak out about their views and be visible while doing so. We should not judge women based on their looks and instead focus on their ideas. Women have potential in every field. To judge them based off of what they wear only reverts us back to gender norms. These are the main arguments Simons makes in her article.
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The negative consequences of body shaming women, especially public women, Meredith Simons argues, besides it just being extremely hurtful, is that it prevents us from hearing the ideas these women have and what they have to say. This is detrimental to who we are as a society because it causes us to miss out on new perspectives. Also, Simons argues, these put-downs shut the women down because they’re used as a means of distracting society from their ideas by focusing on the supposedly negative aspects of their bodies. Newsweek’s photo of Sarah Palin that zeroes in on her “facial hair” is a prime example of this. Little, if any, focus is put onto the woman’s actual ideas. And because women were once (and maybe still are) encouraged to keep up their appearances for men, this dynamic is one our society has yet to grow out of. Female politicians aren’t the only victims. Female athletes and meteorologists are picked on for their appearances, too. Simons argues that any time a woman publicly speaks her mind, she is criticized for her appearance while what she says remains ignored because society wants to keep women from having more power.
My own view on this issue is that although prominent women are critiqued for their appearance a lot and it is sad, it is all part of being a public figure and we shouldn’t draw too much attention to it. As Simons says, these criticisms are a distraction from what the woman is saying or doing that is noteworthy. Maybe Sarah Palin made such a great argument that Newsweek had no choice but to criticize her appearance when they did coverage on her. This is a tactic that could be used against both Democrat and Republican women, and I think it’s very sad because we miss out on a lot of important opinions this way. And it’s not just the new perspectives we’re missing out on: simply having the attitude that it’s okay to flat-out ignore what a woman says and go straight to critiquing her appearance is really detrimental to our society and makes us a little more closed-minded with each snide remark. We critique yet another woman’s appearance, and the belief that it’s okay to have such a shallow attitude grows a little stronger each time. This sort of negative–and frankly, petty– press coverage is harmful to the public and self image of the woman speaking, and it’s harmful to society because it prevents us from hearing important opinions and gives us the belief that it’s okay to treat people that way.
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Meredith SImons attacks those who treat women unfairly. Describing women as fat or ugly allows critics to dismiss female politicians or activist without engaging with their ideas. Women in journalism, in sports, and even in meteorology all face criticism of their appearance that is totally unrelated to their job descriptions. Woman not only get critiqued on what they say in public forums but also, the way they speak, the way they dress, is she fat or skinny, and even her hairstyle. If a woman’s power is threatening, she is at risk of being referred to by her appearance to take away from the important things she is saying and doing. She elaborately explains how women in politics are scrutinized by males not for their political views, but for their appearance. The attacks these women receive puts women under pressure to not only watch what they say, but how they dress as well. Such attacks can reinforce gender norms, create pressure for women to present themselves attractively and even persuade women to stay out of the public sphere altogether.
I agree that these issues facing women in high positions, and in general, is a problem facing society today. They begin to have this sense of not being looked as an individual but rather a mere object. They have to be flawless in everything they do. It makes women feel as if they have no power. In my opinion, this happens because men are scared of facing the reality that women are a powering force in this day and age. They do not want women to run this country as it denotes their masculinity. I agree with Simons that appearances should weigh in opinions, beliefs, ideas or accomplishments made by women.
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Dominick Demartino
Prof. Louis
Texts and Contexts 1
2 November 2017
Don’t like what a woman is saying
In recent discussion of ”Don’t like what a woman is saying,” a controversial issue has been whether we respect women enough. On one hand, some argue that women aren’t taken serious enough. From this perspective, changes and the way we view women must change. On the other hand, however, others argue that women are completely respected and see no issue.
In the words of Celinda Lake, one of this view’s main proponents, “When women’s ideas are threatening or women’s power is threatening, you often see them referred to in terms of their appearance.”
According to this view, we use women’s appearances to distract us from what they are saying. In sum, then, the issue is whether we take women seriously in a serious discussion.
My own view is that some changes need to be made because we aren’t perfect. Though I concede that America is a good place for a women to say whatever and be taken seriously, I still maintain that some changes must be made. For example, Donald Trump’s tweet in the article. Although some might object that it was funny just a joke, I would reply that not everyone’s going to take it as a joke so we must be more careful on this issue. This issue is important because things said like that can be taken to great offense.
In conclusion, then as I suggested earlier, defenders of women can’t have it both ways. Their assertion that we must change is contradicted by their claim that women are disrespected.
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In recent discussion of women in politics, a controversial issue has been whether women are treated fairly or not. On one hand, some argue that women are treated unfairly because of looks. From this perspective, we see that women have been passed over for many of their ideas because of their gender. On the other hand, however, others argue that this is not an issue. In the words of Simons, one of this view’s main proponents, “Knowingly or not, these lawmakers were participating in a long, bipartisan tradition of denigrating women in politics by criticizing their appearance rather their ideas.” According to this view, women are treated as second class politicians. In sum, then, the issue is whether women are unfairly treated in politics by their male coworkers or they are sensitive about how everyone in politics is treated.
My own view is that women are treated unfairly in politics. Though I concede that some men in politics do not treat women unfairly, I still maintain that lots of men do treat women unfairly. For example, Simons talks about some politicians comments after the women marches and one is, “’Just think about this,’ Judge Bailey Moseley, a state judge in East Texas, wrote on Facebook. “After just one day in office, Trump managed to achieve something that no one else has been able to do: he got a million fat women out walking’.” Although some might object that this was just one politician making light of a sensitive topic, I would reply that this is an important topic that had to many make fun of. This issue is important because if we want our civilization to advance we must start respecting everyone else’s views along with our own.
In conclusion, then as I suggested earlier, defenders of the politically incorrect politicians can’t have it both ways. Their assertion that it is not such a bad thing that women are treated a little less than men is contradicted by their claim that everyone should be treated equally.
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Women in Politics
In recent discussion of women in politics, a controversial issue has been whether it is ok for men to criticize women on their looks. On one hand, some argue that though mean it is ok. From this perspective, women will face unfair criticism and many women will not pursue jobs in this field because of that. On the other hand, however, others argue that the insults do more than just being mean because they are a way for a man to respond without debating her ideas rather her looks.
In the words of Meredith Simons, one of this view’s main proponents is, “When women’s ideas are threatening or women’s power is threatening, you often see them referred to in terms of their appearance.”
According to this view, women are not given the same fair treatment as men and are not getting justice. In sum, then, the issue is whether the issue of insulting a women in politics appearance is just about being mean
or that it is about the underlying issue of women not being taken seriously and men revert back to insulting their looks..
My own view is that men that criticize women in politics should be the ones getting bad press not the women doing nothing wrong. Though I concede that it is definitely mean, I still maintain that it is not merely about their appearances but about the threat they pose. For example, instead of addressing their ideas or thoughts a man will just criticize her looks and make fun of her. Although some might object that this is fine because we have freedom of speech, I would reply that the this issue is important because it is not allowing women to get their points across.
In conclusion, then as I suggested earlier, defenders of saying it is not a problem to criticize women’s appearances can’t have it both ways. Their assertion that it is just mean and shallow is contradicted by the claim that men always revert to it when they have no argument.
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Aside from being unfair and unkind, Simons asserts that insulting the appearance of prominent women takes the attention away from what they are saying and what their beliefs and ideas are. It completely undermines their credibility and distracts people from what is really important. Simons says that when people insult women’s appearances they are taking their power back. She says that men insult women in this way because they feel attacked or threatened by the woman’s ideas and want to make the woman feel inferior again. There have been traditional gender roles that people used to follow, and some still do, that make men superior and say that women are to please men and be attractive for them, and most men like to keep it that way. But as soon as women join the conversations that the men are having and start to have their own ideas and thoughts about that conversation, men feel threatened and insult them just to feel more powerful. Simons basically says that men use it as a controlling coping mechanism for power. I completely agree with Simons that insulting women’s appearance is a serious problem. I think that it doesn’t help anything, and it serves no purpose other than making that person feel bad. It completely distracts people from what the conversation is really about and it makes people focus on something that doesn’t matter. It makes no sense that a man can say anything he wants and no one comments on his looks, but a woman says something that a man doesn’t agree with and all of a sudden she’s fat and ugly. It’s just cruel and completely wrong.
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I also agree with Tiffany Short on the idea that when a woman climbs the ladder of power then she is at a greater risk of being attacked on her appearance. The consequences of this are immense. Not only does it hurt the woman emotionally but it also hurts her psychologically. It will make her second guess herself in the mirror and when she goes out. It could possibly ruin her relationships by making her feel insecure around men or women who could potentially not be like those who are putting her down. But the fact that men stoop to such levels to keep their power only shows what society has been preaching over the past century. In my opinion, if a man feels threatened by a woman possibly exceeding him in whatever they’re doing, just try to outwork her, don’t insult her. If that doesn’t work then respect the hard work and determination that she showed, keep your mouth shut if you ain’t got anything nice to say, and move on with your life.
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In recent discussion of judging women, a controversial issue has been whether men should judge women based on their appearance. On the one hand, some argue that cruel words should not have such an effect on women. From this perspective, people believe that words are meaningless and women should not take them seriously. On the other hand, others argue that women should be viewed respectfully and not be judged on their appearance and their role in society. In the words of Rhode, the author of “Women and Leadership” and “The Beauty Bias”, one of this views main proponents, “It speaks volumes about our misplaced priorities when it comes to women in politics, and about the obstacles facing female candidates.” According to this view, females feel that they are viewed unequally and have to overcome obstacles to prove their political role. In sum, then, the issue is whether people don’t shame women based on their appearance or women fight against their assumed role in their field.
My own view is that women should not be judged based on their appearance. Though I concede that men shame women because they view them as threats in society, I still maintain that it is not appropriate and women should not be called “ugly” or “fat” for being prominent figures. For example, democratic analyst publically advised Elizabeth Warren to soften her “schoolmarm appearance,” “lose the granny glasses,” and “soften the hair.” Although some might object that words are meaningless, I would reply they do more damage than one may think. This issue is important because we need to create a society where women feel accepted. We, as the American people, need to stand by our statement in the Declaration of Independence that all people are created equal and treat women the way they deserve to be treated.
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In recent discussions of women in politics, a controversial issue has been whether women’s political ideas and statements are being ignored based on their appearance. On one hand, some argue that although the appearance of women is brought to light in many circumstances, women and women’s ideas are treated equally to men and men’s ideas. From this perspective, women are not being ignored or undermined in any way in politics. On the other hand, however, others argue that politicians comment on a political women’s appearance to take attention off of the women’s political ideas, so the politicians don’t have to directly respond to the women’s political statements. In the words of Meredith Simons, one of this view’s main proponents, “Describing women as fat or ugly allows critics to dismiss female politicians (or activists) without engaging with their ideas.” According to this view, commenting on the female politician’s appearance allows people to ignore the ideas of the female politicians so that they can respond to the political statements without directly addressing it. In sum, then, the issue is whether women’s political ideas are being treated fairly in politics or if female’s political ideas are being undermined and ignored.
My own view is that women’s political ideas are being ignored by talking about the women’s appearance rather than directly responding to the political statements made by the females. Though I concede that there is no real discrimination of females in politics in terms of the number of female politicians there are, I still maintain that female politician’s ideas are not being treated fairly. For example, instead of focusing on her political ideas, critics of Elizabeth Warren decided to comment on the appearance of her hair rather than her ideas to create a better country for the people. Although some might object that critics focused on her political ideas more than her appearance, I would reply that acknowledging her appearance when criticizing her political ideas is a way to indirectly undermine her ideas in general. The issue is important because it focuses on the debate of whether women are truly treated equally in politics.
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Ad hominem attacks undermine arguments by shifting attention from ideas to appearances while also calling on societal conceptions to cause the arguer to make presuppositions about their opponent. While the majority of attacks on appearance are directed at women I don’t believe that this is something that is only used for one gender. An example of this is our current president, whose appearance is made fun of all the time.
Insults about a woman’s appearance are just one of many ways ad hominem attacks dangerously subvert the topic of a debate. The reason that the use of ad hominem is very very very bad is because it is extremely effective at derailing arguments and masking incomplete, nonexistent, or nonsensical positions and rebuttals. This can lead to situations where public opinion is swayed by a major political argument that has been won by criticizing the opposition themselves rather than their idea.
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Matteo Risicato
EN 0011
5th November 2017
Professor Louis
Women
In addition to being unfair and unkind, Simmons, the author of this article, also states that how critical we are of women in power’s appearances have more harmful questions than just stupid jokes. She argues that when you are discussing ideas intellectually, people are equals, and it is a level playing field, but when you bring up the topic of someone’s appearance, which is something that they cannot control or argue back, it tilts the field into your favor for whatever argument that you are having. These sorts of attacks on women are there as “an attempt to hurt and to punish” these women for going outside of their expected gender norms in society, which can pressure women to make sure that they are attractive before speaking publicly or even deter them from entering the public sphere at all. One such example that Simmons talks about showing how women are pressured to look a certain way was Elizabeth Warren, who was told that she needed to lose her granny glasses and to soften her hair, told to her because she was a woman and not necessarily fitting into what people believed that she should look like.
I agree with all of the points that Simmons states during her article, and do not believe that it is at all fair that women need to subject themselves to criticism like that from strangers just because they want to serve their country and be in the public eye. The comments made about the protestors were in poor taste, I do however support the idea of fat jokes, even though they are most often made in poor taste, and in this case can discourage women from going out and fighting for what they believe in, but sometimes they can work as a way to get people to actually lose weight.
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Simons says that in addition to simply being unfair and unkind, insulting the appearance of prominent women has other, more harmful consequences. Some consequences are allowing others to generate opinions quickly on a person without knowing the facts. People go to appearance to take away the power a woman has. They go to appearance to try and degrade her from what she actually is saying. These attacks reinforce gender norms. By outsiders doing this it makes women have to always look their best. it doesn’t allow women to be themselves. I believe this is a true problem that we see come up far too often in this new era of social media. When women take a stand on this those same people insulting them take more shots out at them in a cowardly way.
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In recent discussions of women’s rights, a controversial issue has been whether or not their dignity is based on their physical appearance or on their beliefs and values. On the one hand, some argue that women should be respected from all sides of the spectrum, regardless of their appearance. From this perspective, women’s value and worthiness is based off of their morals and values. On the other hand, however, others seem to base many judgements off of women’s physical appearance; the credibility of their statements is immediately assumed by their looks. In the words of Meredith Simons, “… it’s not just politics. Women in journalism, in sports and even in meteorology all face criticism of their appearance that is totally unrelated to their job descriptions. It seems that any woman who has the audacity to speak in a public forum will be evaluated not only on the substance of what she says or how well she does her job, but on what she weighs, what she’s wearing, and what her hairstyle says about her” (1). According to this view, a woman can be as intellectual as she wants, but if she is viewed as undesirable to the public eye, than she is put aside. This is unjust in itself.
My own view is that this is completely unfair. As a young woman living in the United States of America, it is frustrating that my ability to succeed will be determined by my physical appearance. Describing women as “fat” and/or “ugly” prohibits not only female “politicians (or activists),” but also any other career a woman can obtain—a lawyer, an engineer, a doctor—from reaching their best potential. It truly “speaks volumes” about our “misplaced priorities” when it comes to all women. I truly think we need to reevaluate how we look at females in America. Although some ignorant people might object that women are as capable of doing something as their looks allow them to, I would reply that this is completely unfair because men are never scrutinized for their looks. The issue is important because female rights are important. This is both a man and a woman’s world.
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Korey Roman
Prof Lizzie Louis
English 11
11/8/17
Question 1
“Simons asserts that in addition to simply being unfair and unkind, insulting the appearance of prominent women has other, more harmful consequences. What are they? Summarize her arguments. Do you agree with Simons that insulting a woman’s appearance is a serious problem? Why or why not?”
Simons states that The attacks women come under for their appearances; “reinforce gender norms, create pressure for women to present themselves attractively (with attractiveness defined by men of course) and even persuade women to stay out of the public sphere altogether. She even states that women switch from live broadcast journalism to print journalism, but with out a source or proof of this.
I do not agree with Simons claims as they are all about “feelings”. If a women is a good reporter but is unattractive she will still have a job, unless her “ feelings get hurt” from people calling her ugly. Gender norms are psychological principles. The human brain loves to categorize things and typically does so in the fashion of norms. From a young age these norms are imprinted into the brain and are recognizable from then on which is why it is hard to escape the gender norm idea. Finally her last point is that women in politics are criticized on their appearance more than male politicians, which she then self distracts her argument by using a poll with statistical evidence that this does not happen. She then says this isn’t true because a professor thinks that is wasn’t.
To me this article is self distractive from the start. It is all based on the relative term feelings. Simmons felt that what the politicians was mean, and yes it was, but as adults these people should just brush the words off. An old saying my parents used to tell me “sticks and stones may break my bones may break my bones but words will never hurt me”. This saying should be used more often today as issues like these are pointless and a wast of time. People should be confident in them selves and not care what others say plain and simple. Specifically talking about women in politics now if the women has the utmost talent for politics and people think she should be elected based on their ideals and principles their appearance means little to nothing.
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In recent discussion of Men disrespecting women on their appearence, a controversial issue has been whether if women are taken seriously based upon their outward apperance. On one hand, some argue that apperance sets the tone for their proffesional and social lives. From this perspective, women are judged souly on appearnce. On the other hand, however, others argue that they are not.
In the words of Meredith Simons, one of this view’s main proponents, “The Beauty Bias..”
According to this view, Women are based souly on looks and nothing else. In sum, then, the issue is whether one should be judged on their appearance because someone else disagrees with them.
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Meredith Simons is trying to say that women face criticism and judgment about their appearance. Whether it is in politics, journalism, or just being a weather woman, women are always being criticized for what they wear instead of what they think. I strongly agree with Simons that this is a critical issue because every time we choose to judge a woman’s appearance, we fail to judge them for their ideas, and it is their ideas that truly matter.
Simons talks about “gender-policing”. It is based off traditional gender norms in which society believes that women are responsible for taking care of the household and that men have the power to do anything. Therefore, gender plays a crucial role in the United States. Men think that women should be attractive, and only that. But, this has harmful consequences.
The problem with constantly insulting a woman is that it limits their confidence and self-esteem. It prevents them from wanting to fulfill their leadership goals. It also prevents little girls from wanting to grow up and fulfill their desires to become leaders. Women should have the voice to speak out about their views and be visible while doing so. We should not judge women based on their looks and instead focus on their ideas. Women have potential in every field. To judge them based off of what they wear only reverts us back to gender norms. These are the main arguments Simons makes in her article.
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Kajal Gopwani
Professor Lizzie Louis
English 11-06
Meredith Simons is trying to say that women face criticism and judgment about their appearance. Whether it is in politics, journalism, or just being a weather woman, women are always being criticized for what they wear instead of what they think. I strongly agree with Simons that this is a critical issue because every time we choose to judge a woman’s appearance, we fail to judge them for their ideas, and it is their ideas that truly matter.
Simons talks about “gender-policing”. It is based off traditional gender norms in which society believes that women are responsible for taking care of the household and that men have the power to do anything. Therefore, gender plays a crucial role in the United States. Men think that women should be attractive, and only that. But, this has harmful consequences.
The problem with constantly insulting a woman is that it limits their confidence and self-esteem. It prevents them from wanting to fulfill their leadership goals. It also prevents little girls from wanting to grow up and fulfill their desires to become leaders. Women should have the voice to speak out about their views and be visible while doing so. We should not judge women based on their looks and instead focus on their ideas. Women have potential in every field. To judge them based off of what they wear only reverts us back to gender norms. These are the main arguments Simons makes in her article.
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In recent discussion of the mistreatment of women in society, a controversial issue has been that women are getting criticized for their appearance as opposed to their ideas. On the one hand, some argue that is an issue of misogynistic men who lack respect that women deserve. On the other hand, however, others argue that the bigger issue is that men make these comments as opposed to criticizing the ideas that they disagree with. In the words of Celinda Lake, one of this view’s proponents, “When women’s ideas are threatening or women’s power is threatening, you often see them referred to in terms of their appearance.” According to this view, attacking a women’s appearance is a way for a man to avoid admitting that they feel threatened by a women’s opinion or power. In sum the issue is whether this is solely based on views on a women’s appearance or feeling threatened by a large amount of power.My own view is that it is absurd to attack a women’s appearance, not only when you don’t agree with them, but also for any circumstance as it is disrespectful and hurtful to women. Though I concede that it is okay to disagree with a women’s views or feel threatened by her power, I still maintain that this is absolutely not an excuse to attack a women for her appearance. For example, just because a women believes in an issue that you disagree with, that is not a reason for you to make fun of her hair, teeth, clothing, or any other part of her appearance. Although some might object that women attack their opponents in political races as well, I would reply that a lot of that criticism is towards how many men politicians criticize their opponents women and men for the wrong reasons. This issue is important because it is important to stay focused on the issues in a political race and also to give women the respect they deserve. In conclusion, as I suggested earlier, defenders of criticism of opponents in a political race can’t have it both ways. Their assertion that criticism is part of an election is contradicted by the fact that their criticisms have nothing to do with the issues at hand and a lot of times are disrespectful to women.
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In recent discussion of sexual discrimination, a controversial issue has been whether women receive respect from men. On one hand, some argue that women in politics are disrespected by appearance. From this perspective, many women would agree. On the other hand, however, others might argue that women are not equal to men.
In the words of Meredith Simmons, one of this view’s main proponents, “Women in journalism, in sports and even in meteorology all face criticism of their appearance that is totally unrelated to their job descriptions,” (Simons). According to this view, women receive arbitrary comments unrelated to their jobs. In sum, then, the issue is whether women are equal to men in the workplace.
My own view is that women have received unrelated and unnecessary comments. Though I concede that not all women are affected by these negative comments, I still maintain that women should fight for their rights. For example, women need to work together to end the demeaning comments. Although some might object that discrimination will always exist, I would reply that it is better to fight for your rights than to not fight at all. This issue is important because women are equal to men.
In conclusion, then as I suggested earlier, defenders of the existence discrimination in the workplace can’t have it both ways. Their assertion that men and women are equal is contradicted by their claim that women receive scrutiny in the workplace.
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Simons argues that criticizing the way a woman looks is not just mean, it has critics automatically dismissing these particular women without considering their ideas. Basically, if there is a woman running for office or any political position and people do not think they are attractive then it is less likely for them to actually listen to their ideas or even consider them for the position. It is also said that these criticisms make the credibility of these women seem invaluable. I happen to agree with Simons that insulting a woman’s appearance is a serious problem. I don’t think it is fair or right that a womans ideas would not be considered by critics just because of the way that they look. I think it is disgusting that men expect women to make themselves look presentable for them. The fact that the only way a woman’s ideas will be considered is if they look what is considered to be “presentable” to a man. A woman could have very impactful ideas and be completely qualified but not even be chosen to fill a political role just because of the way that they look. This is why I agree with Simons that insulting a woman’s appearance is a serious problem.
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What this issue really comes down to is that western thought has been dominated by patriarchal tones for the vast majority if it’s existence. This creates a disparity between men and women in that the ideas and thoughts of women are constantly undermined by the “cheap shots” that the predominantly male ran government holders constantly throw women’s way. This is counterintuitive and is perplexing for especially American society where on the surface it is promoted to encourage equality for all. This idea seems to be the norm, yet the holes in the argument are as obvious as the ones in Swiss cheese. It can be seen as a double standard where Women bear as much of the responsibility as the men do in society, yet none of the benefits. This is a crucial flaw that exists and most of the real perceived progress that we recognize today in equal rights, has only been very recent and not as fast progressing as other ideas perpetuated by western culture. It truly is a shame that the west and in particular, the United States, is “judging a book by it’s cover.”
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I agree with what Tiffany Short had said. It really is a tribute to our cultures poor job of looking at everyone as equals. This isn’t a problem that had just occurred. It is something that has always been around. Men has always looked at women as sex symbols and are more likely to care about what they have to say because of how they look. A beautiful woman can have the worst opinion about something with absolute no knowledge about a subject and get applauded and win the title of “Miss America.” It is an unfair bias for women everywhere. Men need to stop looking with their eyes and just start listening with their ears. That would solve a whole lot of problems.
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as they described in the article they say women are much more based on their looks. more than men, a lot of women feel they have more struggle getting into an office job because of their appearance. if the lady next to her is looking much more fit and more openly in her clothes or more willing to give herself to pleasure certain men. then she will have a higher chance for having these traits versus a girl who is not as pretty but may have even more knowledge than some of these men. it is the sexism of appearance that makes these outcomes bad and make women not seem as noticed in what they are saying. instead they make fun of her for being fat. where does that actually get us too?
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In the article, “Don’t like what a woman is saying? Call her ugly,” author Meredith Simons talks about how when women speak out and say unfavorable ideas, political opponents will often focus on their appearance instead of the quality of their argument. She continues on to claim how it is not just women in politics who face this kind of criticism, but also women in sports, journalism, and in meteorology. I do agree with Simons on the idea that women should not be judged by their appearance, but by the quality of their argument. However, in her argument, she makes it seem like this type of issue is the type that happens solely with women, in which I could not disagree more on. Though she claims that men do not often face the same issue, even though candidates like Ted Cruz and Donald Trump himself were criticized for things such as being the Zodiac Killer, or looking like their hair was about to fly away at any time. Simons explains them as if they were new tactics specifically trying to undermine women, but it is not true. The concept of taking something unrelated to the core issue at hand and using that to undermine a person’s credibility has been around for the longest time, and even has its own nickname. A smear campaign, and it happens to both men and women. Simons also makes the point that this happens when higher powers feel threatened by what a woman has to say about an issue. I would also have to disagree with this, as mentioned before, it is not just women who go on the receiving end of a smear campaign, but men too. She makes the matter of a smear campaign a matter of gender, encapsulated in the rebuttals of a lacking of attractiveness, in which I cannot agree with. In general, if a person’s words and thoughts are threatening, opponents will be quick to criticizing the person on things that do not relate to the issue at hand, male or female.
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While i was reading this article i found it very intriguing and yet found myself getting frustrated due to sadly how accurate this article is.This article identifies the truth that any women whom surprisingly allow their rights to let others shut them down which i find very disgusting.I do believe that when society talks down on women’s appearance rather then actually listening or hearing what they say distracts women’s rights. She states that it is in fact factual due to historical references made that people will distract rather that absorb. saying this i mean that rather than listening to what women say instead people talk negatively on their weight, hair, clothes, and all-around appearance when truly none of that matters nor effects the message a women is try to send.
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Tiffany short is expressing opinions that I agree with and think that it is wrong for men to insult or make sexist comments towards women in general but in this case women of power. further more women of power are more susceptible to be belittled by men, do to the fact that they are on a higher scale and are looked at as intruding into mens territories. Whether being people in government or large business corporations.
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This article has reinforced my already current knowledge about sexism in the professional work environment but also society altogether. I strongly agree with Tiffany Short if a women’s voice is ever going to be heard and taken seriously in this male-dominated world, women have to fight back against this ridiculous sexism and disrespect. Myself being a feminist reading something like this makes you think how childish men are and why women should have the opportunity to make a difference and to show little girls around the world they can do anything they set their mind to. Instead of objects for men to enjoy and indulge themselves in. Women are the most intelligent creatures on earth and should be treated equally to a man or even better than man.
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In Meredith Simon’s article, I agree with Meredith’s statement talking about how women are criticized about there appearance on social media. “After just one day in office, Trump managed to achieve something that no one else has been able to do: he got a million fat women out walking,” stated by Judge Bailey Moseley. This is starting something and it could start a big argument which it already did and it targets woman in general.
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In Meredith Simons’ article, “”Don’t like what a woman is saying? Call her ugly,” she discusses that negativity women in society face on a daily basis. Women are supposed to look like the so called “trophy wife”. They are to be petite in size and be dresses up for their husbands including make-up. This expectation of them is not in any way part of their job criteria or description. Women in the job force with power is very threatening to the male co-worker. This is being publicized more in society through politics. Men are constantly bashing the women politician.
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Not only are women deserving of the same treatment and respect given to men in the same field, but the distasteful comments made toward women often have more harmful consequences than just at the expense of their feelings. As said by Simons, comments made by men that discredit a woman’s looks over their words have the potential to “reinforce gender norms, create pressure for women to present themselves attractively, and even persuade women to stay out of the public sphere altogether” (Simons). The reason these comments are so dangerous is that they set back the progress of equality made by women over the course of hundreds of years. It also urges women to shy away from commenting on important issues or taking positions in power out of fear of the sexism they know they will face by the media itself. I agree with Simons that insulting a woman’s appearance is a serious problem because the consequences of pushing women out of politics would lead to bias within the media. Women are an essential part of politics because they offer different experiences, points of view, and opinions that could be overlooked by men of the opposite gender. To prevent sexism toward women in politics from happening in the future, it is up to society to call it out when seen and hold men accountable for their actions.
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According to Meredith’s research, there are women in politics that get judged based on their appearance rather than their ideas. I agree with Jacob Arnold, it is abusive and discriminatory behavior towards women and it is wrong. In the article, Democratic strategist Celinda Lake agrees, women’s ideas that are threatening, or if they find the women’s power is threatening they usually like to refer back to their appearance. However, this should change because appearance is not what matters and it is sexist and discriminating against women. As Lake says, “when you make fun of someone’s appearance, you tilt the field in your favor.” Needless to say, women are judged very often by their appearance if they are seen as a threat.
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I agree with Tiffany Short saying that this issue is politically based. The Republican Party; Trump and state senators, do display more insulting and degrading language to women online. The Democratic Party leans more to equality for women and the same opportunity as everyone else. The tweets that were dicussed in the article about fat shaming shared by the Republican Party fat shaming women protesting were not okay and a display of true colors from them. Whenever you argue with someone about their topic you are on the same level as them, whenever you insult them you are questioning their credibility and tilting the playing field towards you. So while this issue is gender based it is also politically based.
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Simons article is about how women in politics and just women in general are derailed based off of their appearances. When women come up with good ideas are ideas that challenges ones of a man, their appliance gets brought up even when it has nothing to do this their job. If a women is giving men any reason to believe that her power is going to threaten their jobs, they throw shade towards that woman’s looks. It has absolutely nothing to do with their jobs, just being judged on their appearance will make them seem less threatening. No one should be judged on their appearance, they should only be judged on their action or words. If someone has different views are ideas than you, you should talk about it with that said person instead of attempting to lower their position by bringing up their appearance.
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Simons does an excellent job introducing the issue of sexist criticism against women seen in todays world. From social media to professional life to politics, women in all areas have their ideas and beliefs belittled and overlooked by the outside world attacking them for their physical appearance. Competing male politicians find ways to avoid addressing a females ideas by making them feel unimportant in other aspects of their lives, such as their appearance. It is more common for women to work on and give time and attention to their appearance, so for someone to make a comment about a females appearance being subpar to the expectations of man, it is more likely to effect a female than if roles were reversed. Women have faced criticism for their appearance for an extensive time in history. This issue is derived from the very strict expectations for the beauty standard of women. The fact that women are harassed in their work place for falling under the judgement of a man’s perception of beauty just goes to show the inequality served to women versus men in all aspects of life.
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