Boobgate

I was outraged by the criticism that author and blogger Jessica Valenti received over a modest photo taken with President Clinton and other bloggers. Due to her youth, beauty and success she was automatically subject to remarks on how she got to where she is today. Many websites and bloggers tried to sexualize her based on her clothes and breasts. One blogger in particular said that Valenti chose too fitting of a blouse and was showing off her breasts to the president in the photo. Some commented on her looking like an intern, a reference to the sexualized Monica Lewinsky. Others simply called her ugly.

Looking at the actual photo (seen above: Valenti is in the light colored top), I cannot see any logic in the statements of the websites. Based on the beauty myth, young women cannot get far without being reminded that their worth is based on their appearances. Valenti calls this tactic the Shut-the-Fuck-Up Tool. When women reach a higher place they are ridiculed for their looks and are therefore shoved back into the place women should be: subservient to men.

The most upsetting part of this situation is that women were among the bloggers that were criticizing Valenti’s success. Is the Madonna/Whore dichotomy do ingrained in our society that even women will cannot stand up for one another and must criticize each other in order to bring ourselves up and others down? It seems that we as women should try harder to support one another upon reaching success. I think that this is something I will take away from this reading. In my daily life I will support women’s success and beauty and remind others not to criticize each other.