(no subject)

[xenophanean]

I am currently wondering: If I think: "Louise Mensch: so attractive but so evil" is this misogynistic?

I would certainly be capable of thinking this of someone male, but does the fact that she's a politician mean that I'm inappropriately sexualizing her? She's certainly a very attractive woman, and clearly presents herself as one. I'm also perfectly capable of thinking men are evil, and I don't think the fact that she's good looking makes her in any way less dangerous, or a less serious politician. 

Comments

[cairmen.livejournal.com]

I don't see how it's misogynistic, no. She's a person. People have physical appearances.

[marrog.livejournal.com]

I think it's a complicated question. Coming from you, I don't find it offensive. But comments like that in general come from a certain frame of reference for politicians where the men are politicians, and the women are interesting objects. For reference, list as many of the Coalition movers and shakers as you can remember, and see how it comes out. Do you think for example:

Cameron, Clegg, Alexander, Cable, Hunt, Theresa, Osbourne...?

If so, yes, you're treating female politicians with a lack of respect. And this is standard practice across the media that is only slowly beginning to change, and you can still catch TV personalities and journalists doing it all the time. So don't feel bad it you do it. Just fix it.

That being said, if politicians are funny lookin' (or in the case of Ed M, Jewish Looking) we seem to get endless mileage out of commenting on it, male or female. So there's that.