Woman: Center of the Universe

I think we all have a sense that the world does a lot of pandering to women, and very little to men. Society, businesses, charities, governments, women, and men all seem to put women up on a pedestal. But just how bad is it? I decided to do an informal survey. For one week I noted all examples of gender promotions, or exclusiveness, or pandering, both to men and women. I counted all examples that I saw referenced, whether or not the actual events occurred during the week.

I counted 125 instances of pandering to women. Most of these were from the news. I wasn't looking at Oxygen or Katie or Ms Magazine. If you think the count for pandering to men was a big gander egg, you'd be wrong. I actually found one instance, although I suppose one could argue that it was more about women than men: 125 to 1. How can women complain about anything when they receive so much more attention than men? How can men feel like anything other than second-class, inferior, or worth less than the afterbirth? (Actually, I did hear a story about placentas during the week, so men and placentas were tied for amount of media attention.)

A report was in the news during this week concerning sexual abuse in the military. Even though the report noted that most of the victims were men, only one of the 22 news segments on this issue mentioned this fact (an interview with Barbara Boxer on MSNBC's The Place for Politics.) There were two references to the victims as men and women on Meet the Press before other remarks focused on the female victims. All other news stories behaved as if women were the only victims. And a CBS Evening News segment actually said incorrectly that all of the victims were women.

While Prince Harry was in the country, there were a few news reports that contained young women and girls swooning over him. Even Gail King on CBS This Morning said "He looks good on a horse." When was the last time the media showed a male going gah-gah over a beautiful woman? That is disgusting and discouraged. But women can openly lust over men-- it is encouraged. I actually see this a lot with the current hunk getting squealing girls and women swooning over him on late night and daytime TV talk shows. Remember what happened to the Beatles? (Forgive me for using the word "hunk." It's another double standard. We can't refer to a woman as a "piece" but we can call a man a "hunk," even though the words mean the same thing.)

Speaking of double standards, Mandy Drury on CNBC often wears a very low neckline, exposing her breasts. During the week, I saw other women on TV doing this as well. Why is it that men are not allowed to be sexual at work, but women are? What a huge double-standard. And it is not just exposed breasts, but make-up, tight clothing, sheer clothing, lots of other exposed skin, etc. I have seen women on TV wearing skirts so short that they have to place there hand down there to cover up when they sit. (To see an example, go to http://www.cbs.com/shows/late_show/video/AJ7UrdlqI87GTU4_CrstBjqXNyhuqMcO/david-letterman-selena-gomez-on-justin-bieber/)

Angelina Jolie received a hunk of attention for her double mastectomy to prevent breast cancer. The media couldn't quit talking about it. When was the last time a men's issue got that much positive attention? Ever?

In another health issue, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) is currently showing two different television ads highlighting gynecological cancers. I would think the CDC would highlight health problems of a more general nature. But if the CDC is going to focus on cancer, why would both ads be on women's cancers? After all, the number of cancer deaths are about ten percent higher in men than in women. Yet men do not rate even one ad.

Several of the items in the list below also spark another question. Why is it that women-only events are acceptable, but women will complain and kill any men-only activities?

(+x) --- indicates the number of other news stories on this subject during the week, or additional times a commercial aired.

• SciGirls television program on PBS.
• Book review on a local government cable channel of Her: A Memoir, a book concerning female twins.
• A discussion on First Ladies--Lucy Hayes on C-Span.
• During Ring of Fire radio program, Robert Kennedy, Jr commented that in Tribalism, women are suppressed, and made into slaves. Also during Ring of Fire, a spokeswoman from a woman's group was quoted. Again, also during Ring of Fire, a discussion of Plan B for teenage girls. (+1)
• Girlcode television program on MTV.
• Discussion of the double mastectomy by Angelina Jolie (+25).
  Segment on the local TV news on the
• Forsythe Breast Cancer Test (for women only).
• "Women couldn't contain themselves" during Prince Harry's visit to the U.S. (+2).
• Long Interview with the maker of the movie The Invisible War, concerning sexual abuse of women in the military (+22).
• NY Times: Obama defends ObamaCare as "particularly beneficial to women" (+1).
• NY Times: conflict over how women dress at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.
• Local women's shelter holds benefit auction and dinner.
• Local bike club sponsors "Belle On Wheels" for women---fashions and bicycling. Same bike club also sponsors two "Bicycle Maintenance for Women" classes the following week.
• "Victory Over Violence" Luncheon benefit for local domestic violence organization.
• Local senior center holds the benefit "Ladies Spring Tea"-- in Victorian dress.
• Local YWCA holds leadership breakfast to benefit homeless women.
• Local shoe store holds shoe drive to benefit YWCA's Back to Work Boutique.
• Relay For Life Boob Tour sponsors benefit auction and stand-up comedians against breast cancer.
• Local Tennis Club sponsors tournament to benefit Komen Foundation (breast cancer).
• Local Pilates Class benefits the YWCA.
• Benefit for Female Advocacy for Music Education.
• "Can Women Have It All?" panel on C-Span.
• A Moms Against Guns rally featured on local news (I guess dads don't care).
• During a panel on ABC's This Week, a commentator remarked that civilization is determined by how women are treated. Also on This Week, a discussion of how women juggle work and family.
  Again, also on This Week, a Congresswoman remarked that the House floor finally had a women's bathroom, but without a changing table.
• A discussion on The Chris Matthews Show of the risks of criticizing female political candidates.
• Interview of woman saved by Seal Team Six in Somalia on 60 Minutes-- a man was also rescued but barely mentioned (+2).
• NY Times: 2-page ad for donations for Hunter College Mother's Day Scholarship Fund for women.
• Today Show: billionaire inventor of Spanx, the first woman to join the Gates Foundation, pledged half of her fortune to help women.
• Women in Government radio ad concerning urinary incontinence in women.
• The Last Word: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg complained Roe v. Wade was physician-based, not woman-based.
• Women's Shelter poster at the local library.
• Mother 2 Mother poster (mentoring teenage mothers) also at local library.
• Go Red For Women radio ad concerning heart disease in women.
  "Women and the Workplace" discussion with Eleanor Smeal on C-Span.
• CDC TV ad showing woman who had ovarian and uterine cancer-- "I got better" (+2).
• CDC TV ad on gynecological cancers (+2).
• "A Holistic View of Feminism" lecture on a local campus.
• CBS news: Syrian refugees selling their daughters into marriage to get money.
• Mandy Drury of CNBC exposes her breasts (+7).
• Women protest against Abercrombie & Fitch because they have no sizes bigger than 10 (+1).
• Kelly Ayotte ad-- only a Mom can strengthen our safety
• Good Morning America--classes for men to teach them how to blow out their wives' hair.
• Today Show--"Professionals" discuss whether men should use cosmetics (all three say no) (this is the one pander to men).
• Downtown sponsors "Ladies Night Out" where businesses offer specials and promotions to benefit local women's groups.
• Women in North Carolina dress in 60's outfits to protest regressive contraceptive policies.
• Today Show: medical tests women should consider.
• Local TV news carries segment on domestic violence against women.
• Local TV ad for Komen Race for the Cure (breast cancer).
• Today Show: segment on the Stiletto Network, for women in business.
• NPR: interview of author of Homeward Bound, book concerning women facing a new domesticity.
• Local college newspaper had an article on Lulu, a phone app for women that allows them to rate men.
• A run/walk for women is held at a nearby state park, proceeds benefit domestic violence organizations.
• Local college has Women’s Empowerment and Violence Education group
• Local woman named Volunteer of the Month for her work on human sex trafficking and its effects on women.
• Local college has Women of Color Empowerment Dinner

This list is just the blatant stuff. Much of the pandering to women is much more subtle. Most stock photos are of women. Leaf through advertising flyers, store catalogs, college catalogs, magazines, etc., and you'll find most of the pictures are of women and girls. View any magazine rack and you'll find women on almost all of the covers. News people seem to go out of their way to find women to interview or highlight. An example of this occurred during the 60 minutes TV show during this week. The segment focused on a class to help returning veterans. As far as I could tell, the class was made up of 3 women and 24 men. Two of the women were highlighted in the segment along with 3 of the men.

The media also seem to have a female victim du jour, usually a pretty white woman. The three kidnapped women in Cleveland served this purpose during this week. Certainly, these victims deserved much attention for the horribleness of the crimes against them. But male victims and not-so-attractive or non-white female victims also deserve attention, but rarely receive it. And the brothers of Ariel Castro did not deserve the negative attention they received-- the media are quick to find bad guys. The media also extensively interviewed Elizabeth Smart (see paragraph above).

The only time female criminals seem to receive any media attention, however, is when they are attractive. This explains the media circus around Jodi Arias. Then again, maybe the media just want to celebrate a woman who horribly murdered a man.

It's a Woman's World. Men are second-class members, on a good day.