Sarah Palin is in a tizzy (again) over her Newsweek cover photo calling it “out of context” and “sexist”. The cover story was titled, “How do you solve a problem like Sarah?” and the magazine used a Runner’s World photo shot months earlier. To be fair: Palin has appeared on the magazine cover at least two other times. One was a close up shot that criticized because they didn’t use Photoshop and you could see her wrinkles. The other was a shot of a tougher Sarah with a shot gun slung over her shoulder titled “Pal-in-tology”.
So was the cover sexist? I define sexist as willfully posing a woman in a way that is either degrading to her sex, her intelligence or objectifies her body in a sexually exploitive way. I don’t see that here. Now, if they’d have Photoshopped some cleavage or put a bubble of words over her head saying, “I feel like a moose burger,” I’d pen a letter to Newsweek myself. But it wasn’t too sexist (or sexy) for Runner’s World to use. You’ll notice it’s staged with an American flag under her arm, two Blackberrys in her hand and her hair and makeup done to run. That’s fine for Runner’s World to make her look like that but not for Newsweek? Why? A picture is a picture is a picture right?
Not so says Sarah, “The choice of photo for the cover of this week’s Newsweek is unfortunate,” Palin wrote on her Facebook page. “When it comes to Sarah Palin, this ‘news’ magazine has relished focusing on the irrelevant rather than the relevant. The Runner’s World magazine one-page profile for which this photo was taken was all about health and fitness — a subject to which I am devoted and which is critically important to this nation.” She continued, “The out-of-context Newsweek approach is sexist and oh-so-expected by now. If anyone can learn anything from it: it shows why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, gender, or color of skin. The media will do anything to draw attention – even if out of context.”
What context should we put Sarah Palin in? I mean she’s doing a freakin’ book tour on a bus. She’s on Oprah, sitting down with Barbara Walters and Bill O’Reilly for goodness sake. She is the one that posed for the Runner’s World photo like a American Girl doll. Why didn’t she say, “You know, this is about running and fitness and I don’t think this image is conveying that message.” Sorry Sarah. You can’t have it both ways. Either you are a serious candidate for office or you’re not. And you aren’t a serious candidate when you quit your job as the governor of Alaska to take a six figure book deal and whine at every cover or headline that doesn’t sing your praises. How often have you heard Hillary Clinton say, “Oh, that picture was sexist, or to butch, or to manly.” Or Michelle Obama, or Barbara Boxer, or Kay Bailey Hutchison? Even McCain staffers reportedly believe Palin has no intention of running for office, adding, “This is as famous and politically credible that she’s going to be.”
Jon Stewart’s summary of the Rogue Warrior is probably the best summation so far, “when you peel back the pretty, shooty layers of the Palin onion, there’s no onion. It’s just a conservative boiler plate mad lib: ‘Freedom is good and taxes are–ooh I need an adjective–how about, I don’t know, silly?’ And the worst part it’s a mad lib delivered as though it were the hard-earned wisdom of a life well lived,” he explained.
Sarah wants the attention, the media want Sarah. It’s not sexist Sarah if it’s an actual portrayal of your character. You want Newsweek to take you seriously? Take them seriously and talk to them. Offer to do a “real” cover shot (again). Stop taking pot shots at the Katie Couric’s of this world and labeling the “liberal” “biased” media when it’s your own words, your own image that they’re using. Bottom line: you want to be taken seriously? Be serious. Otherwise get off your bus tour and go be the talk show host you’re better suited for.
