Can We Talk About Something Else Please?

Today I ran the fastest 5 miles of my life and I owe it all to Facebook.  Nothing like a little fury to put some spring in your step!  Generally, I'm a pretty low-key person (o.k., I'll admit to being wrapped around the axle, high maintenance and a little neurotic but usually low key nonetheless).  I rarely get truly angry, it's usually a more passive-aggressive snarky type of thing but today I was wild.  What set me off, you ask?  This morning in my Facebook feed, I saw a post by Nextmedia station manager and WJOL radio host Scott Slocum with this picture of last night's Presidential Debate moderator Candy Crowley

and a picture of an orangutan similar to this photo



 

 

along with a comment like, "I'm just sayin..." (The post has been removed so I can't quote it exactly.) 

 

I have known Scott Slocum professionally for a number of years and believe that he is a person of integrity who has used his forum as a radio broadcaster and community volunteer to make the Will County community a better place.  The fact that such a high caliber individual would post such photos and then try to deflect negative comments by writing it off as "a joke" makes it particularly galling to me. 

 

Would it be ok to post this picture

 

 

next to this picture

 



 

with the comment, "I'm just sayin'?"   

 

Why are we still talking about this?  Why are we talking about Ms. Crowley's looks and not her performance as a debate moderator?  Why is it acceptable in our society to mock the looks of a middle aged woman just trying to do her job?  When will we stop equating the worth of a woman with her looks?  Come on, this is 2012 not 1962.

 

 

It reminds me of the 1990's when we were talking about Hillary Clinton's hairstyles. 

 



 

 

Oh right, despite the fact that she is Secretary of State we're still talking about Hillary's hair.

 

 

I know that the media like to be though provoking and get a reaction but enough already.  When a high-caliber individual feels that it's o.k. to post a picture of a woman comparing her to an animal on a public, not private site, it shows that we've still got a long way to go as a society.   I'll get off my soapbox now.  I've got to schedule an appointment for my next Botox injection.