From September 2013:
A strange and disturbing trend permeates headlines after choosing “Women” as a favorite category in Huffington Post. Articles about weight, sex, breakups, and shopping keep popping up in my main headlines. It might just be me, it might be that it’s 6am, but I think I’m insulted.
Don’t get me wrong, there are also interesting articles in the Women’s section of Huffington Post, I often retweet them to my women’s group. But predominantly from my front page: Does every breakup have a silver lining, Three signs he’s not really sorry, Four secrets to a perfectly imperfect marriage, Adult film star explains sex, Four signs he’s not the one; anyone annoyed yet? These are the articles currently highlighted on my Front Page because I selected “Women”. If I go to the actual Women’s section though, and scroll, buried are the more enthralling articles about women’s issues. So why are articles about sex in a Women’s section? Last I heard men have sex too. I think this perpetuates the belief that women are the ones who need to get better at sex, try harder, keep their partner.
Not too veer too far off my main point, but all of these articles about sex and relationships also contain the assumption that women are in heterosexual relationships, or maybe it’s just if there isn’t a man in the equation then we don’t need help in bed? I am confused.
I am newly embracing feminism, though I have always considered myself a feminist, there seems only recently (to me anyway) to be a resurgence of the movement that is not as critical, not as isolating, not as cookie cutter. I can like pink and be a feminist, can’t I? I am a woman and a girl, OK? And I can be a pink-liking girl and still be mad at dumbed down articles catering to stereotypes, the ones we are working so hard to obliterate, aren’t we?
But getting back to my disappointment in Huffington Post, and please remember I have yet to drink my tea—Huffington Post, these are not women’s stories. They should be under a Life section, or a Relationship section, maybe a Shopping section or Sex section; I can help if you need more ideas. How can we ask society to change its behavior when the same old stereotypes are being perpetuated?
I am riding the wave of the Lean In movement and enjoying the debate, conversation, and different points of view. It’s making me think, at times it’s making me angry, it’s making me question, and mostly, it’s making me happy to be a woman. But Huffington Post, your Women’s section is not doing us any favors, at least the stories that are getting highlighted on the Front Page. All genders may be interested in articles about better sex, better shopping and self improvement, but sticking them in a women’s section sends the wrong message, don’t you think?