Is it possible the way we look could work against us? Crazy world.
ooo
I was reading Dahlia Lithwick in Newsweek this week and she was making a case the “not-so-perfect-people” were being discriminated against.
Her column began:
“If you are anything like me, you left the theater after ‘Sex and the City 2’ and thought, there ought to be a law against a looks-based culture in which the only way for 40-year-old actresses to be compensated like 40-year-old actors is to have them look and dress like the teenage daughters of 40-year-old actors. You can’t even look at Sarah Jessica Parker without longing to feed her croissants.”
Lithwick went on to discuss a new book, “The Beauty Bias,” which essentially says the nonbeautiful are being discriminated against.
Restaurants, for example, that serve hot wings shouldn’t be allowed to fire a waitress for being a couple of pounds overweight.
Fair enough. My bad looks shouldn’t cost me a job.
ooo
But then I hear about a Village Voice story. It reports that a woman is claiming she was fired because she is too pretty.
That’s correct! Debrahlee Lorenzana says, quite simply, she was too good looking.
To read all about her lawsuit, click here
So she’s filed a lawsuit.
Dang. It sounds to me like we’ve got trouble if we are on either end of the pretty meter.
I guess we’re better off finding that vast, bland middle ground.
ooo
Speaking of the bland middle ground (love the segue) we had a great discussion this week about our unscientific Web polls. And I should say up front, if you hate them, blame me. I’ve written all of them so far.
A few folks here feel like they’re a bit too edgy, sort of borderline controversial. Fair opinion.
But is that so bad?
Look, media companies have a bunch of challenges to overcome: Fewer people reading, competing Internet, a greater distribution of ad dollars, etc.
We should always be fair and accurate but we should do so — when appropriate — with just a little edge.
Our poll has asked questions about politicians, the establishment, governmental salaries and sports. So what if it’s edgy? That’s my argument.
A month-to-month analysis of our poll shows huge growth since it began early this year. It has more than doubled in page views. So we plan to add more soon. The new ones might not be as edgy, but we believe folks are interested in voicing their opinions in a poll.
ooo
Speaking of opinions (another marginally sweet segue) how ’bout those Chicago Blackhawks!
Being from Chicago, I enjoyed watching them whip Philadelphia in the Stanley Cup this week. And they finished them off over at their joint to boot.
I was a little surprised, however, at how those Flyers fans reacted after it was over.
They constantly booed, even through the Cup ceremony. I wondered if the media would cover this unbecoming behavior.
The Philadelphia media basically ignored it. But the Chicago media did not.
Chicago Sun-Times columnist Rick Morrissey said folks in Philadelphia couldn’t do much about the Blackhawks.
“Well, (they) could boo, which Flyers fans did loudly as the Hawks carried the Cup around the ice. You can’t teach that kind of classiness. You’re born with it.”
Don’t be such homers, Philadelphia media!
Lou Brancaccio is The Columbian’s editor. Reach him at 360-735-4505 or lou.brancaccio@columbian.com.
