Rapper Eminem has never been a feminist favorite, what with the hostility he’s expressed toward women (including his wife and mother) in his music. But this video is pretty much anti-woman from beginning to end. It ridicules a number of women for their weight, appearance and hunger for celebrity.
Terkel had every right to question why O’Reilly was speaking at an event organized to raise money for rape survivors. It would have been reasonable for O’Reilly’s to invite Terkel on to his show to debate her comments, but instead his response seemed designed to threaten and silence her and others who might challenge him.
Would O’Reilly use a similarly derogatory term about an older male journalist? We think not!
The article reinforces the message that a woman, no matter what her other qualities, must be “hot” and that her value is rooted in whether or not men are “sexually excited” by her.
These ads send a dangerous message that women are sexual playthings whose dignity and individuality are secondary to the pursuit of male approval.