Not Another ‘Jewish Hotties’ Slideshow
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
By Sarah Seltzer April 18, 2014
Thinkstock
Oh Daily Caller, no you didn’t just publish a slideshow of Jewish hotties under the tenuously time-pegged slogan “13 Jewish Hotties We Wouldn’t Pass Over.” Just no.
In addition to being outright objectifying without even a trace of hipster irony, there’s something a little unpleasant about the project, as if the fact that Jewish women are attractive is newsworthy Meanwhile, the requisite smouldering pics of Madames Portman, Johannsen, Kunis, Hudson and company uses the worst variety of Jewish humor I’ve ever encountered. Really, guys (somehow I think it was guys who did this)? “Tzimme some Elizabeth Banks.” “We’d let Scarlett Johansson try our borscht.” Wow. This stuff isn’t just offensive to Jewish women — it’s offensive to actually funny Jewish humor.
But as always with instances of fluffy sexism, dig deeper and you find a pattern. The Daily Caller has a long history of sexism and disrespect toward women, from publishing a cartoon that attacked Meghan McCain by focusing on her body to the usual nastiness about Hillary Clinton to a barrage of cruelty aimed at Democratic strategist Stephanie Cutter. The now-disgraced reporter Patrick Howley once wrote a long complaint about not being able to freely ogle the bodies of women: “Women are like Indians now. You can’t give them a once-over, a polite grin, and be on your way. You can’t notice the fruits of their several-hour morning project of preparing themselves to be looked at. Pretty soon, looking at a woman’s chest will legally be a ‘hate’ crime instead of a love crime.” Convincing logic, there, Mr. Howley, with some gratuitous racism against Native Americans thrown in for sport.
Dear “freedom-loving gentlemen” of The Daily Caller, this Jewess would like to take my piping hot bowl of matzo ball soup, or borscht, or whatever, and ceremonially dump it in your (metaphorical) lap.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news. All donations are still being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000 until April 24.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
