Rant: This Will Offend Your Olfactories

She must stay thin and young-looking, while her male colleague can grow fat and bald in peace. – Eliana Dockterman

From a PBS NewsHour, anchor Judy Woodruff and her guest, Mark Shields:


Mark Shields	Judy Woodruff
Highly respected political columnist	Highly respected anchor, PBS NewsHour
Hair: Gray	Hair: Blond
Chin: Sagging, jowly	Chin: Taut, sculpted
Neck: Thick, flabby	Neck: Taut, sculpted
Arms: Not visible, suspect flabby	Arms: Slender, toned
Build: Portly	Build: Slender

What’s wrong with this picture?

Here’s what’s wrong:

Two highly respected journalists, of comparable age, both with many years in the business.

But if Judy Woodruff had gray hair, jowls, and a portly build, she wouldn’t have an on-air job.

Even if she was 30 years younger, with gray hair, jowls, and a portly build she’d be banished to a back cube in the newsroom. If she was able to have a job in journalism at all.

What if Judy was losing her hair? Would she lose her job, too? Have you ever seen a balding woman hosting a TV program? Compare and contrast that with…