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It’s wonderful how routine sexism is. But even after years of noting it, responding to it, and moving on, occasionally an example stops me short.
In conjunction with National Autism Awareness Day, Jenny McCarthy was interviewed on my local Fox affiliate. I didn’t happen to see the interview, but I’ve seen Ms McCarthy before, speaking on Autism recovery, and I’m touched by her story and the work they’re doing on this. Autism is right up there with AIDS as a scourge of my civilization, and any progress on combating it encourages me. I saw a clip, however, as the intro to the complete propaganda they put out on the evening news. She spoke directly and reasonably about the increase in childhood vaccinations, as a source of concern.
But the good part was the intro. Did they introduce her as author of several books on autism? As principal of a school for autistic children? As the mother of a child who has suffered from autism? As a well known movie actress and comedian? No, they didn’t. They said, “Former Playmate, Jenny McCarthy.” before bringing in their local doctor to “Dispel myths about vaccine safety” (You can relax. He says vaccines are fine.) He had a lengthy segment to deliver the party line on vaccination. He was downright snide, too.
But first they had to stigmatize and diminish Jenny McCarthy. First they had to say, “She can’t have anything to say…look at that rack.” As a mother and a woman I felt slapped in the face, and it sure wasn’t the intro that made me say, “Yep, Dr. Mike, being a male doctor makes you an expert on MY family’s health.” It was just another warning: these people do not have my best interests in mind, because they don’t respect women. They don’t respect Jenny McCarthy.
If anyone is concerned with Autism (and I think everyone should be) I encourage you to check out the website associated with her foundation. http://www.generationrescue.org/index.html
