# Interesting observation about female attractiveness and gender obsession. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 24, 2014, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596 "2014-01-24T04:28:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kstarnes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4da419/32.png) [@kstarnes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kstarnes)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/1 "2014-01-24T04:28:27Z")
Generally speaking, as I was researching for the 2013 nominations for the most attractive female journalist I noticed that the there is an inverse relationship between attractiveness and how much gender and feminism figures in her writing. To put it another way, the more unattractive a female journalist is the more she has written about gender issues and the more likely she will see sexism and misogyny. Consider the example of Amanda Hess of [Slate.com](http://Slate.com) versus Emily Bazelon, also of [Slate.com](http://Slate.com) and married. Whereas Amanda Hess (the conventionally unattractive one) writes almost exclusively about gender (about 70 to 80%,) Emily Bazelon writes about a range of topics including jurisprudence, bullying, money, technology, and yes, gender too. I don’t think it’s difficult to speculate why this inverse relationship can sometimes be true. Uglier women have a harder time in the world. Consider the case of our other nominees: Amy Chozick, rarely does she write about gender. Annie Lowry (recently married to Ezra Klein) writes primarily about money and politics and local issues (and gender too sometimes.) ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/2 "2014-01-24T05:28:04Z")
Rush, is that you? ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/3 "2014-01-24T05:29:56Z")
How frequently does Greta Van Sustern report on gender issues? ---
**Author:** ![Boogly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Boogly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boogly)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/4 "2014-01-24T06:14:50Z")
Given that not-as-attractive people (like me) see more bias we could be more aware of it. However as a guy I am probably not as subject to this as a female in media. ---
**Author:** ![kstarnes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4da419/32.png) [@kstarnes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kstarnes)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/5 "2014-01-24T06:29:07Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Rush, is that you? While I am no fan of Rush Limbaugh, he makes the same basic point and he’s basically right. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/6 "2014-01-24T06:38:04Z")
Ugly bitches, amirite? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/7 "2014-01-24T06:54:55Z")
> [@kstarnes](#): > > Generally speaking, as I was researching for the 2013 nominations for the most attractive female journalist… For whom were you doing this “research”? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/8 "2014-01-24T08:14:33Z")
I’m sorry, who appointed you arbiter of attractiveness? Amanda Hess is plenty attractive, to my eyes. So, axiom fail. But, assuming for a second that you are correct - couldn’t it simply be that a person well interested and educated about gender and culture\* might be less likely to engage in the ridiculous lengths one needs to go to in order to be, what was it, “conventionally attractive”? Set her up with a makeup artist and some hair extensions, and she’d look like every other woman out there with a makeup artist and hair extensions. \*“obsession,” really? Did Dan Rather have an obsession with current events? ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/9 "2014-01-24T08:32:53Z")
[Relevant Cracked article.](http://www.cracked.com/article_19785_5-ways-modern-men-are-trained-to-hate-women.html) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/10 "2014-01-24T12:58:25Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > [Relevant Cracked article.](http://www.cracked.com/article_19785_5-ways-modern-men-are-trained-to-hate-women.html) Wow, that’s awesome. David Wong can really write, and think. ---
**Author:** ![Alba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea666f/32.png) [@Alba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alba)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/11 "2014-01-24T13:21:55Z")
> [@Maastricht](#): > > [Relevant Cracked article.](http://www.cracked.com/article_19785_5-ways-modern-men-are-trained-to-hate-women.html) It might be the beer talking, but I really can’t find myself in this article. And with regards to the OP, I (we) will need a lot more examples of hot and ugly journalist and their articles. Maybe make a spreadsheet with pictures. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/12 "2014-01-24T13:24:54Z")
1974 called. It wants it’s “ugly feminists” meme back. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/13 "2014-01-24T13:37:40Z")
Probably not the OP’s intention, but it can’t avoid the glaring aspect of ad hominem dismissal. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/14 "2014-01-24T13:54:46Z")
> [@kstarnes](#): > > While I am no fan of Rush Limbaugh, he makes the same basic point and he’s basically right. _Enough heard, switching threads_ ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/15 "2014-01-24T13:56:06Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Wow, that’s awesome. David Wong can really write, and think. Can’t help but wonder - would an _attractive_ guy be writing about this issue? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/16 "2014-01-24T15:50:39Z")
Really? We’re doing a “feminists are ugly” thread? ---
**Author:** ![Osiris\_the\_1st](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9de0a6/32.png) [@Osiris\_the\_1st](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osiris_the_1st)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/17 "2014-01-24T15:53:58Z")
Wow. Speaking as a man, I find this offensive. That’s a very broad brush your painting with. Have you ever noticed that it’s the most unattractive men that fear/complain about feminism. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/18 "2014-01-24T16:10:18Z")
**Lindy West** , who writes for Jezebel and Slate and The Stranger and other things, is about as feminist as you get online these days - and I think [she’s insanely cut](http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/1987lwp2y7hk1jpg/original.jpg)e. Of course, she still gets tons of hate mail calling her fat and gross, but some people just can’t make it through life without shitting on people. ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/19 "2014-01-24T16:12:29Z")
Yeah it’s bad enough that we’re doing the whole judging female professionals by their looks alone thing, but then we even have someone starting another thread about how the ones we’re judging ugly are ugly because they’re feminists. You know, just because a woman exists doesn’t mean that we have to fall all over ourselves to make sure she gets her hot or not rating, complete with breakdown of “why you’re not hot”. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596/20 "2014-01-24T16:24:42Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Really? We’re doing a “feminists are ugly” thread? This sums up my feelings. Really, the OP needs to stop with the offensive stereotyping. When come back, bring intelligent discussion. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-observation-about-female-attractiveness-and-gender-obsession/679596.md?page=2)