As
Julia Baird argues early in her book, ‘we watched prominent female politicians
topple like ten pins under a barrage of media criticism. One after the other,
with careers destroyed, credibility damaged, prospects of leadership slim or
non-existent: hyped as heroines, the cast as villains or fools, or just made
invisible. …. In many cases, the women were partly to blame or complicit in
their demise, yet the bias that frequently emerged in the media made their
transgressions grotesque, their mistakes almost sinister – a hall of mirrors
that exaggerated their flaws that made them lethal’ (2004,4). Her message seems
to be that women interested in politics have to be very, very careful about how
they work with the media. If they want to play the political game they have to
know the rules and play every move with caution while understanding that thriving
in such an environment you have to be ultra media savvy, well prepared and be
in the game for the right reasons.
Some
of the examples Baird looked at were images that were carefully scripted and
actually worked but the public image of others were epic failures, not because
they weren’t prepared but often lacked the policy substance to be taken
seriously.
Other
of these images came down to the perpetuation of long held stereotypes that
never seemed to go away. But Julia Baird’s astute analysis really did look at
the portrayal of women in the media in great detail and it highlighted the need
for more study to be done in this area to get a more accurate picture of how
women are actually portrayed.
While
she raises many great points, Baird gives a warning about playing the gender
card. For whatever short term gains you might think it gives you, in the long
term it has no value. As she says, ‘playing the victim is one thing; being
treated unfairly is another’ (200, 247). Just because someone is analysing you
and/or work in ways that you perceive as being overly harsh, it doesn’t always
mean that they are doing it because you’re a woman.
Baird
gives nine tips for women in public live and needing to work well with the
media. They are so good that anyone with a high profile and even a rising one could benefit from
remembering them. They are:
1)
Establish
a serious profile, as someone who is policy-oriented and has the respect of
your colleagues
2)
Avoid
the celebrity shots, posing in ball gowns or bikinis
3)
Steer
attention away from your personal life
4)
Avoid
a personality cult
5)
Cop
criticism
6)
Understand
that Journalists are not your enemies. Nor are they your friends
7)
Do
not assume that female journalists will be more sympathetic because you’re a
woman
8)
Try,
in the midst of it all, to be yourself. Talk directly; answer honestly.
9)
Beware
the gender card
(2004,
241-246)
Media
Tarts, how the Australian press frames female politicians should be required reading for
anyone who is thinking about running for any kind of public office. It would
make interesting reading for those who work in reporting on those who
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