So says John Pomfret of the WaPo, who’s receiving a spanking over the latest dribblings from Charlotte Allen. Even Ed Morrissey, writing at Hot Air — neither of which are known for their pro-feminist stance — didn’t miss the abject woman-hating in the piece:
Bobby Riggs during his intentionally provocative promotion of his tennis match with Billy Jean King couldn’t have written this with a straight face. Allen blithely consigns the entire gender into second-class status and advises women to give up their dreams of wealth and power, and instead stick to chick flicks, chick lit, and classic chick roles as mothers and homemakers. That, she promises, will make everyone happier.
What a load of absolute nonsense. Women succeed every day in every arena. If Allen feels a little dim, that may have more to do with her own talents that those of her fellow females. It almost sounds like an excuse. I couldn’t help failing, kind sir; I’m only a woman!
Pomfret is now furiously backpedaling. It was a joke, ladies! Can’t you take a joke?
“If it insulted people, that was not the intent,” Outlook editor John Pomfret told me this morning, calling the piece “tongue-in-cheek.”
Pomfret said that Allen pitched the idea to him as a riff on women fainting at Obama rallies, and similarities with the Beatles…
“She wanted to make fun of this issue,” Pomfret said. “A lot of people have taken it very seriously.”
Hey, remember what I said earlier about this kind of acceptance of blatant misogyny in our nation’s mainstream media having nothing at all to do with the dearth of women on the op-ed pages, except as instruments with which to tear down women as a whole? That goes double for the failure of the WaPo to attract and retain female readers, I’m sure. Wholly unconnected!
In the meantime, keep checking in with Eschaton, where Atrios is dropping gems like this today:
Next Week In John Pomfret’s Washington Post Outlook Section
When she says no, she really means yes.
ETA: Some of Allen’s greatest hits here.