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Rudov’s Sexism Strikes Again – Takes On Shriver’s “Woman’s Nation”

Fox News regular Mark Rudov has taken on Shriver’s recent “A Woman’s Nation” report in a sexist, demeaning column at Accuracy in Media on Monday (hat tip to Media Matters).  In an extended sexist rant, Rudov gripes about legislation that protects women from rape, domestic violence, and harmful workplace practices, arguing that they have come about only because “spineless men fear retribution from feminists and sexual retaliation from their wives for writing, passing, enforcing, and adjudicating gender-neutral laws.”  In his “analysis,” Rudov illustrates his relentless misogyny yet again and conveniently ignores the millions of American citizens that support protections for women, as well as a history of violence against women that has made such legislation a necessity. In a snarky closing, Rudov offers a “silver lining in your estrogen cloud” which states that America is a “matriarchy, a gynocracy. Women are in control. They no longer need, and therefore cannot require, men to support them financially — at any time, in any way, for any reason.”  However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

While the Shriver report marks an historic turning point in the American workforce – which is now half women – it also outlines some of the ways we need to grow as a country, many of which Gloria Steinem wrote about in her exclusive for the Women’s Media Center, “It’s Not a Man’s World or a Woman’s Nation.”  And with nearly 20% of cable-watching Americans claiming it as their main source for national and international news, Rudov’s frequent appearances on Fox News spread misinformation and sexism which is destructive to these goals.

Have you witnessed sexism on your television, computer screen, newspaper, or radio?   Help the WMC monitor the media, and tell us about it. Click here to report an incident!


2 Comments

  1. Denis Pakkala
    Posted November 5, 2009 at 10:10 am | Permalink

    WMC is sexist for opposing gender neutral laws. Grow up and start acting like equals

    National Family Violence Legislative Resource Center http://www.NFVLRC.org Policy Statement on Family Violence

    “Reports from the WHO (Archer, 2006) also make it clear than in many countries around the world, particularly where women have little political or socioeconomic power, women represent the much larger share of IPV victims. However, the most reliable population of surveys indicate that in Western industrialized democracies such as the United States and Canada, where they enjoy higher status, women engage in physical aggression at rates comparable to men (Archer, 2000; Fiebert, 2004; Straus & Gelles, 1990) and are as likely or more likely to be the initiators (DeMaris, 1992; Morse, 1995; Dutton et al., 1999; Straus, 1993; Williams & Frieze, 2005).”

    “Victimized males do not have access to services because of the assumption that they are only minimally impacted by IPV, if at all. This assumption, however, runs contrary to an overwhelming body of research evidence. A significant minority of IPV-related physical injuries, between 25% and 43%, are incurred by men (Archer, 2000; Laroch, in preparation; Mirrlees-Black, 1999; Straus, 2004; Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000), and men are the victims in nearly a quarter of intimate homicides (Rennison, 2003)”

  2. Steven
    Posted February 25, 2010 at 8:41 am | Permalink

    Women DONT GET Rights that are “Different” Than Men. But Roe V. Wade, VAWA, Womens Issues on the White House website does. This is UNCONSTITUTIONAL,And Discrimination Against Men. Period. I am with Marc Rudov. I treat women as peers. But women dont want equality. Because equality comes equal benefits, equal Responsibilities AND Equal COSTS too. But women dont want that. And i call that NONSENSE. What woman is happy? None! They just want more and more. These feminists are Angry, Bitter, Men haters, and Violent. Feminism IS SEXISM.

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