Name it. Change it. Rapid Responses to Media Sexism
Krystal Ball
Race: Virginia District 1 Democratic Congressional Candidate
Sexist Coverage: A right-wing media site published six-year-old photos of Krystal Ball and her husband at a Christmas party. The media sensationalized these photos and used them to undermine the candidate.
Media Outlet: Larry Sabato (blog initially posted photos); general media attention 10/5/2010
Name it. Change it. Response: Shared Lake Research Partners study with candidate and campaign, supported candidate as she responded to media attacks. Issued a statement to over 70,000 constituents and press, encouraging media to focus on the candidate's campaign platform and praising the candidate for speaking out against sexist attacks. Ball has since been praised by many media outlets for her courage and poise in confronting the incident
Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan
Race: Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senator for Missouri
Sexist Coverage: Blog calls Robin Carnahan a "frumpy, middle-aged blonde with bad hair.
Media Outlet: missourah.com
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Former U.S. Senator for New York
Sexist Coverage: The Huffington Post published a slideshow and reader poll entitled, “Hillary Clinton Wears A Hair Clip To The UN: ‘Do Or Don’t?”
Media Outlet: Huffington Post 9/20/2010
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites
GOP Women Candidates and Hillary Clinton
Sexist Coverage: Tom Junod’s article “How DC Became Hollywood for Semi-Attractive People,” in Esquire magazine cites sex appeal as the reason behind changes in public support of both political parties. The article likens Delaware Senatorial candidate Christine O’Donnell to a “ninny,” claims that female Democratic candidates are “old or unattractive,” and asserts that President Obama should have a "wall-banging affair" with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to make things more dramatic and interesting.
Media Outlet: Esquire
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites. NICI sent letters to media outlet. A NICI representative had a phone conversation with an Esquire representative.
North Carolina State Senator Margaret Dickson
Sexist Coverage: Wesley Meredith's campaign issued a sexist attack ad against current State Senator Margaret Dickson. The video displays a woman putting on mascara, applying lipstick, adorning herself with jewelry, and gazing at her reflection in the mirror, while a voice asks, “Who does she really care about?”
Media Outlet: Video from Wesley Meredith’s campaign
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites. Shared research with the campaign and women's organizations supporting Margaret Dickson. Margaret Dickson is joined by women leaders and organizations across North Carolina at a press conference
California State Senator Diane Feinstein along with Political Analyst Susan Estrich
Media Outlet: Human Events 10/1/2010
Sexist Coverge : Fake ad describing women Democrats as "dogs" and women Republicans as "hot."
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites. NICI sent letters to media outlet. A NICI representative had a phone conversation with a Human Events representative. The outlet removed offensive comments associated with ad from one of its posts.
U.S. Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
Race: Incumbent running in November special election
Sexist Coverage: Senate majority leader Harry Reid calls Senator Kirsten Gillibrand the "hottest member" of the senate.
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites; corresponded with Senator Gillibrand's Chief of Staff on the incident.
Sexist Coverage: In a profile of the Senator, Van Meter delves into a 500 word report on what he says “the readers of Vogue will want to know:” How much weight did she lose?
Media Outlet: Vogue
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites. NICI sent letters to media outlet. A NICI representative had a phone conversation with a VOGUE representative.
Sexist Coverage: Article ranked feminist advocates, including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, on their appearance.
Media Outlet: Spike.com (men's TV. network) 9/23/2010
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites; urged Spike.com to sign Media Equality Pledge.
U.S. Senator for Washington State (current incumbent) Patty Murray
Media Outlet: Seattle Weekly
Sexist Coverage: Senator Patty Murray was pictured on the cover of Seattle Weekly--in an illustration that portrayed her naked with meat strewn over her.
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites. NICI sent letters to media outlet. A NICI representative had a phone conversation with a Seattle Weekly representative.
Christine O'Donnell
Race:Delaware Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate
Media Outlet: General
Sexist Coverage: Overall sexist media coverage on the senatorial candidate.
Name it. Change it. Response: WCF President/CEO Sam Bennett appeared on FOX News America Live with Megyn Kelly and called the media out for its sexist coverage of the candidate. Christine O'Donnell personally called Sam Bennett and thanked her for standing up for her.
Sexist Coverage: Jay Leno made an oral sex joke about Christine O'Donnell, and asked guest Scott McFarlane about his interest in having sexual relations with the senatorial candidate. LENO: "Now, I know you're a very opinionated guy. I see you on my friend Bill Maher's show and all that stuff, and you were talking about this Christine O'Donnell, you know, the anti-masturbation woman who is running for Senate, and you were talking, and you said you would enjoy having sexual relations with this woman?" MACFARLANE: I think the second she opened her mouth, it would probably ruin everything. LENO: Or make it really good.”
Media Outlet: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 10/1/2010
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites. NICI sent letters to The Tonight Show's producers and Media Relations Manager. A NICI representative had a phone conversation with a Tonight Show representative. NICI sent an Action Alert to over 70,000 constituents. Constituents flooded the station with hundreds of emails asking Jay Leno to apologize. The Washington Post, Huffington Post, and Salon all published articles on Name It. Change It.'s initiative.
Sexist Coverage: Matthews characterized O’Donnell as the “irresistibly cute” and “attractive as hell” candidate whose “claim to fame is ‘I don’t know nuthin.’”
Media Outlet: Hardball with Chris Matthews 10/8/2010
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites. NICI sent letters to media outlet. A NICI representative had a phone conversation with a Hardball representative.
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin
Race: 2008 Republican Vice Presidential Nominee
Sexist Coverage: Article entitled “Sarah Palin: The Sound and the Fury” claims to be a serious profile of a prominent woman in politics, but is accompanied by a cartoon of Palin in Viking costume, complete with braids and metal bra. The profile uses sexist comments to describe Palin as moody and temperamental.
Media Outlet: Vanity Fair - 9/3/2010
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites.
Sexist Coverage: "I have to confess, I never thought Sarah would grow the legs she has -- no, guys, not those. The legs to keep building momentum…She has something that obviously appeals to lots of people. She has 'It,' big time. But she's also maddening to many others, especially women. She flirts, she's a tease…C’mon Sarah, just drop the tease and just tell the American people you’re not running. "(Kathleen Parker on CNN show "Parker Spitzer")
Media Outlet: Parker Spitzer (CNN show 10/4/2010)
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites.
Sexist Coverage: After meeting Sarah Palin in Arizona on Friday, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio took to his Twitter to comment on his choice of welcoming gift. "I just got done welcoming Sarah Palin to our County," he wrote. "Had a nice chat and gave her a pair of pink underwear."
Media Outlet: Twitter
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites.
Republican State Treasurer Candidate in Massachusetts Karyn Polito
Sexist Coverage: "I think she's hot. She's tiny, she's short. She's got a banging little body on her. Facial wise, I give her about a seven. Body wise, I give her about an eight-and-a-half. Tight little butt. I endorse Karyn Polito." Bill Cooksey, Producer of the Tom and Todd Show (on-air comments)
Media Outlet: Tom and Todd Show, WRKO Radio 9/20/2010
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites. NICI sent letters to producer, radio show hosts, and programming VPs. A NICI representative initiated a phone conversation with a WRKO representative. NICI sent Action Alert to over 70,000 constituents. Constituents (including an area City Council Representative and a Boston Herald reporter) flooded the station with hundreds of emails and phone calls. The Boston Herald ran an article on Name It. Change It.'s efforts to get the station to apologize for the sexist comments. NICI collaborated with MomsRising, and MomsRising sent an Action Alert to their constituents. NICI also sent letters to WRKO advertisers, urging them to denounce the sexist comments.
Former United State Attorney General Janet Reno
Sexist Coverage: Fake ad describing women Democrats as "dogs" and women Republicans as "hot."
Media Outlet: Human Events 10/1/2010
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites. NICI sent letters to media outlet. A NICI representative had a phone conversation with a Human Events representative. The outlet removed offensive comments associated with ad from one of its posts.
Jill Stein
Race: Green-Rainbow Party Candidate for Governor of Massachusetts
Sexist Coverage: Jill Radsken from the Boston Herald consulted a "panel of experts"—a fashion designer and a stylist—to identify what is truly problematic about Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Jill Stein: her fashion sense. According to Radsken and her team, the only thing worth analyzing about this Green-Rainbow Party candidate is her style. The article picks apart Stein's physical appearance, claiming that the candidate's hair is "a Brillo pad that's seen better days" and "an unmitigated mop."
Media Outlet: Boston Herald
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites. NICI sent letters to media outlet. A NICI representative had a phone conversation with a Boston Herald representative.
Male candidates
Media Coverage: In Nevada, Sharron Angle told Harry Reid to "man up"; in Delaware, Christine O'Donnell called Mike Castle "unmanly" and suggested he quit the "bake-off" and get his "man-pants on"; in Colorado, Jane Norton said Ken Buck wasn't "man enough"; in Missouri, Robin Carnahan told Roy Blunt to "man up"; in New York, Carl Paladino thrice accused Andrew Cuomo of lacking "cojones."
Media Outlet: General
Name it. Change it. Response: Sam interviews with Amanda Hess from TBD about recent incidents of women launching sexist attacks against male candidates. Amanda Hess posted an article about Name It. Change It. and how sexist attacks on male candidates hurt women.
U.S. Senator for Alaska (running for re-election) Lisa Murkowski
Sexist Coverage: Ad mocks Murkowski by portraying her as a whiny child, crybaby, and princess.
Media Outlet: PAC "Let Freedom Ring" 9/27/2010
Name it. Change it. Response: Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites.
Meg Whitman
Race: Republican Candidate for Governor of California
Sexist Coverage: Jerry Brown aide had referred to California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman as a "whore."
Media Outlet: 10/8/2010
Name it. Change it. Response: Shared Lake Research Partners study with candidate and campaign. Called out sexism in an Incident Alert on the website, blog, and social networking sites. Sam appears on C-SPAN's Washington Journal and discusses the incident.
