Comments on: Slate Editor David Plotz responds to The New Agenda

By: OrlandoNan

OrlandoNan — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 20:49:36 +0000

I feel a bit helpless patiently pointing out sexist and demeaning images of women to smug male editors and broadcasters who just insist that we are wrong.
Glad New Agenda is on the case. Maybe as a group we can get somewhere.
Would they run a sketch of NoBama in a watermelon field? Or Lieberman in some anti-Jewish pose? No – and they shouldn’t.
Why is it that sexism can just be brushed off?? I am baffled and discouraged.

By: Lizzy in CT

Lizzy in CT — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:27:10 +0000

Thank you, NewAgenda, for your excellent letter to David Plotz. I sent my own letter, yesterday, as well.

Poor Plotz. He, very simply, does not get it, does he? Sigh. To have a neanderthal mind in 2008. Pathetic.

By: Sis

Sis — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:34:23 +0000

Oh it’s better to e-mail the publisher (or whatever it’s called on an e-zine). Plotz will just spam everything. Better yet, e-mail a couple major Slate advertisers.

By: Sis

Sis — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:48:49 +0000

I’m not American. I’ll be a dedicated reader and send frequent virtual bouquets. Unless your name is Plotz.

But you have my admiration and thanks for this site.

By: Elizabeth Cortell

Elizabeth Cortell — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:44:10 +0000

Thank you, New Agenda, for speaking up on all our behalves.

It is beyond me why the major publications don’t include the simple sentence in their style guides, “Do not employ sexist terms or images if you would not use the racist equivalent.” It is such a simple principle, courteous and fair, and does not sacrifice one group’s dignity for another.

By: Amy Siskind

Amy Siskind — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 21:36:12 +0000

Here is Plotz’s email address: David.Plotz@slate.com – let him know how you feel!

We had sent an action alert on this to our members. If you are not a member yet, please consider joining us.

By: Sis

Sis — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:15:21 +0000

Obviously you’ve irritated Mr. Plotz with your pettiness and lack of sophistication. Stop it right now. After all he would know whether or not the article is sexist. Has he not risen to the heights of journalistic excellence that is Slate.

By: Maura

Maura — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 18:28:35 +0000

I think samanthasmom may be onto something here. In a year where Hilary Clinton was abandoned and discarded by her party for a new, fresh male face and Palin has been diminished and ridiculed FOR her new, fresh female face – WITH THE PARTICIPATORY APPROVAL OF SO-CALLED TRADITIONAL FEMINISTS, YET!!! – we will look forward to many years of having to try to undo this damage. Teenage girls are bombarded with more and more harmful images in the media and see what happens to women who have higher aspirations than becoming actors or models.

You are sexualized and then you are invisible. And men like Plotz engage in self gratifying exercises like this in the name of “journalism”, which, like true feminism, died in 2008…

By: goesh

goesh — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:47:24 +0000

“As to the larger issue of Palin’s sex appeal, only someone living in a cave for the past month could deny that it is an important element in her appeal……” D. Plotz

Allow me to say it again: what a slam on men, Plotz. Talk about living in a cave……..

By: votermom

votermom — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:50:41 +0000

Good grief, what a condescending, pat on the head reply from Plotz.