Offender: Reporter Laura Italiano and her editors

Media Outlet: New York Post

The Offense: In a July 2 cover story, the New York Post attempted to discredit the woman who was allegedly raped by Dominique Strauss-Kahn by labeling her a prostitute. The cover screams "DSK MAID A HOOKER" in huge type. Inside, writer Italiano provides very little beyond gossip, depending heavily on puns such as "big tips for extra turndown service" to convey this completely unsubstantiated accusation.

NOW's Analysis: Italiano jumps right into the piece, claiming that the 32-year-old mother and alleged rape survivor "wasn't just a girl working at a hotel -- she was a working girl."

Throughout the article, Italiano's harsh rhetoric and unsupported accusations portray the accuser as a "pathological liar and scam artist" willing to do anything for quick cash. Based on quotes from an unnamed source, the accuser supposedly had been "getting extraordinary tips . . . And it's not for bringing extra f--king towels." With no evidence, the reader is meant to align the accuser's income with prostition. After all, how else would this hotel maid be able to pay for her "hair braiding" and "salon expenses?"

The case for prostitution continues as Italiano's source speculates that the accuser's union "purposely assigned" her to such a high-class hotel because "it knew she would bring in big bucks." Recently, The Washington Post revealed that the union in question actually sent the New York Post a packet of documents on the accuser, including a copy of an employment application she filled out at the Sofitel, in which she listed the International Rescue Committee (not the union) as the source that referred her to the hotel.

There are countless problems with this article, two of which should greatly concern feminists. First, claiming (with no evidence and only one anonymous source) that an immigrant woman working as a hotel maid is actually a "hooker" is sexist, racist and classist, to say the least. Second, implicit in this accusation is that a prostitute cannot be raped, or that any claim she makes of being raped should not be taken seriously. Even the New York Post should be held to a standard that says promoting harmful stereotypes and demonstrating such blatant misogyny are unacceptable.

Take Action: The accuser is currently taking action by filing a libel suit against the New York Post for labeling her a prostitute. Take your own action by writing to the New York Post and giving them a piece of your mind.

Marisella Rodriguez, Communications Intern, July 13, 2011

More offenders in : Violence Against Women, Print Publications, Racism, Media Hall of Shame, Economic Injustice

Rank this item with our Misogyny Meter: Currently 2.14/5 1 2 3 4 5 i

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Offender: Rush Limbaugh on the Rush Limbaugh Radio Show
Media Outlet: Aired on radio stations nationwide 6/17/09 - syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications

The Offense: Radio host Rush Limbaugh mocks and belittles Sonia Sotomayor's participation in a women's Club – the Belizean Grove – which she recently left as a result of pressure from those opposed to the "discrimination" inherent in a woman-centric group: "I think I'm going to send Sotomayor, and her club, a bunch of vacuum cleaners to help them clean up after their meetings."

NOW's Analysis: This infamous radical right radio host has as much experience doling out sexism and racism as Sotomayor has facing the brunt of them.

Limbaugh glosses over the obvious disparity between women's support groups and men's exclusion groups with a crude and violent baby seal clubbing analogy. Aside from the fact that Sotomayor has explicitly demonstrated that the Belizean Grove is open and welcoming to men who do approach the group, there is literally no comparison between women's groups and men's groups. The "good ol' boys club" Limbaugh refers to is a longstanding tradition of systematically excluding women from the upper echelons of business, corporate, and government organizations. Clubs like the Belizean Grove, on the other hand, act as a support network for women striving for the recognition they deserve in male-dominated fields.

Though Limbaugh's rant focuses mainly on the injustice of Sotomayor's participation in the club—he even mockingly refers to her as a "model of diversity and inclusion"—the real insult comes at the very end of his segment, when he says, "I think I'm going to send Sotomayor, and her club, a bunch of vacuum cleaners to help them clean up after their meetings."

This remark clearly intends to belittle the Belizean Grove, and Sotomayor herself, and serves as a pathetic attempt to put these women back in their place, demoting them from successful, powerful business associates to mere vacuum operators. The implication here is that women should be definitionally house-ridden, an especially heinous concept when coupled with Sotomayor's Puerto Rican heritage and stereotypes about Latina cleaning women.

Take Action: Tell Kraig T. Kitchin, President and Chief Operating Officer of Premiere Radio Networks, what you think about Ruch Limbaugh's sexist, racist comments.

Jess Hobbs, NOW Communications Team, June 24, 2009

More offenders in : Sexist Piggery, Radio, Racism, Media Hall of Shame

Rank this item with our Misogyny Meter: Currently 2.93/5 1 2 3 4 5 i

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Offender: G. Gordon Liddy on The G. Gordon Liddy Show

Media Outlet: Aired on radio stations nationwide 5/28/09 - syndicated by Radio America, a division of The American Studies Center

The Offense: Speaking about President Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor, radio host G. Gordon Liddy had this to say: "Let's hope that the key conferences aren't when she's menstruating or something, or just before she's going to menstruate. That would really be bad. Lord knows what we would get then."

NOW's Analysis: What can we say that Liddy's words don't already say for themselves? Liddy starts out the segment by accusing Judge Sotomayor with making racist comments and criticizing her membership in the group National Council of La Raza, which he says means "the race" in "illegal alien". Yes, that's right -- Liddy referred to the Spanish language as "illegal alien." (By the way: the organization says a closer translation of La Raza would be "the people" or "the Hispanic people of the New World.")

When Liddy's guest suggests that Sotomayor will be making decisions based on her "personal intuition" and "emotion," Liddy can't help but go there. You know where, that place where women can't make decisions when they're on their period. Ages ago, people were encouraged to think that women couldn't serve in important, high-pressure, high-stakes jobs because they get so crazy and emotional when they're menstruating. This sexist attitude, for the most part, has long since been retired. But Liddy didn't get the memo, or he just doesn't care. Right-wing talking heads are using everything in their arsenal to demonize Sotomayor, and Liddy is on the front lines with his bag full of this dusty old muskets.

Take Action: Tell Liddy's syndicator, Radio America, what you think of his racist, sexist comments.

Lisa Bennett, NOW Communications Director, May 29, 2009

More offenders in : Sexist Piggery, Radio, Racism, Media Hall of Shame

Rank this item with our Misogyny Meter: Currently 3.90/5 1 2 3 4 5 i

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