The hero-whore discrepancy

The sports section of the New York Times’ “Today’s Headlines” email update was full of stories about fallen heroes. “Dispassionate End to a Crumbled American Romance” is one of the articles about Lance Armstrong’s overdue confession to using performance-enhancing drugs. “Image Becomes a Puzzle as Theories on Te’o Swirl” is an article about the odd case of Notre Dame football star Manti Te’o and his fake, dead girlfriend. Many people are talking about these two stories as isolated events of deception.

To me, these are just current examples of how easily men (especially male athletes) can – and do – fool the public and the media. Both want to idolize men and make them larger than life. Even when red flags are present, most media don’t do the work because they don’t want to dethrone a hero. Some even want to “be friends” with the proclaimed superstars – partly for the notoriety, partly to advance their journalism careers.

Women, however, frequently are doubted and questioned by the public and the media. Women frequently are shamed, blamed and dragged through the mud by the media, especially in stories dealing with sexual assault.

I continue to follow the Steubenville “Rape Crew” stories. I was appalled at how many of the articles, early on, questioned the 16-year-old victim – her appearance, her behavior, her “participation” in the events. Since the online advocacy group Anonymous got involved, the coverage seems to have taken a more aggressive approach, centered on the male football players that allegedly are involved.

But even with a new angle to the coverage, most of the articles I have read online that defend the victim, and other articles that defend women, are written by women. I have been asking why men can’t (or don’t) write in defense of women.

Yesterday, two articles dealing with Te’o and Notre Dame football were brought to my attention by friends: one by Irin Carmon, the other by Melinda Henneberger, both addressing Notre Dame’s lack of care as related to rape allegations and the death of a young woman. Both of these articles were written by women.

Even in articles that do not deal with sexual assault, women are held to a different standard. Women in politics often are questioned about their appearance, directly and indirectly. Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas had her moment of glory tainted by a controversy regarding her hair.

Many of these issues of gender representation are directly linked to what we, in the Western world, consider to be the ideal masculine persona. Meghan Murphy wrote a great article following the Newtown, Conn., shootings that addressed this issue. The article discusses the importance society places in “masculinity,” and how men feel the pressure to “perform” as “real men.” She wrote: “When men commit violence, they’re fulfilling expectations of their gender” – expectations that continually are advanced and stressed through media.

Media coverage is a reflection of society. In our society, strong men who win at all costs are portrayed as heroes, to be worshipped by all and desired by the opposite sex. Women who are strong and successful are labeled “bitches” or portrayed as selfish. Women who are victims of sexual crimes often are portrayed as “whores.” It is a longstanding – and, to me, unacceptable – double standard.