The Objectification of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 29-year-old from the Bronx who surprised America with her congressional primary victory back in June just won the midterm election. Not only is she the youngest woman ever elected to congress, but she is a Puerto Rican woman. Cortez most definitely stands out in the crowd. She is not only beautiful but is a member of the socialist party. I recently found this Cut article online with a discussion about Cortez. I was immediately sad when I began reading this article because of the fact that the commentary was all about what she looked like. Instead of talking about how qualified she is or what she is passionate about, they commented on her beauty. That is incredibly disheartening as a young woman of color because there is so much more to talk about than what a person looks like. Women of color are already symbolically annihilated from the media and politics included. In order to change the narrative we need to discuss other things besides outer beauty.
This was a great read. It is important to recognize how the media responds to the success of women. Are they attributing all the success to her and her qualities, or her beauty and the men that helped her get there? Ignoring important aspects of what makes a woman great is damaging for all women because it dehumanizes and objectifies. Suggesting that a woman's success is dependent on her beauty is a constant problem in the media that is reflected in society.
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