Breaking News
“News readers: Hello and welcome to BBC breakfast. I’m (insert name here) and I’m (insert name here). Coming up on today’s show…
Bleary eyed me: (Internal commentary) Oh no… I’m not sure about her dress… sparkles at 7:00 am?
News readers: And the breaking news today …
Slightly less bleary eyed me:(Internal commentary) Oh shut up Rebecca you never judge the men on their choice of suit … Oh wait that’s because they always wear suits … What was the breaking news again?
END SCENE
Now, I’m not sure how many others have been through a similar morning dialogue with their TV screens and there’s a chance I’m just tetchy due to my deep seated hatred of sequins too early on in the day. However, I’ve since caught myself passing comments without a sequin in sight, which forces me to realise that, whether it’s subconscious or not, I clearly take note of the female presenter’s attire and only on the rare occasion that the male presenter sports a particularly extravagant tie do I ever pass judgement on him.
These fleeting thoughts have led me to the really rather unhappy conclusion that the female, to some degree, still remains the showpiece whilst the male is left free to be unquestionably and instantly respected.
To add further to this accusation, up until recently I didn’t know I’d never seen a female news reader sitting on the viewers left hand side. It was only when I came across a picture of Suzanna Reid sitting on the left whilst presenting ITV’s new breakfast show that the image struck me as somehow odd. You may ask, just as I did, why on earth it matters? There are only two presenters so no matter where they sit they have to be equal? It wasn’t until my Mother raised the point that, as members of the western world, we tend to read from left to right that I realised if this rule is applied to news readers we unwittingly acknowledge the man’s presence first. Hmmmm. Strange that …It seems it was only Suzanna’s reputation and prestige at being a BBC runaway that earned her the left hand spot otherwise reserved for the rightful male heir – Piers Morgan who arrived soon after her in Nov 2015.
Sooo in answer to these potentially premeditative predicaments engineered to infiltrate our brains with the subliminal message of male dominance… I would like to offer a couple of suggestions. Firstly that of - equal uniformity or (to my eyes the more preferable option) – equal freedom of dress. This way the woman is no longer singled out for momentary objectification. We can judge or accept both parties equally in accordance with our level of morning grouchiness. I think the added creative incentive for male news readers could be thoroughly beneficial. Broadening horizons and other such positive stuff but then I’m an optimist. Sadly for me uniformity may be the more preferable option as we painstakingly shuffle up the evolutionary scale. The second issue however can be addressed very simply of course by initiating a ‘first come first served’ attitude towards seating arrangements, even if it’s just to even out the wear and tear on the sofa!
Over to you :)
“News readers: Hello and welcome to BBC breakfast. I’m (insert name here) and I’m (insert name here). Coming up on today’s show…
Bleary eyed me: (Internal commentary) Oh no… I’m not sure about her dress… sparkles at 7:00 am?
News readers: And the breaking news today …
Slightly less bleary eyed me:(Internal commentary) Oh shut up Rebecca you never judge the men on their choice of suit … Oh wait that’s because they always wear suits … What was the breaking news again?
END SCENE
Now, I’m not sure how many others have been through a similar morning dialogue with their TV screens and there’s a chance I’m just tetchy due to my deep seated hatred of sequins too early on in the day. However, I’ve since caught myself passing comments without a sequin in sight, which forces me to realise that, whether it’s subconscious or not, I clearly take note of the female presenter’s attire and only on the rare occasion that the male presenter sports a particularly extravagant tie do I ever pass judgement on him.
These fleeting thoughts have led me to the really rather unhappy conclusion that the female, to some degree, still remains the showpiece whilst the male is left free to be unquestionably and instantly respected.
To add further to this accusation, up until recently I didn’t know I’d never seen a female news reader sitting on the viewers left hand side. It was only when I came across a picture of Suzanna Reid sitting on the left whilst presenting ITV’s new breakfast show that the image struck me as somehow odd. You may ask, just as I did, why on earth it matters? There are only two presenters so no matter where they sit they have to be equal? It wasn’t until my Mother raised the point that, as members of the western world, we tend to read from left to right that I realised if this rule is applied to news readers we unwittingly acknowledge the man’s presence first. Hmmmm. Strange that …It seems it was only Suzanna’s reputation and prestige at being a BBC runaway that earned her the left hand spot otherwise reserved for the rightful male heir – Piers Morgan who arrived soon after her in Nov 2015.
Sooo in answer to these potentially premeditative predicaments engineered to infiltrate our brains with the subliminal message of male dominance… I would like to offer a couple of suggestions. Firstly that of - equal uniformity or (to my eyes the more preferable option) – equal freedom of dress. This way the woman is no longer singled out for momentary objectification. We can judge or accept both parties equally in accordance with our level of morning grouchiness. I think the added creative incentive for male news readers could be thoroughly beneficial. Broadening horizons and other such positive stuff but then I’m an optimist. Sadly for me uniformity may be the more preferable option as we painstakingly shuffle up the evolutionary scale. The second issue however can be addressed very simply of course by initiating a ‘first come first served’ attitude towards seating arrangements, even if it’s just to even out the wear and tear on the sofa!
Over to you :)