Many of the news outlets I've seen this headline come from are treating it as something hysterically funny: Chinese leader offered women to U.S. in 1973

At the same time, there's this one in the news: Some voters say sexism less offensive than racism

Brilliant. Take two examples of terrible human injustice that still have a LONG way to go before being completely resolved and pit them against each other in a disingenuous way, aimed at getting activists grumbling at each other over the worthiness of their cause. All the while, the bigots and chauvinists giggle quietly to themselves in the corner.

To make this all a little more bizarre, why don't we throw Britney Spears into the mix. The BBC article, LA's obsession with Britney Spears, says that:

[...] But judging by the relentless, some would say ruthless, way the singer is pursued, the world seems to have an insatiable appetite for the latest tidbit of news about the star. [...] Some tabloid agencies have large teams of photographers devoted entirely to hunting down the singer. "She's like gold in America right now," says Alex Passos, a video photographer who hangs around the singer's home every day, just waiting for the next big chase. [...] Some photographers have quit their jobs because they say the business of chasing Spears has become too aggressive. [...] "Everyone wants to know about her and that's why it's getting out of hand and dangerous now," he adds. [...] "I like these kinds of exciting things. It's like a lifestyle - but not only that, there's good money in this."

Sounds more like an African safari to me. Maybe this was what somebody was thinking when they appointed a veterinarian to be the head of a Office of Women's Health of the Food and Drug Administration.

You know, I thought we'd learned something from Princess Diana's death at the hands of a relentless paparazzi that claimed she "deserved it" (The relentless intrusion of her privacy) because she was in a position that required her to manage a public image of herself. Silly me. At least this time they're being smarter about it:

"She gives you whatever you want, whenever you want it. She's going to do something new and screwy every second and it's always there."

Ah yes. Start with a teenager in a highly public business. Manufacture an image for her that's impossible for her to maintain when she grows up. Turn up the volume on conflicting messages (be pure and wholesome and extremely sexy and a virgin with a come-hither look) and stress while showering her with attention while she's growing into womanhood. Slap her down hard when she tries to do things her way (for better or worse) until you have a young woman who is so messed up that she's a "24 hour reality show". Great. Now we can blame it all on her while she self-destructs- "Look, she's being wacky again!" and think it's justified to point and laugh.

I think I need to go watch something uplifting to mend my faith in humanity.

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