The Guardian: Firing Ailes “Can’t Turn Around The Mess Of Misogyny That Is Fox News”

The Guardian highlighted the long and widespread sexism and misogyny of Fox News following the reported firing of Fox News CEO Roger Ailes, amid charges of sexual harassment made by former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson.

On July 19 it was reported that Ailes was given until August 1 to resign or be fired. This ultimatum came as a result of a lawsuit filed by Carlson alleging sexual harassment against Ailes. Following the announcement of the lawsuit numerous other women have come forward with allegations of harassment by Ailes, including current Fox host Megyn Kelly.

The Guardian’s Jessica Valenti highlighted Fox News’ history of sexist policy, including the no-pants policy for women and the repeated misogynistic rhetoric. And while removing Ailes is a step forward, Valenti explained that “removing one lascivious man can’t turn around the mess of misogyny that is Fox News.” From The Guardian:

But removing one lascivious man can’t turn around the mess of misogyny that is Fox News. This is a network that bans its female on-air talent from wearing pants, where a host characterized a military operation against Isis led by a woman as “boobs on the ground” and the ethos of the coverage is shockingly antagonistic to women’s rights.

There was the time, for example, that Fox contributor Erik Erickson said that men should be “dominant” over women in families. Or when an all-male panel bemoaned the rise of female breadwinners in the United States. Or when a host wondered if there was something about the female brain that was a “deterrent” to being a business executive. Or, my personal favorite, when Andrea Tantaros suggested that a female high school teacher who sexually abused a student did so because of … feminism.

Oh, and these are just incidents from one year at the network.

I have no doubt that the leadership of a man who may have told a woman “you might have to give a blowjob every once in a while” for him to help with her career would impact the tone of coverage on women at Fox News. But the disparagement of women at Fox, whether its employees or its viewers, isn’t just about Ailes. So long as the network is a mouthpiece for the right, it will continue to reflect outdated notions about women’s roles.