to wonder why the female co-presenter on Countdown has to dress like a stripper

[hamtastrophe]

Just that.

Is this 2013? Just utterly depressing.

The producers of the programme care what the chaps think.

MakeItALarge Finally - someone who understands what I mean. I completely agree that to say she is dressed like a stripper is extremely rude. And who are we to say it is wrong to dress like a stripper anyway?

It's only because of your preconcieved ideas about why someone is dressing a certain way that produces such an outrage. I know for a fact my 6 year old niece would watch countdown and be more interested on the numbers and letters behind Rachel than how much of her legs are showing. Yet if she heard you harping on about how she is dressed like a stripped then she would think it is wrong to dress in that way. So who is in the wrong here - Rachel for wearing it, or you for commenting on the fact she's wearing it.. Hmm..

I for one know which is more damaging to our children...

hopeful and cantspel

I am not sure why you both seem to consider me judgemental and feel the need to personally defend Charlotte Jackson?

I have no issue with the woman, nor what she might choose to wear, or how she does her hair.

My point was purely that I find it a bit off that she is dressed like a glamour model whilst her older male counterpart is in a suit.

I would have no issue with it if she was sat next to a fit young man in a skintight vest.

But yes, I guess really I'm just jealous and that's all there is to it

hopeful all those women you have listed have constantly been ridiculed about being overweight, being ugly they have been torn to shreds by the media over and over again. JSP was the editor of The Independent on Sunday yet comparing her to looking like a horse was a favourite pastime in some papers. She is also very intelligent and outspoken and being so attracted more criticism about her looks

you listed the wrong women for your argument if anything you have backed the argument the op started (though I do not agree with comparing her to looking like a stripper but get the point she is making)

Dear Women

Thank you for policing what other women wear.

It saves us the job.

Signed: The Patriarchy.

There are many styles of dress on sky sports as there are many different presenters.
Ed Chamberlin has the tie and braces city trader look.
Jim White the open shirt and v neck jumper
Damon Hill the sexy silver fox look
Mike Wedderburn tie and suit older statement look.

And the men tend to be older as they are retired sportsmen who are now making a career in presenting the sport they used to play.

Why is no one getting all judgemental about Damon Hill's windswept locks or Robbie Saveges blonde highlights?

Blimey,other posters are reading a lot more into this than I do.

When I watch the georgeous, funny and smart Racheal Riley I often nearly always think Wow, that dress is Waaaaaaay too tight, it would look nicer if it didn't look sprayed on. That's all, I don't judge her, I don't disapprove, I just think it would be less distracting and more comfy if her clothes fit her better.

That argument makes no sense sonof. Society does police what people, both men and women, wear. Whether or not you agree with that is a separate matter, but Nick Hewer, for example, is expected to wear a suit. I personally have no problem with there being norms of dress in a professional setting but that's a side issue.

The issue is that the norms for women on television are so different to those for men. Women are expected to dress youthfully, sexily and in a way that shows off their bodies, whereas men are expected to dress in a generic professional manner. The men more or less only have to concern themselves with looking clean and smart, whilst the women are have to be sexy and appealing to male viewers. I don't see how challenging that disparity is doing the Patriarchy's job.

OP, YANBU

^"There are also "unattractive" women in the media on high wages - Adele, Melissa McCarthy, Janet Street-Porter, Dawn French, Lisa Riley, Sandra Bernhard. Fern Britton, Clare Balding,...

And there are also attractive men in the media. Olly Murs, Gary Barlow, Dermot O'Leary, my list could coninue but I have much better things to do."^

That's an interesting list you've picked there. Bearing in mind I deliberately picked unattractive men who present things that require little to no expert knowledge, and who are presenters first and foremost. To find unattractive women in the media you've had to look for women who are known (originally) for a career other than presenting, and so have got famous for their skill not their looks.
eg.

• comedy (Dawn French, Sandra Bernhard)
• singing (Adele)
• writing (Janet Street-Porter)
• acting (Melissa McCarthy, Lisa Riley)
• jockey (Clare Balding)

Now while you may say, "well those unattractive male presenters got famous for their skill in presenting", don't you find it funny that the women who got famous solely for their skill in presenting are all very attractive?

As for your attractive men in presenting, how many of that list are known only for presenting, or did they maybe get the jobs due to already being known for other skills?

FreudiansSlipper So women who are "ugly" get ridiculed, and women who are beautiful get ridiculed because they only have their jobs because they're beautiful according to you.

What is the difference? You're ririduling the woman off countdown because you believe she "dresses like a stripper", Holly Willoughby gets ridiculed whether she dresses 'frumpy' or 'slutty' in the magazines words. So yet again I ask you, what is the difference.

MurderofGoths Nowhere was this discussion aimed at presenters. I said IN THE MEDIA. Where does that say presenter?!

The girl on Countdown is not a presenter.

So where the hell are you getting this from?!

Basically, you have a contrived view that all women should cover up and dress like a frump just in case someone thinks they are beautiful.

*Hopeful

Don't even bother with a response , it would be pointless as I will not be coming back on this thread after that.

That was the most insensetive, ridiculous thing you could have said.

I hope you are proud of yourself.

It was based on your posts and not your background which I know absolutely zero about.

Sorry if it caused you upset.

Meh. I'll ask to get it deleted.

"The girl on Countdown is not a presenter."

No, so what would you describe her as exactly?

Maybe spend your time teaching your daughter about the importance of gender equality if it bothers you that much, instead of insulting pregnant women over the internet.
Wow. So someone whose name is hopeful92 because they are having a lot of problems in their pregnancy. And you change their name to hopeless.

That is ridiculous, if you are too emotionally frail to get involved in a discussion maybe don't start one by saying stuff like:

you're obviously insecure with your husbands looking at her wearing those clothes and so believe she shoudn't be allowed to wear them on TV. Pathetic.

Have been out shopping looking at pretty clothes but was coming back to say I prefer Clare Balding as a presenter to the endless succession of cookie-cutter women and patronising blokes.

I used to think Pip Schofield was ok until he denied on national TV that Jimmy Savile could possibly have been a predatory child abuser.

hopeful you are out of order to expect anyone to know what your nickname is meant to represent and your flounce from this thread is more a reflection that your arguments have run out, than as a result of any (perceived) attack on your hopes for a pregnancy

(I wish you luck, btw, I hope you are getting lots of support in RL and possibly in another area of MN)

I think Claire Balding is really attractive. I really do.

Indeed, TMR

In other words, if you can't take it, don't give it out

Original poster, I totally agree with u. I'm utterly, truly, totally and completely fed up of women feeling they need to look and dress a certain way because of how they are constantly portrayed on the media.

Obviously the bosses know fine right well that if they put someone on who looks, or dresses like me, people would be totally uninterested. I am am an entirely average looking women, who enjoys fashion, but I just know that I wouldn't cut it in media circles. Thankfully, I have no desire for such a career. I just think its high time there were some NORMAL looking women presenting tv shows, modelling in magazines etc as I am sick of this false portrayal. I have no idea who the woman on countdown is, what she looks like or what she was wearing today but I am speaking generally.

Before even starting to worry about the generation of young girls, what message does it send out to grown women that "beauty" is fake tan, fake hair, fake nails, fake eyelashes, fake boobs, stick thin, high heels, arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh