Jennifer Lawrence and Vanity Fair's Sexism

Vanity Fair Magazine has proclaimed Jennifer Lawrence the most desirable woman in the world.  I hope Jennifer is annoyed about it.  She is definitely the hot actress of the moment, but she is also smart, brainy, self-confident, outspoken and funny.  On the Vanity Fair cover she holds a little white daisy.  It doesn't fit.  The person does not fit the title and the title does not match the image.

We are in a time of change regarding gender roles, fortunately.  The Vanity Fair cover is a jarring mismatch of old and new.  Little white daisy -- simmering, powerless women in pretty dresses floating around the garden.  Jennifer Lawrence, strong-minded and capable 22-year old actress, a new generation of feminist. 

This is what the cover did for me.  It provoked a thought process.  Are older editors at Vanity Fair, which is frequently known for demeaning photo images of women, stuck in the fresh younger women equal white daisies syndrome?  Do they have any idea how to portray powerful young women?

Yes, Jennifer Lawrence is attractive, but sexual attractiveness is the least of her traits.  She is athletic, natural and smart.  Don't push her boobs up and stick a daisy in front of her.  Praise her for being the most desirably talented woman in the world.  Still not a complete statement but a bit more accurate.  

Who is the most desirable woman in the world?  Women are. Why are we so desirable? Because we as women are great problem solvers,  we have an advanced intuition, we communicate well, we are comfortable with complexity, we are innately powerful.

It's really no fun to have mainstream media consistently perpetuating 50 shades of sexism.   #notbuyingit



Liz Lewinson is author of Independence Ring: Rock the Female Revolution.  www.independencering.com. @lizlewinson.