Weiner and the media: In penile

Every so often our energetic mainstream media will latch on to stories of US political culture and report on them in meaningful and substantial ways, highlighting the wildly passionate, dynamic and heated political climate on the other side of a very big pond. Recently, this has been headlined by the misdemeanours of Anthony ‘Carlos Danger’ Weiner.

Mr Weiner, exposed (again) for the over-representation of his penis at the sake of his political and familial life – I’m not even going to beat around the bush with the endless, endless puns that could be made. The main idiocies of this news story are blatant: why would a man who is running for the Democrat candidacy of New York Mayor self-sabotage so outrageously again? Why would he risk it given he had to sacrifice his respected House seat in 2011?

Why would Mr Weiner repeatedly disrespect his wife and new born son in such a way? Why would he opt for such a phenomenally porn-like alias for his online exploits when he has lived with WEINER all his life?! However, from this news story, there are undoubtedly some even more pressing questions to be asked about Weiner-gate, issues that extend beyond just the creepy gym pictures and crotch shots of the former congressman.

The response toward his dubious activities was equally as disturbing. When one of our own papers broke the story, the headline began “Just how many more times is she going to forgive him?” which was in reference to Weiner’s powerhouse wife Huma Abedin. In a news story where every event and every fact centres around Weiner’s selfishness, Weiner’s arrogance, how can it be manipulated in the opening breath to begin to accuse and degrade his wife?

Though Mr Weiner’s personal life is so coarsely embroiled in his political one here, it is beyond me why Miss Abedin’s personal life, personal decisions and sentiments warrant coarse public critique and analysis.

Indeed, in particular from the far-removed ecosystem of the Daily Mail’s online comment section. Somehow, a news story so centrally pinned on a man’s mistakes that around 90% of the hysteria surrounding it derive from his very distinct penile-display has been manipulated to point the finger at his wife, and question her life decisions…as pictures of her husband’s barely clothed erection continue to circulate the web.

As if interrogating a woman’s motivations to stand by her husband isn’t enough, at the root of this scandal are yet more grisly details which highlight the worrisome nature of the power balance of contemporary politics. On the day of the story’s breaking, actress, film-maker and all-round ultra-babe, Lena Dunham referenced the latest woman involved in the Weiner-debacle on Twitter, citing the woman’s most recent texts with him: “I can’t believe someone like you would pay attention to someone like me.” Dunham followed up, commenting, “The problem isn’t adultery, or perversity, it’s wielding your position of authority to subjugate the women who dream of a piece of the pie.”

Given that the most recent woman, who was just twenty-two when she first became involved with Weiner, is reportedly a liberal activist who has worked on the Obama campaign before, it is obvious she is smart, and very determined. Not only is this story heart-breaking for of course Miss Abedin, but also for the young woman whom Weiner abused with his power. Her credibility as a smart young woman in her own right has been distorted by Weiner’s sexual exploits and demands, evidently making her believe her

Mr Weiner will have a lot to think about.

ambitions and potential are inferior to his. Not only this, transcripts of their conversations detail Mr Weiner’s saying he would recommend her as a blogger to a colleague, something again which must unbalance her sense of credibility and pride in, no doubt, her very strong capabilities, given there will no doubt be speculation of her political talent versus her indulgence of Mr Weiner’s sexual fantasies.

The crux of this hotly debated story will obviously be whether Mr Weiner can continue with his campaign. But surely the most heart-breaking and fundamental matter surrounding these latest developments are how so unashamedly the women of this tale have been subjugated and made passive by media coverage and political culture, from a story so unequivocally about a foolish man’s foolish impulses.

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Featured Image courtesy of: flickr/ David Boyle

Body Image: flickr/ Talk Radio News Service