Hillary Clinton Goes Without Make-Up: Bare Faced Cheek Or Fair Game?
Hillary Clinton going for minimal makeup in Dhaka this week
Oh Hillary Clinton. Shes at it again sparking a huge debate, riling up the hacks and creating a big old media storm. Over the past few days, reporters around the globe have been frantically tapping away at their keyboards to get their two pence in on the latest Hillary hiccup: her controversial stance on Make-up. Oh, and the odd scrunchie.
Yep, the U.S. Secretary of State has hit the headlines again after she dared to attend her press conferences in Bangladesh with barely there make-up on last week. (How could she?) Hours later reports from the event started to trickle in - but instead of writing about the fact that she, yknow, said clever stuff, the journalists filed hard hitting reports questioning if she forgot her make-up. And the woman who previously set tongues wagging in feminist circles after she was labelled haggard, and who was recently criticised for her use of scrunchie hair ties, was branded tired and withdrawn by Fox News. Eugh. Being tired, wearing hair accessories that went out of production in 1999. Really, you can see where theyre coming from: what good is a Secretary of State whos working hard for a living and wants her hair out of her face?
Hillary Clinton wearing more make-up on an official visit to Spain in July 2011
More reports say that a woman without make-up is showing shes resigned to defeat, or given up that its a lack of effort. Of course, its nice to make an effort with your appearance - especially when youre a public figure. But isnt that something most of us do because we like to? Or feel slightly more confident because of doing so? Either way, it should remain a choice: if Hillarys happy with her appearance, then why shouldnt we be? (Again, she says actual words, too guys.)
But seriously and most importantly why are we even discussing it? Its worrying that its still even an issue. Despite the many doors that have opened for professional women, the ones that do make it to the top are often subject to this mindless, sexist drivel and an incessant urge to bring down a woman on one of two counts: shes clever? Well, then she must be ugly. Shes pretty? Obviously, shes dumb.
And as Jezebel asks by engaging in discussion on the topic, jumping in to defend the honour of our female role models, are we merely reiterating that their honour is defined by a womans looks, not her intelligence? Instead of fighting back, telling the perpetrators that its OK for Hillary to go bare-faced, that she isnt haggard that, of course she looks tired, would it more effective to say nothing about her looks at all?
Luckily, it doesnt seem to bother Hillary. In a recent interview, she said: I feel so relieved to be at the stage I'm at in my life right now. Because, you know, if I was to wear my glasses, I'm wearing my glasses. If I want to wear my hair back, I'm pulling my hair back. At some point, it's just not something that deserves a lot of time and attention. And if others want to worry about it, I let them do the worrying for a change. It doesn't drive m! e crazy anymore. It's just not something I think is important anymore.
Is it that simple? Or has she just given up? Let us know below, or get involved in the discussion on the Grazia UK Facebook page.
Now, wheres that scrunchie
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