Mixed messages from Women24.com

Much criticism of ANC MP Thandile Sunduza’s green boobtube dress at the State of the Nation Address (SONA) last night. And yes – it was unpretty (the criticism, not the dress: I’m not in any position to pass comment on that).
Cue Women24.com and their comments on the way she was treated:

And, by the way, pregnant or not, since when do we expect members of parliament to look and dress like A-List celebrities? And why do we care?
Criticizing them about the work they do (or don’t do) is fine – that is, after all their job, and we have a right to know how they are doing it. Being a watchdog against corruption and how they use tax payers money is also great.

But can’t we at least let them wear what they want?

Right with you there, women24.com. But you might like to look at this page from… er… women24.com who were at last year’s SONA, making comments like:

The shirt looks as if she was dipped in mud, and that skirt looks like she’s wearing a huge chocolate muffin.

like:

No. Just no. This mermaid should have stayed under the sea. And why are there so many feathers? Were you planning to fly home, Pinky?

like:

Ag nee, Patricia. Couldn’t you have tried harder? You can pose all you want, it doesn’t make this outfit any less boring or hideous. Are those satin tracksuit pants?! Urgh. Someone get this woman a new stylist. PLEASE!

and like:

Look out! There’s a blue,sparkly tiger on the loose! Wait… that’s Bongi Zuma. Okay, false alarm. It was just a hideous outfit.

Because yeah – obviously it’s all about criticizing them for the work they do (or don’t do).

But can’t we at least let them wear what they want?

This post isn’t meant, in any way, to attempt to justify the unkind and completely unjust comments made about Ms Sunduza last night. But before women24.com go out of their way to tell us what we should or shouldn’t be saying about the fashion on the red carpet at SONA or anywhere else, maybe they need to get their own house in order.

Some few screenshots for your delectation herehere, here and here.
You know. Just in case there’s a server problem at 24.com…

UPDATE: Always lovely to have a friendly chat about my views. Anyway – there’s an update and an explanation which you should probably have a look at here.

11 thoughts on “Mixed messages from Women24.com

  1. Heard about this on Cape Talk. Wanted to add my support.
    Thank you for standing up and saying this: a man doing what women 24 should be doing.

  2. Who would have thought that it would take a man to pick up on this? Women 24 has long been shaming women for their outfits.
    Quite how they can suddenly tell us that it’s unacceptable to do that is beyond me.

  3. THANK YOU 6000!!!!!!!!!!
    Highlight the hypocrites. Ignore the haters.

  4. louise > thank you for your comment. 🙂

    Denise Templar > In their defence, w24 didn’t do a “worst dressed” thing on SONA this year. But to slag off others for doing it, when they were up to the same thing just 12 months ago, seemed rather unfortunate.

    Stella > 🙂 We aim to please.

    Ed(wina) > Thanks Edwina. Getting much support here (and I believe on Cape Talk as well), but not much love on twitter, right now. 😮

    anib79 > I must admit, I thought yellow at first. Now I’ve gone with greeny-yellow. (Actually, I don’t care)
    Look, that m&g piece hits the nail on the head (as does the w24 column as well – if it wasn’t for the “different opinions”, “mixed messages” or “hypocrisy” (depending on who you talk to)); the body shaming is way, way out of order. It’s unacceptable. But IMHO, so is the fashion shaming. These are MPs, not models.
    Your Cate Blanchett link is noted – and agreed with. 🙂

  5. It is disingenuous to compare an article that appeared on Women24 today with an article that appeared a year ago. Editorial policies evolve. As to the

    “But before women24.com go out of their way to tell us what we should or shouldn’t be saying about the fashion on the red carpet at SONA or anywhere else, maybe they need to get their own house in order.”

    comment, some, including myself would argue that we have, and that is exactly why we could speak out against the humilation and abuse of Ms Sunduza last night.

  6. Right. Because policy never changes. If you look at Women24’s most recent gallery, not to mention recent posts, it’s clear that they have gotten their house in order and that policy has changed for the better, but you know, we found this gallery from A YEAR AGO so obviously they’re hypocrites.

  7. Lili & Laura > I have blogged this. See my comments on the UPDATE link at the bottom of the post.

    Moses > I haven’t dared search for “homeopathy” on there. Reckon the results would be “interesting” though. 🙁

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