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ROME - The case of Giovanna Botteri reignites the debate on body shaming in journalism and on the different treatment reserved for women on TV. While professionalism should be the only criterion of judgement, attention is still too often shifted onto physical appearance. A double standard that mainly affects female journalists, turned into targets of comments and stereotypes. A theme that goes beyond the single episode and describes a cultural problem still deeply rooted.
From the Botteri case to body shaming
From the Botteri case to body shaming: why female journalists are judged for their appearance and not for their professionalism. Have you ever discussed a journalist’s tie? I bet not. A journalist is not asked to have a great tie, a journalist is asked to clearly tell the truth. Have you ever debated a journalist’s wrinkles? No, I bet not. A journalist is not asked for a facelift, a journalist is asked for seriousness, intellectual honesty, professional rigour.
The gender double standard
But not a female journalist, no, a female journalist is asked to have tidy and fashionable hair, is asked to wear designer clothing, to be attractive, smiling, radiant, why not, captivating. Derision of the body, what with the overused habit of resorting to the English language you call body shaming, is reserved for women. Because women, before being professionals, must be females and females in order to be recognised as such must be attractive, because females continue to be objects, objects of pleasure, objects of desire, objects of power.
The Giovanna Botteri case
To Giovanna Botteri, a pillar of Rai, for a few months correspondent from China, the aforementioned things have been reproached. A plethora of functional illiterates did not recognise the value of the work, dedication, constant presence and timely and precise reporting of information from a state that is a quarter of the planet; no, Giovanna Botteri was asked to be an attractive female and since Giovanna Botteri is a professional, being attractive in front of a camera means nothing to her at all. And she is right. She is right, the Cpo Cnog, the Fnsi, the Usigrai and Giulia giornaliste who expressed solidarity with her in a joint statement are right, but the thousands of women who are becoming indignant and protesting are also right.
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Her statement and the BBC
Giovanna Botteri, who did not want to make it a personal issue, because Giovanna Botteri is a journalist not a social media commentator, wrote on the matter as follows: «I would like the whole affair, completely regardless of me, to be a moment of genuine discussion, allow me, even a heated one, about the relationship with image that female journalists, especially television ones, have. Or should have according to it is not clear who… Here in Beijing I am tuned to the BBC, considered one of the best and most reliable television broadcasters in the world. Its journalists are young and old, white, brown, yellow and black. Beautiful and ugly, thin or fat. With wrinkles, big bottoms, noses, ears. There is one who presents the forecasts without part of an arm. And no one says a word, no one says anything, at home they simply listen to what they say. Because that is the only thing that matters, that counts, and that is expected from a journalist.
A different model
I would like us all to push towards a minimum goal like this. To dismantle stupid, outdated models that no longer have any reason to exist. I would not want an intervention on my case to end up giving credibility and seriousness to stupid and inconsistent attacks that do not deserve it. Instead I would be happy if it were an excuse to discuss and get others discussing important things for us, and especially for future generations of women.
The warning of Miriam Mafai
Giovanna Botteri wrote it, Miriam Mafai used to say and write: «To young women I always say not to let their guard down, you never know». Instead the guard is down, prejudices are rampant, ignorance too, and it always has the stench of sexism.
by Nadia Verdile
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