My mini-rant about motherhood ...

[dimmzy]

... and how the media tries to diminish women's accomplishments.

USA WEEKEND magazine today had a cover story on swimmer Dara Torres with what (I consider) the obnoxious headline:

"I just won these Olympic medals, but my greatest treasure is my daughter Tessa."

If this was a story about MOTHERHOOD or balancing motherhood with a career, then I wouldn't be ranting.

But the story had very little to do with her being a mother.

It was about exercise and diet for midlife women.

So why patronize and dismiss her medals? Why put her in a no-win situation? As FELICITY HUFFMAN noted on 60 MINUTES, "I won't answer questions comparing motherhood to my personal accomplishments. It's a no-win situation for women. If you answer motherhood, you give credibility to critics of women in the workplace. If you state your career, you are a 'bad' mother. No one ever asked Marlon Brando what was more important to HIM: his film career or fatherhood."

--dimmzy, who wonders how Sarah Palin would answer the question, "What's more important to you (or your greatest accomplishment), motherhood or running for vice president of the United States?"

[christie1111]

dimmzy, who wonders how Sarah Palin would answer the question, "What's more important to you (or your greatest accomplishment), motherhood or running for vice president of the United States?"

This is a Q I would never answer, if I were her.

How could you answer either way and make everyone happy?

[dimmzy]

How could you answer either way and make everyone happy?

EXACTLY!!!

[marrymeflyfree]

"I won't answer questions comparing motherhood to my personal accomplishments. It's a no-win situation for women.

I guess it's kind of like asking whether the right or left foot is more important to you.

One thing that always annoyed me during the Olympics was how you almost NEVER heard just her name. It was always "41 year old Dara Torres" this and "41 year old Dara Torres" that. "Oh look, there's 41 year old Dara Torres walking to the warm up pool!" "And here's 41 year old Dara Torres walking toward the bathroom."

I'd be one proud chic if I were competing in the Olympics at 41 after having pretty recently had a kid. But maybe I'd be proud for reasons other than my age, too.

[dimmzy]

"41 year old Dara Torres" this and "41 year old Dara Torres" that. "Oh look, there's 41 year old Dara Torres walking to the warm up pool!" "And here's 41 year old Dara Torres walking toward the bathroom."

I know. It's like the media gets a way to peg someone and they can't let it go! I always remember how they used to look for the Dead Relative. "So-and-so, whose grandmother died just four months ago ...."

I think they stopped that after the Onion (or some other satirical media) ran the headline: Athletes with Dead Relatives Compete in the Olympics.