'Nailin' Paylin': Gov. Palin, Sexism & The Election

By Alexis Garrett Stodghill, BlackVoices.com

Warning: Video contains explicit content.

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Can you remember another presidential race in which a candidate on a major ticket has inspired a porno? In the age of celebrity sex tapes, maybe the American mind is primed for this development. So, with relatively little feedback from the media, Hustler is currently marketing 'Nailin' Paylin' online -- a movie in which a stand-in for VP candidate Sarah Palin is depicted as a stupid sex toy.

Ever since Sarah Palin came onto the scene, her beauty has been an important component of her public esteem. During the VP debate, she used her appeal in the form of winks and charm to win over the television audience. The RNC spent $150,000 on her clothes, hair and make up in part because the Republicans know her appearance is one of the best things she has going for her.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck of 'The View' has called attacks on Palin's designer wardrobe "deliberately sexist." The irony is that it was the RNC that sought desperately to enhance Palin's physical appeal at any cost. If Palin's own party groomed her as an object to be looked at more than as a leader, who is being sexist? Compare Palin's rapturous reception by the mainstream to the gruff responses that the much more masculine (and qualified) Hillary Clinton inspires.

They say sex sells. Palin further proves that sexy is what the American public expects a woman to be if she wants to get ahead. Is that sexist? I think so.

Through 'Nailin' Paylin,' the public will have a surrogate image ready to stand in as the receiver of the desire I believe Palin intentionally arouses for political benefit. Meanwhile, we sit by passively as the degrading sexual objectification of a VP candidate occurs. So we have the "real" Palin out there campaigning, and the naughty "Paylin" on screen playing her bad girl doppelgänger. This split is an occurance of the Madonna-Whore complex on a massive scale.

Many people think sexism is dead, but the sudden media resurrection of this oldest of stereotypes shows that the role of women in politics is far from equal.

Palin set the stage for this revelation by exploiting her sex appeal in the first place. But the lack of outcry by the public or press against 'Nailin' Paylin' shows an unconscious acceptance, even a preference, for female objectification. It's obvious that making this kind of film about a VP candidate is in poor taste. What does the fact that people are accepting it say about our respect for female candidates?

Sarah as Sex Object?

This famous fake picture of Sarah's head airbrushed onto a young woman in a bikini may be a favorite male fantasy of her.

This less realistic airbrush job still shows that people would like to see Sarah more as a sex object, than a serious politician.

Here we have "Supermodel Sarah." Could you see Hillary Clinton in this position?

The young Sarah Palin was in fact cute. Her t-shirt shows that she in fact was aware that having great "physical assets" could be as good as having money in the bank.

Here she is as Miss Wasilla. Palin's beauty queen past has been somewhat difficult for her to leave behind her.