The News Minute | September 25, 2014 | 05:44 pm IST
Woman, do you have a pretty face? If yes, chances are you will have some other body part that is not as pretty. Because no one is perfect.
Now lets not go down the why-focus-just-on-my-appearance-when-I-have-other-significant-achievements-to-my-name. Well because... you have ugly feet, freckled legs and wobbly knees.
Did we some saying hear sexism and being irrational? Bank on The Times of India's recent piece 'Hot babes with ugly legs' for a better explaination. Aishwarya Rai may be considered one of the most stunning faces in the world, but according to TOI, 'The former Miss World has legs that look better when covered'. What about Angelina Jolie? "This Oscar winner is seen as the epitome of style and grace. But her skinny arms and legs with bulging elbows and knees defy her style diva image. Her knees, in particular, could surely use some meat."
The piece, which was published on September 21, has been taken off the website. For the entire list, this is a cached copy: Hot babes with ugly legs.
( The link to TOI's piece does not work anymore; screen grab of the page )
We couldn't get through to Rai, Jolie or any of the other women 'with ugly legs' to have made it to the list, but once again in less than a month TOI has successfully managed to draw flak for itself, this time however from the international media.
Criticising TOI's content, The Independent published a piece on September 24 titled Angelina Jolie and Bollywood stars targeted: 'Hot babes with ugly legs' Times of India article sparks 'body shaming' anger.
Louise Court, Editor-in-Chief of British women's magazine Cosmopolitan, told The Independent, "This Times of India article actually made my jaw drop – which I should probably add, in the spirit of things, could do with more definition and was cushioned as it hit the desk by a bit of a double chin. It is like an article from Viz. Women's bodies are not fair game. Creating the ideal of a 'perfect' image that women should look like is vile to the celebrities criticised but also heaps inferred pressure and criticism on the rest of womankind. I was infuriated by it – but women struggling with their body image are made even more vulnerable.
"This article is just mean and pointless. We should be focusing on the talent of the women on that list - not what they look like. Angelina Jolie is an Oscar winner and global humanitarian. Sarah Jessica Parker is an Emmy award winning actress and producer and fashion designer. Do you want me to go on? The conversation should be about their achievements."
The piece, which also mentions the Deepika Padukone issue, states that TOI hadn't responded to their request for a comment.
Blaming TOI's sense of timing hardly makes sense since it is their sense of content that is being questioned. Will TOI realise that at times their headlines are as offending as the pieces are, can only be left for time to see.
As for all the other 'hot babes', better cover up and hide yourselves, lest you want to get featured on TOI.