The Wall Street Journal recently published a photograph of Elena Kagan, Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, at age 17 playing softball.The photograph is above. GLAAD (and SheWired.com) claim that the Wall Street Journal is suggesting that Kagan is a lesbian.
My dad and I had a conversation about this. He thinks that it's perfectly fine, maybe because when he grew up, guys would play softball. SheWired claims that "All women who play softball are lesbians. I happen to believe that sometimes the stereotypes fit". I think that it's inappropriate because it seems to suggest that she's immature, as softball is typically played by younger girls, and not played after high school.
Perfect, right? Obama looking down at Kagan, approving, while Biden smiles and claps next to him. Very professional, and a good journalistic summary of what the situation was.
So why didn't the Wall Street Journal run this photograph?
Some think that it was blown completely out of proportion by GLAAD, and I agree. I don't think a claim can be made about her sexuality from the photograph, but I do think it was a poor choice, especially when there were other options. The fact that she's playing softball highlights the fact that she's a woman, as softball is often considered the female version of baseball.
So what do you think? Was the Wall Street Journal wrong to have chosen this image?
Thanks for giving me this link! I think that SheWired's claims are ridiculous. Softball does not impact or reflect sexual orientation. Also, what difference does sexual orientation make when it comes to her job? I tend to think little to none. Similarly, I think that the image itself has little to do with her situation and that's why it's inappropriate. If I am hoping to get a major job twenty to thirty years from now, will I want a photo of my fencing now to be what is representing my personality later? I don't think so.
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