The media, including magazines that purport to empower women, are behaving as “mean girls” when it comes to their deplorable treatment of first lady Melania Trump, who is a class act by any standards.
Women’s magazines that never missed an opportunity heap lavish praise upon Michelle Obama, lionizing the former Democratic first lady on at least a dozen magazine covers — including three Vogue splashes — have noticeably shunned Melania Trump. Not only do these outlets not invite the stunning former model to grace their magazines’ covers or even feature her positively — something the media have traditionally done for first ladies — but they have outright bullied, mocked and attacked America’s first lady at every turn.
Take holiday decorating. Last year, biased media said the first lady’s Christmas decorations were too white. This year, they’re too red, and some outlets have made gruesome comparisons to blood. “Last year the trees were a hideous, ghastly white. It was always winter and never Christmas,” Washington Post columnist Alexandra Petri wrote. “This year everything is red. … The trees are red (the Internet says) as a handmaid’s cloak. Do not think of blood. Keep walking.”
Vogue said, “Walking through a strange assemblage of bloodred trees, Trump looks to be channeling The Handmaid’s Tale.” Vice tweeted, “Melania Trump’s Christmas from Hell has everything: red trees, dark lighting, a somber vibe to pay tribute to our country’s unique heritage of anguish and pain.”
Then there’s Elle magazine, which published an article comparing the 2018 White House Christmas theme to the set in the horror movie “The Shining,” along with caustic commentary only the Grinch could love. The macabre piece described the holiday decorations by saying that there’s “so much red it looks like the walls of the White House are bleeding” and that “the overwhelming feeling of dread was one of the many sources of inspiration for this year’s decorations.”
A decorative Christmas wreath? The magazine said it looks like a “bottomless pit of despair” and mentioned polarizing themes that — you guessed it — have nothing to do with celebrating the holidays.
But that’s not all. USA Today, Time, HuffPost and other outlets piled on and bashed the first lady’s holiday decorations — in sharp contrast to how Michelle Obama was treated when she occupied the White House. Women’s magazines and other media gushed over Obama’s every move, including praising her holiday decorations. “Michelle Obama is a pro in dressing up the place,” said The Washington Post, fawning over her various pet projects, fashion choices and even her unappetizing school lunches, which were rejected by kids nationwide.
This proves that media are no longer composed of fair-minded journalists or evenhanded editorial boards. Far from it. To the detriment of American culture, they’ve been supplanted by partisan and petty “mean girls” who make schoolyard bullies look like Girl Scouts.
Americans ought to consider that unfortunate reality when purchasing their next newspaper or magazine at their local newsstand.
Adriana Cohen is a syndicated columnist with the Boston Herald. Follow her on Twitter @AdrianaCohen16. To find out more about Adriana Cohen and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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