Murdoch Newspaper Criticized for Sexist Obit of Author & Neurophysicist Colleen McCullough
I am so sad to hear of this author’s death. Her historical novels are well worth reading, both for the accuracy and for the story. She was a master of the craft. I never knew she was also neurophysicist.
This is infuriating:
The major Australian newspaper, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp Australia, opened its obituary for the beloved author with a description of McCullough’s physique, remarking: “Plain of feature, and certainly overweight, she was, nevertheless a woman of wit and warmth. In one interview, she said: ‘I’ve never been into clothes or figure and the interesting thing is I never had any trouble attracting men.’” A reader might be forgiven for thinking McCullough’s main accomplishment lay in appealing to men without the benefit of conventionally beautiful looks.
While other newspapers, such as The New York Times, led with and thoroughly discussed her years as a neuroscientist and her authorship of an international bestseller, The Australian’s obituary puts the author’s status as a sexual object front and center.
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