Marissa Mayer's Vampy Vogue Pic Sells Out Geeks

Pepper Schwartz can understand why, but wishes she hadn't
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 21, 2013 1:59 PM CDT
Marissa Mayer's Vampy Vogue Pic Sells Out Geeks
   (Vogue)

Marissa Mayer lounges seductively in her new Vogue photo spread, a choice of pose that is proving controversial. A debate is raging over whether the fashion shoot takes away from the actual profile of Mayer, or whether, as a successful female CEO, she should be able to pose however the heck she wants. Pepper Schwartz can see both sides, but she's somewhat "disappointed" in Mayer, she writes on CNN. "Here's a woman who has made it to the top because of her brains, does she still need to self-validate by having a beautiful fashion gig?"

That sends an unfortunate message to women who are just as smart as her, but not as beautiful. Does the fact that she agreed to the shoot mean "that 'making it' and 'having it all' needs to include being publicly admired for one's allure"? That's a sad thought, Schwartz writes. "We women would like to feel that for at least some of us, sheer competence would make looks a non-issue in our lives. We would like to think that a brainiac like Marissa Mayer wouldn't need, perhaps would not want, to have a very public glamor shot as a career capstone." Click for Schwartz's full column. (More Marissa Mayer stories.)

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