Skin-deep politics

Re “Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman,” Opinion, Aug. 5

I would like to think that we can keep a politician’s appearance out of the picture and focus on what truly matters: ideas, views and positions. But we can’t. Beauty and sexiness are driven deep into our culture; too deep, in my opinion. It’s so deep that many can’t look even at a presidential candidate without examining clothes, hair and, in a woman’s case, her bosom. I despise this, but it is hard to change. Even if newspapers “do more stories on the private parts of male candidates,” who’s going to care? Women? I don’t want to hear about that stuff. Men? I thought they liked cleavage.

For now, I agree with Charlotte Allen: Women need to use their sexuality to their advantage, not to seduce but to get elected and govern this rather sex-crazed nation.

Elizabeth Strelow

San Jacinto, Calif.