During an appearance on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show, conservative podcast host Jesse Kelly launched into a misogynistic tirade aimed at comedian Chelsea Handler, after she released a video about enjoying “a day in the life of a childless woman.”
In the video, Handler expressed how she feels fulfilled without having children, which didn’t sit well with Kelly.
He argued that feminists, like Handler, have been duped by society into thinking they can be successful without bearing children, and that Handler is only pretending to be happy.
Kelly’s comments reveal a troubling mindset that still exists in our society – that women’s only purpose is to bear children. He suggested that Handler is unhappy because she has been “lied to” about what it means to be a fulfilled woman, and that she will eventually end up alone, “trying to pretend like you’re happy, but you’re not happy.”
These comments are both offensive and dismissive of the many women who have chosen to lead a childless life and are perfectly happy and fulfilled.
It’s disappointing to see this kind of behavior from a guest on Fox News, but unfortunately, it’s not surprising. The network has been criticized for airing segments that are misogynistic and sexist.
Kelly’s comments about Handler are just the latest in a long line of examples that show how Fox News continues to promote harmful attitudes towards women.
Watch below:
This sexist rant is so unbelievably unhinged.
I literally watch Tucker Carlson as my job and even I'm sitting here like, "Jesus Christ, dude." pic.twitter.com/eEEKGKBQGc
— Kat Abu (@abughazalehkat) February 15, 2023
This is not the first time that Fox News has been criticized for its treatment of women. In December, Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley was ridiculed for suggesting that men should be prepared to fight “liberal culture” by starting families and not being “consumers of pornography.”
Hawley’s comments were widely criticized as sexist and out of touch, and they highlighted the way that conservative media often seeks to shame women for choosing not to have children.
Just another day for child-free @chelseahandler #DayInTheLife pic.twitter.com/MTCqbHQBeY
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) February 10, 2023
Fox News personality Jesse Watters has also come under fire for making sexist comments. In a segment following the midterm elections, Watters suggested that single women should “settle down” and get married in order to stop voting for Democrats.
These kinds of comments only serve to perpetuate harmful stereotypes and reinforce the idea that women’s only value lies in their ability to bear children.
It’s time for Fox News to take responsibility for the harmful attitudes that it promotes towards women. By airing segments that are sexist and misogynistic, the network is doing a disservice to its viewers and perpetuating outdated stereotypes.
As Chelsea Handler herself said in her video, “women can do anything they want,” and it’s time for society to recognize and celebrate that fact.
