Why We Need to Stop Pitting Melania Trump & Jill Biden Against Each Other
Millions watched on January 20th as President Joe Biden was sworn into office and Jill Biden became First Lady of the United States. Her predecessor, Melania Trump, was finally relieved of the role she seemingly struggled with and retreated to Mar-a-Lago with her husband.
While Donald Trump remained in the headlines because of the January 6th attack on the Capitol and his looming impeachment trial, one might have expected that Melania would receive a break from the media’s scrutiny. Unfortunately for Melania, that hasn’t been the case.
Instead, the media has been having a field day creating a narrative that former First Lady Melania Trump is jealous and bitter over the attention First Lady Jill Biden has been receiving. The media is notorious for pinning two well-known women against each other, and it fuels sexist stereotypes that women are petty, emotional, jealous, and are in constant competition with one another.
Melania Trump and Jill Biden both haven’t made any disparaging comments about one another publicly. Anything that is published in the media is purely sexist speculation that only harms women. It seems that both women have been focusing their attention on settling into their new roles.
As Jill Biden settles into her new role as First Lady, the attention should be on her agenda. We shouldn’t be talking about Jill Biden and Melania Trump as if they are involved in a celebrity feud that was published in a tabloid magazine. It’s time to stop reinforcing the sexist notion that women are these inherently catty and jealous creatures who are in constant competition with one another. No matter what side of the political spectrum you stand on, women deserve better.
