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| Rebekah Brooks. Framed by Antonia Scott |
On reading and watching reels of footage and articles on the British phone hacking scandal, I've been sickened by the number of times Rebekah Brook's hair colour is mentioned.
In Italy, almost every news report introduces her as the "Red Rebekah Brooks" and a quick look online reveals many mainstream news outlets are behaving in a similar manner.
For instance, a Sky report includes comment from Guardian media commentator, Roy Greenslade, who says in regards to Rebekah's resignation:
"It was the right decision, but it came far too late.
"Rupert Murdoch should have requested her resignation on the day that he discovered she was editor of the News Of The World when Milly Dowler's phone was hacked.
"That revelation was so shocking in and by itself to have warranted her red head on a platter."
Meanwhile on the flip side of the world, the Sydney Morning Herald refers to her as the "fiery redhead" though from all accounts I've seen of her so far through this scandal her demeanor has been anything but "fiery". In fact, contradictorily, in front of cameras she has been the very image of composure amidst the chaos: smiling and controlled at all times.
The Independent and the Belfast Telegraph are currently running a story on the top 10 actresses that could play Rebekah Brooks listing a long line of Hollywood "fiery redheads" who could play the part.
While The Guardian opinion writers are starting their pieces with:
"Rebekah Brook's cardinal sin
"It isn't her hair, charm or connections that have defined her. Brooks is the archetypal tabloid editor".
The opinion piece is accompanied by a profile photo of Rebekah with a photo caption that starts: "A red-top editor..." Just in case you didn't realise she had red hair from her photo.
The Guardian is also happily printing opinion peices that draw parallels between the scandal and the movie Citizen Kane:
"With his (Murdoch's) stubborn refusal to fire News International's beleaguered chief executive Rebekah Brooks in mind, I am reminded of that moment in the movie when Orson Welles (as Charles Foster Kane) dies while holding a snow globe and uttering a single word: "Rosebud".
"So, when his time comes, I wonder whether a chastened Murdoch will replicate that scene by also muttering a single word: "Redhead".
Though in this case Rebekah's nickname is not "Redhead".
While the Economics Newspaper is using the word "redhead" as a keyword to optimise site hits, even though they don't seem to have the word in their copy, the coverage gets ever more crass as personal blogs and discussions join the inquisition:
"Rebekah Brooks Finally Resigns! Here's 5 Alternative Careers for the Witch of Wapping"
And there's more. Much more.
So in the midst of international discussion on journalism ethics I'd just like to make the point that the colour of Rebekah's hair is completely irrelevant.
Just as we don't intro. in the following manner: the baldheaded Murdoch, the darkhaired Michelle O'Bama, the greying Hillary Clinton, Rebekah's intro does not need to be linked to the colour of her hair.
To do so not only ignores her professional attributes but also invokes the typical discrimination against redheads that has been around for over 1000 years. By all accounts of the snapshot I've provided above this discriminatory behaviour is still rampant in our society today.
So how about we start to behave a little less medieval and prosecute Rebekah Brooks over the allegations of phone hacking at News of the World not the colour of her hair.
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