Media personality Megyn Kelly recently expressed her outrage towards CNN host Don Lemon after he made a sexist comment about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley. During her SiriusXM the Megyn Kelly Show, Kelly blasted Lemon for his remarks and called out his female colleagues for not responding more strongly.
Lemon had commented on Haley’s statement that politicians over 75 should participate in mandatory mental competency tests, saying that it made him “uncomfortable” and that “when a woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.” When asked to clarify what he meant by a woman’s “prime for childbearing,” Lemon told his co-host Poppy Harlow to “Google it.”
Kelly was not pleased with Lemon’s response and was quick to point out that he was wrong in his assumptions. She argued that Lemon did not understand anything about women, America, or prime, and that his comments were an example of blatant sexism. Kelly also noted that Lemon’s age of 56 did not necessarily mean he was still in his prime, and that the internet was wrong in its assumption that women were past their prime.
Kelly then went on to list several influential women who have held positions of power across the globe, proving that age does not define a woman’s capabilities. She concluded her statement by expressing her irritation with Lemon and calling out his misogyny.
In response to the backlash, Lemon issued an apology on Twitter, admitting that his comments were inartful and irrelevant and regretting them. He also noted that a woman’s age does not define her personally or professionally, and that he has countless women in his life who prove this every day.
Lemon’s comments come at a time when he is feeling the pressure of low ratings for his morning show, which has averaged just 331,000 viewers. This might explain why he exploded at one of his co-hosts for interrupting him.
Overall, Kelly’s response to Lemon’s comments serves as an important reminder that age should not be used to define a woman’s capabilities. Women of all ages have made significant contributions to society and should be respected as such. It is also important to note that Lemon’s comments were not only sexist, but also wrong in their assumptions. Women are capable of achieving great things regardless of their age.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Daily Fetched