BREAKING: UltraViolet Applauds Don Lemon’s Removal From CNN, Says “No Room for Lemon’s Misogyny”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, April 24, 2023
CONTACT: Anna Zuccaro | anna@unbendablemedia.com
BREAKING: UltraViolet Applauds Don Lemon’s Removal From CNN, Says “No Room for Lemon’s Misogyny”
NEW YORK, NY – Moments ago, CNN announced the termination of longtime anchor Don Lemon. Lemon’s termination comes after years of sexist remarks on air.
In February, Lemon commented that Nikki Haley “isn’t in her prime,” referencing Haley’s age and that “… a woman is in their prime in [her] 20s and 30s and maybe 40s.” POLITICO released documented incidents of misogyny and bias influencing Lemon’s reporting on-air.
In response to Lemon’s termination, Bridget Todd, director of communications at Ultraviolet, a leading national gender equity advocacy organization, issued the following statement:
“After years of Don Lemon’s flagrant and frequent misogynistic remarks about women, CNN’s decision to remove him is clearly the right one. There should be no room for misogyny on air or behind the scenes, let alone from leading personalities on national news networks.
“Last February, CNN announced a temporary leave of absence and anti-bias training for Lemon that lacked both sincerity and transparency. It was unclear who informed their decision or whether anyone was consulted outside of CNN.
“We hope Lemon’s termination sets a stark example for other anchors and personalities — sexist and misogynistic remarks will not be tolerated.
“It’s clear that the voices of CNN’s audience and demands of accountability play a significant role in how these decisions are made. We urge CNN to do better going forward.”
Last year, UltraViolet, along with members of the Women’s Disinformation Defense Project coalition and other allies, released an updated Fairness Media Guide for Covering Women And People of Color.
The updated recommendations emphasize focusing on women politicians’ credentials, expertise, and professional backgrounds, rather than race, gender, age, aesthetics, and demographic information.
VIEW THE GUIDE HERE: https://weareuv.us/mediaguide2022
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