Jezebel, a celebrity-fashion-all things woman website, wrote an article yesterday with a pretty attention-getting title: Maxim, Entertainment Weekly Agree: Jews, Blacks, Asians Not So “Sexy”

I know, right?

Anyway, they point out that the top two unsexiest women according to Maxim magazine, Sarah Jessica Parker and Amy Winehouse, are both Jewish; naturally, this must be some type of anti-Semitism. Entertainment Weekly released its list of Ultimate Female Hotties

which doesn’t feature a single black or Asian woman. In fact, of EW’s twenty-five “Ultimate Hotties,” the only ethnic ones are Latina: Half-Bolivian Raquel Welch, Mexican Salma Hayek, half-Mexican Jessica Alba, and half-Spanish Rita Hayworth.”

I’m torn. One the one hand, I can see where they’re coming from about the Hotties list not including the likes Lucy Liu or Halle Barry or any other non-Latina minority. It seems our idea of “hotties” and “beautiful” changes with the fashions; one minute, Asian women are the hottest things around but tomorrow, we’re all about Iman and Tyra Banks. We live in a world where body parts are fashionable. (Trust me, I’ve read magazines that actually say, in all seriousness, “Hip bones are in!” and “The collarbone is the body part of the season!”) But honestly? These are reader-based polls. Why would you slam the magazines for asking their readers for input?

And the anti-Semitism? Seriously? Have you seen SJP and Amy Winehouse??

Two words: hot mess.

They’re certainly not the most hideous people on the face of the planet but they’re competing against the perfectly tan and sculptured (and buxom) likes of Jessica Simpson and Angelina Jolie! Not to mention all those Hottie Latinas. Plus? I have to believe their public personas play a part in the decision: Carrie Bradshaw comes off as whiny, unrealistic, and wishy washy while Amy Winehouse is certifiably insane with a liberal application of The Crazy. (And, going back to read the article about SJP, it seems some of the reasons for being “unsexy” involve something other than looks.)

It’s not so much Jezebel’s article that annoys me but that general mindframe. While I recognize the predominantly white and Latina trend going on with EW’s list, perhaps too much is being read into the whole thing. It’s like when people in my literature classes assume some little nuance in a novel is truly a sign of irreplaceable genius; I’m always the asshole thinking in the back of my mind that the author probably paid no more attention to that little nuance than he did the little ant crawling in his front yard. But when you put your own spin on things, it can sound however you want.

I mean, I could be upset that my husband blatantly tunes me out while he plays his video games, fuming in my own anger that he’s intentionally and deliberately ignoring the gems of wit and wisdom pouring out my mouth but the real answer? He doesn’t mean it; he just gets too absorbed in what he’s doing.

Anyway, I believe the phrase is: “making a mountain out of a molehill.”

Knowing when to pick your battles is important. Otherwise, you sound like the boy who cried wolf and, well, we all know what happened to him.

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