Consider this.
“[He] was one of Australia’s greatest storytellers, touching the hearts of millions of people around the world with 21 bestselling books including The Power of One.”
And now consider this.
“Australia’s best-selling author was a charmer. Plain of feature, and certainly overweight, she was, nevertheless, a woman of wit and warmth.”
These are the opening paragraphs in two obituaries published by the same newspaper about two of Australia’s most successful authors. I removed their names for suspense but the first refers to Bryce Courtenay who died in late 2012 and the second refers to Colleen McCullough who died yesterday.
Both appeared in The Australian the day after the authors passed but what a world of difference between the two?
It seems astonishing that McCullough’s physical appearance would provide the basis for the author’s opening commentary.
Considering McCullough’s novel Thorn Birds is the highest selling Australian book of all time, having sold around 30 million copies worldwide, was that not a more relevant place to begin?
In 2013 the New York Times inexplicably opened an obituary for Yvonne Brill with a reference to her “mean beef stroganoff”. That it rated a mention in the opening paragraph considering Brill was a rocket scientist who invented satellites, caught the world’s attention to the extent that it was later changed.
The Australian’s reference to McCullough makes The New York Times effort seem palatable. At least they were being complimentary and at least they referred to her ability to cook, even if that was entirely trivial in the scheme of her life. McCullough’s appearance has nothing to do with her abilities or success so why mention it?
Women’s Agenda understands that the author of the obituary is now deceased and an apology from the newspaper is unlikely. (To be clear obituaries of high profile men and women are often written months and years in advance – the author has not deceased in the hours since publication.)
Is this the most sexist obituary ever published?