Voices: Dominic West has taken a leaf out of David Beckham’s PR playbook
Nothing can undermine the illusion of gender equality quite like a celebrity scandal. Public reaction to celebrity scandals may seem trivial, invasive and even exploitative but it also tells us a lot about cultural assumptions and social norms.
It tells us that women can’t win. As the wife, they’re portrayed as a fool-hardy, long-suffering glutton for punishment if they stand by their man. As the “other woman”, they’re amoral homewreckers.
When I saw that had commented – of his co-star , I rolled my eyes at yet another rich bloke complaining about a mess of his own making. Then I remembered the furore on social media at the time. (Don’t get me wrong, I still rolled my eyes at yet another rich bloke complaining about a mess of his own making, but this time, I felt angry for Lily James.)
