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Baking Up A Storm
Wednesday 23rd October 2013 | Lauren
Angry people can turn up anywhere, and in any situation, it seems nowadays. Even commentating on a happy, Cath Kidston patterned baking programme on BBC 2, the venom and fury is never far behind. The all female final of The Great British Bake Off came to an end last night (and in keeping with my previous article of not discussing major details of a series finale until 24 hours after it’s finished in mind, I won’t reveal the winner). But there is something to discuss about old 'Bake Off.
Youngest contestant, Ruby Tandoh today has written an article in the Guardian, addressing the ‘baker haters’ if you will, who seem to love to hate the 21 year old Philosophy and Art History student. She’s been accused of flirting with Paul Hollywood, she’s been lambasted for not being 100% confident of the bakes she sets before Paul and Mary Berry, and she’s been a victim of online abuse, being called all sorts of misogynistic and hateful names.
In fairness to these folk who are genuinely angry at a baking competition, she really has brought it on herself. How dare she be attractive, and not only that, attractive and young? How dare she be not entirely sure of herself, when competing on an insanely popular television show? And worst of all, the fact that she turned out to be quite talented. Really, she should have just stayed in her student kitchen, where her macaroons can’t offend anyone.
It seems that even in a baking programme, women aren’t safe from the darker side of Twitter. Without going full-on 'angry feminist' on anyone, will there ever be a competition on TV where everyone is treated equally and their gender or looks aren’t brought into discussion? In a year where a heavily pregnant woman was accused of being too fat, and people boycotted Twitter because of the abuse being hurled at female users, shouldn’t now be the time when we all stick together, much like a Victoria Sponge? Once again, Mean Girls wisdom couldn’t be more apt...I wish we could just bake a cake of rainbows and smiles...
Lauren Floodgate
