Ashley Judd may not be allowed to stand in Kentucky

It was interesting to read on International Women's day last Friday that Television and Movie star Ashley Judd (pictured here in her role as Ensign Robin Lefler in Star Trek TNG) may be barred from standing for the US senate because she has appeared topless in her role as an actresss.

This seems unnecesarily ridiculous. Had she made pornographic movies or illegal material I could understand but if you take a few moments to IMDB her filmography you'll see there is nothing of that nature here at all. Even if she had made Pornography in the past why should that block someone from being an elected representitive? Surely that is up to the electorate to decide.

In the case of Ms Judd, the movies in which she has appeared nude she ha done so for entertainment value, because it was a requirement of the script and/or it was artistic. It seems a horrific double standard that the American entertainment industry, and indeed the movie going public are happy to have naked women in their productions but still castigate the actresses later for doing so.

The double standard is then further pushed when you think of the topless imagery of male actors, such as Governor Schwarzenehger and everyone just shrugs. So its ok for a man to do it but not a woman?

It hasn't been a problem in the UK where Glenda Jackson MP has a similar past and as an actress appeared naked on screen but it was never a focus of her excellent political career for this nation.

According to the Washington Post article by Chris Cillizza, the current Republican encumbant Mitch McConnell specialises in attacking his opponants and the movie appearances may be an extra arrow in his quiver, there will certainly be conservatives within Kentucky who would be turned away from her just because of it. Though let's be honest, the people who would take offence to it would probably vote Republican anyway.

Other problems facing Judd is that she has been parachuted in to the state to run and that her residence in Tenesee is proving a major road block and one that is being exploited by McConnell already. Even Kentucky Democrats are getting shakey about it, they fear that as a celebrity with plenty of soundbites that could be seen as controversial in Kentucky, there will be more than enough.

Indeed one Democrat in Kentucky has said:

Electing Ashley Judd gets a Republican Legislature elected. That's what I see at stake here. Your perspective is different if you're in New York or Los Angeles. They don't live here. We do. Judd's candidacy makes it seamlessly easy to Obama-ize this election

Which is more than a fair comment, after all making comments like;

Apple is known for the clean lines of their products, the alluring simplicity of their designs... Dare I...go so far...as to suggest...this signature cleanness is stained by the shit and urine of raped women’s leaking fistulas


Although at the time, she was writing about the conflict mineral mining in Africa and the sufferings of locals that are often missed by consumers who don't think of where or how their finished products are made which is a very important cause but this will not be looked at kindly if taken out of context by the Republicans.

(I would urge you to read the original article though by Ms Judd (here) it is very thought provoking and should be of benefit to her cause. )

These sorts of causes are popular in California and even New York but the mostly rural Kentucky is going to have a mixed response to it unfortunately and that is what local democrats are fearing, that despite her money raising capability (which would match McConnell) she will also bring damage to the local democtratic brand where as an unknown candidate would point at McConnell's record in Senate without the detractions which their opponant specialises in.

Should Ashley Judd actually stand, this will be an amazing election to watch and I wish her luck in running!