I first encountered Marcia Clark when watching the captivating Netflix series ‘The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story’. What captivated me was not only the infamous trial characterised by trauma, turmoil, spectacles, and fabrications, but the lead prosecutor, Marcia Clark. Clark endured unrelenting misogyny, both inside and outside of the courtroom, and was ridiculed and humiliated by the media due to her physical appearance and fashion choices; whilst her male counterparts did not suffer even somewhat comparable media shaming. Clark told Huffpost that she was labelled “Bitch. Shrill. Strident. Emotional”, and Judge Lance Ito even had to caution the jury not to become distracted by the length of her skirt. [1] Her permed hair also became the laughing stock of the decade; Clark tells,
I had it permed long before the trial. I had two babies at home and no time for hair drama…. I had no time to get it permed again, so I just blew it out... And when I did that, the press had a field day. [2]
Despite these profound impediments she faced, Clark managed to lead the prosecution with dignity, morality and perseverance.
On top of all of this, Clark cared for her two sons as a single mother, and endured a bitter custody battle, which was again ruthlessly distorted by the media. The media framed Clark as an incompetent, unloving, hostile mother… because a powerful, successful, working woman cannot possibly be an adequate mother too! It begs the question of why the media, and society, are enthralled by seeing a strong, professional and powerful woman torn down?
Perhaps the most disheartening event in Clark’s career occurred when her private photographs with her ex-husband were callously spread across the pages of The National Enquirer. Her ex-mother-in-law, Clara Horowitz, sold photos of her topless on a St. Tropez beach with her then-husband, thus knowingly imposing public indignity and humiliation upon her… the ultimate betrayal. [3] Clark wrote,
“In my mind’s eye, I could see Gaby [her ex-husband] and me and our Italian train-conductor friend. We were playful and giddy. I’d shed my top. It was so innocent. . . . I later learned that a private eye, hoping to curry favour with the Dream Team [OJ Simpson’s lawyers], had tracked her down in Israel and put her in touch with the Enquirer.” [4]
Why was the media obsessed with demeaning and degrading another female professional? What was it about Clark that attracted so much media scrutiny? Was it the power with which she delivered her case, was it her intelligence and wit, or was it her ever-resilient attitude? The media cruelty Clark endured acts as a painful reminder that women’s bodies can be weaponised to erode their professionality, and invalidate their intellectual competency. Further, the erasure of Clark’s identity through her sexualised portrayal, ultimately undermined her intelligence in a way that men in professional positions are rarely subjected to.
Despite this, Clark continued to enter the courtroom wearing a brave face, endured the treacherous prosecution of OJ Simpson, and maintained her integrity and pride by refraining from engaging with those propelling misogynistic tropes against her, and their trivialities. The manner in which Clark responded to this unfortunate event is an equally powerful reminder that women can overcome the obstacles that pervasive sexism tosses their way, by holding their head high, maintaining their self-esteem, and continuing to let the quality of their work speak for themselves.
I was moved by Clark’s tenacity and confidence as the only female attorney in a courtroom of powerful men, and an undoubtedly hostile legal environment. I became so overwhelmed with admiration for her story – revealed in the Netflix series – that I purchased her 1997 biography ‘Without a Doubt’, which allowed me to delve into her triumphs and hardships. I have since discovered that my current legal hero (as an aspiring female lawyer myself), was in fact Jewish, just like me! Her father is from Tel Aviv, Israel, one of my most beloved cities that I have visited countless times, and she had a religious Jewish upbringing. Whilst Clark is inspiring to all women, her profession as a lawyer, and her religious background struck a particularly personal chord within me, as one of the few Jewish female lawyers I have observed in the media and in high-profile cases. In witnessing Clark’s story, I feel empowered to pursue the most fulfilling, challenging and stimulating career, despite the impediments that may confront me as a woman of a minority religion.
I have never resonated with the idea of having celebrity ‘idols’. I prefer to draw inspiration from those whom I admire in my personal life and have individual connections with. However, Clark has undoubtedly won the title of my one and only celebrity ‘idol’, as the paradigmatic woman exhibiting perseverance, morality, dignity, integrity and success. All within a whirlwind of misogyny, sexism, patronisation and denigration. This is everything I aspire to be.
[1] Emily Peck, ‘They Called Her A Bitch. Now, O.J. Prosecutor Marcia Clark Is Seeing Her Image Reborn’, Huffpost (Web page, 8 February 2018) <https://www.huffpost.com/entry/marcia -clark-makers-conference_n_5a7c92c9e4b0c6726e10b700>.
[2] Antoaneta Roussi, ‘Respect for Marcia Clark: Years after the humiliation, sexism and scrutiny during the O.J. trial — Clark finally getting well-deserved appreciation’, Salon (Web page, 5 April 2016) <https://www.salon.com/2016/04/05/respect_for_marcia_clark_years_after_the_humiliation_sexism_and_scrutiny_during_the_o_j_trial_clark_finally_getting_well_deserved_appreciaition/>.
[3] Joanna Robinson, ‘The Devastating Truth Behind Marcia Clark’s Leaked Topless Photos’, Vanity Fair (Web page, 8 March 2016) <https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/03/marcia-clark-topless-photos-people-v-oj-simpson-american-crime-story>.
[4] Ibid.
Written by Paris Spennato
Edited by Nayonika Bhattacharya
Cover art designed by Mandy Li