Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2017/07/31/ofsteve-acquires-the-atlantic.html
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I get the point, but I think in these cases it is because when you have someone famous, one usually has no idea who their spouse is (unless they are famous too). Steve Jobs is going to get more key words hits and click throughs because people know who he was. I’ve never heard of Laurene Powell before, and unless I was a fan of the Atlantic, why click through?
Like if I dated Scarlett Johanssen and somehow made the news, they would probably lead with something like “Scarlett Johanssens boyfriend has a Boba Fett collecting problem.” because no one knows or cares about who Mister.44 is.
Now if Beyonce was described as Jay-Zs wife or Angelina Jolie as Brad Pitts ex, vs their actual name, that would be more messed up.
Note too, when anyone non famous does something too, it is nearly always “a man” or “a woman” or even more likely “a Florida man”.
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I’m not sure if this is about sexism so much as simple clickbait. They want folks to be interested and click on the article, but most people don’t know who Laurene Powell Jobs is, so they identify her by association with someone you’ll recognize. The frequency certainly points out sexism–this happens a lot more with wives and husbands because there’s more men in positions of power–but I’m skeptical that the writers are being sexist.
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awww. i care*.
*Your definition of “care” may differ from that held by SomeDudeCorp, its subsidiaries and shareholders.
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I care very much who he is! My agents say they’re on the cusp of discovering his true identity, and I’ve put the killbots on standby.
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Of course we all know that’s just part of a carefully contrived cover story, your agents have known who he is all along, you’re just hoping to flush the Red Baron! 
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Sure, this can be just simple laws of clickbait, and the societal sexism can be why people do not know who Laurene Powell is but do know Steve Jobs.
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At this point I can only associate TJ Miller with The Emoji Movie, mostly because of all those reviews stating piteous things about him. Could this be some sort of thinly-veiled hit piece?
I have no problem giving up my real name for being called by this description in perpetuum …
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Headlines do not need to be mercilessly short. They may be however long it takes to get the point. What is the harm in writing:
Steve Jobs’ widow Laurene Powell acquires The Atlantic
?
Laurene Powell (Steve Jobs’ widow) acquires The Atlantic
?
or better yet
Laurene Powell Jobs acquires The Atlantic
Because that IS her name. I mean, people who bother reading the Atlantic are able to make the mental leap that she’s Steve Jobs’ widow. Or discover it in the course of reading the article. And even then, WGAF, because she’s herself and what has this to do with Steve Jobs? Really, saying “Steve Jobs’ widow just took over @TheAtlantic” is clickier ? I challenge that assumption. Have they tested it and have facts to back it up? They have not. There is no basis for this alternate reality.
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Get in line, buddy.
It’s the Boba Fett name drop that would get my click on that one.
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I’d probably be like:
“That isn’t a collection. It’s a start.”
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But what does Scarlett think of the vintage underoos? (Two sets, of course–one mint-in-package and one for “special occasion” wear.)
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“Hon, I realize you play Black Widow, but you can’t just open these figures up if they are mint on mint card! Look, find one with a damaged card and we can open that one up for your office.”
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The greatest collector of Boba Fetts only has one piece, but it’s the most authentic:
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To be fair, longstanding journalistic convention is that proper names are only to be used in headlines if the person in question is sufficiently well-known, hence “Florida man” and “area teen,” etc.
Who decides what constitutes “sufficiently well-known” is another matter entirely.
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I always thought it was extra demeaning when some women were called (or called themselves) “Mrs. Robert Johnson” instead of say, “Mrs. Elaine Johnson.” You already got stuck with his last name. Then you’re using a title that says you’re married. Why don’t you just totally subsume your identity to his and use his full name in place of yours?
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“California widower”
facepalm
Because that would be identity theft, of course.
