'Let' It Be

When I have nothing to do at work (which is never... *wink wink*), I read the news online. At more desperate times-- you know, when no one's blown anything up, started any fires, been involved in some kind of political scandal, etc.--I read the entertainment stories. Yesterday, I noticed something that bugged me. Every time a female celebrity was referred to, the people writing the stories called her a "starlet."

This bothers me on a number of levels.

First, the word "star" should be reserved for two things: the stars in the sky and actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood (y'know-- the people who created the medium, the real talent from the old days--oh, I've seen Gone With the Wind now, by the way). I can't think of a celebrity today that I think is worthy of being called a star.

Also, my inner feminist (some of you might not have met her; those of you who have a probably rethinking reading this post now that she's been mentioned) has a real problem with this word. "Starlet"? What? Just because someone's female, you feel the need to add a diminutive to the word? Someone ought to kick your ass with a pair of stilettos.

But I might have been able to live with these two had it not been for this:

EVERY female was called a "starlet," regardless of her age.

I'm sorry. Someone who's in their fifties or sixties is not a "let" of any kind. And I for one am offended that the people who write these entertainment stories think that I could be fooled into thinking of someone that age as a "let."

"Starlet." Please.