Her name is CLINTON. Initials HRC.

[Lilith Velkor]

As far as I know, her husband is not in any elected office, nor is he a candidate.

Yet so many still refer to her by her first name. It seems a tad bit sexist to me.

What do you think?

[saracat]

1. Many refer to Bill as "Bill" or Big Dawg" Is that sexist?

[Lilith Velkor]

9. I don't think so.

For one, since this civilization has never had institutionalized misandry, the term "sexism" does not apply to bigotry or discrimination against males.

For another, his political career is in the past, so he no longer needs gravitas.

[tridim]

2. I consistently refer to her as Senator Clinton..

But I also understand using "Hillary" in the "Oprah" sense.

[msongs]

3. i think the clinton campaign endorses calling her hillary

creates an identity away from bill

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[John Q. Citizen]

8. Yes. She encourages it.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Captain Hilts]

17. You're worried about 'Hillary' being "sexist" and you insult a man by calling him a "twat?"

You need to go back to school on sexism.

[Lilith Velkor]

23. Not only that, I'd call her a prick if I felt like it

Perhaps you need further education on the psychology of insults.

[Captain Hilts]

29. If it's discussed in psychology it's okay? Live and learn. nt

[Lilith Velkor]

31. Psychology OF. Learn to read.

Got a BS dgree in it, baby.

[Captain Hilts]

34. Why are you so insulting? BS is right. nt

[Adelante]

4. She's Hillary

And she doesn't mind being Hillary. :shrug:

[polichick]

5. Some definitely use her first name to demean her...

...a refusal to pay her the respect she deserves. But it flies under the radar most of the time because we're all so familiar with her that it seems right to call her Hillary.

[Benhurst]

6. If the corporate press were referring constantly to the Speaker of the House as Nancy,

then I would tend to agree; but since they aren't, I think, whether or not you agree with their doing so, it's being done to avoid confusion.

[Captain Hilts]

15. Yes, it is a shorthand to avoid confusion. Just as 'H' and 'Herbert' are used more because of W's..

living in the White House.

You use whatever shorthand you can.

[Lilith Velkor]

20. I think confusion could work to her advantage

Another Clinton to clean up the mess made by another Bush.

I do see your point, though.

[question everything]

7. There have been many discussions about this on DU

and the conclusion was that she uses Hillary in her campaign and on her website.

I, too, was appalled at first. Especially since Limpback and his dittoheads would literally spit the word Hillary in a way that no more words were needed. Same with feminazi. They have been doing this since 1992.

So perhaps using her name she shows that, yes, Hillary is a badge of honor.

[Lerkfish]

10. oddly, she refers to herself as "hillary" on her campaign materials

I refer to her as Clinton.

:shrug:

you seem to be implying people are disrespecting her because they oppose her, but nearly everyone I see use "Hillary" is pro-Clinton.

[Lilith Velkor]

28. I did not intend to imply that

I just wondered whether it was intentional on her part (which it is) and how it affects her image as a candidate, and whether that's a good thing or not.

[Lerkfish]

35. ah, ok, sorry for my confusion, then.

[jobycom]

11. I've tried to fight that beast.

I try to use Clinton in posts where I'm talking about the other candidates and am using only their last names. It does seem paternal and condescending to me to be on a first name basis with the female candidate but to call all of the male candidates by their more formal last name.

There are times, though, when there is confusion with her husband, and I use first names then.

There's also an advantage politically to her being called Hillary. First, name recognition like that is hard to buy. Second, since her image has always been rather aloof, using her first name makes her more personal, less formal, to many people. It counters a negative image issue. Third, she wants the best of both worlds--she wants to be separated from her husband's negative image, and fully embrace his positive image. Using "Hillary" gives her a way to distinguish herself from him, but not too much.

But I agree with you. I cringe when people call her Hillary while calling the others by their last name.

[Captain Hilts]

12. He was 'the' Clinton first. It's a holdover from First Lady of the Land-hood.

So, in this case, I don't really find it all that sexist.

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. Her own campaign materials refer to her as "Hillary"

[jean]

16. bingo

[Deep13]

18. I think her bumper stickers say "Hillary! '08" nt

[applegrove]

19. I'm conscious of the fact it is sexist and still I fall into the trap of using "Hillary".

[aikoaiko]

21. psst. for the answer click on this link and look at the upper left hand corner.

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/

[Lilith Velkor]

25. Ew.

Just...ew.

[NYC Liberal]

22. I think it's fine, and she uses it herself in her campaign.

It feels more...."personal."

But I agree that NEWSPAPERS and Journalists, etc. should not be using it. They should be using "Hillary Clinton", "Clinton" or "Senator Clinton"

[GeorgeGist]

24. What do I think?

I think your disparate or desperate.

[Lilith Velkor]

26. Care to elaborate?

Or at least pick one?

[mtnsnake]

27. Her intitials are also GOP...Goddess of Peace. The Hillary thing is just a love affair

between her and the people of this country. When you're as well liked and as popular as Hillary is, hey, it's on a first name basis. That's all there is to it, nothing more. Even the ones who claim they don't like her really love her but some of them just haven't admitted it in public yet.

[Lilith Velkor]

30. !!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[TheWraith]

32. You have a pretty hair trigger on your sexism meter.

Traditionally, referring to someone--particularly a political figure--by their first name is seen as a sign of familiarity.

[Lilith Velkor]

33. Do I now?

FWIW, you are correct -- the guy who was prez in the '50s is still referred to by his nickname.

But this particular familiarity just doesn't sit well with my punk/feminist sensibilities. So I'm interested in the viewpoint of more normal folk on this.