Sexism

[madisongrace]

There are four common themes in media coverage of Clinton's candidacy:

First, Clinton is criticized using a gender-based grading system. The media evaluate how she looks, dresses, talks, laughs and even claps. She is held to double standards familiar to working women. A man demonstrates toughness and strength; a woman who behaves similarly is called icy and rigid. His behavior shows compassion and warmth, but her similar behavior shows too much emotion and maybe weakness. He knows how to work the system; she is manipulative. He shows a mastery of the subject; she is nit-picky. He thinks through all the options before charting a course; she is calculating. Familiar?

Second, our society still has not come to terms with ambition in women -- it is suspect. Clinton is frequently charged with doing or saying anything to win. But I think it has an extra sharp anti-woman overtone as it is used against Hillary. In other words, everything Clinton does to win the election -- strategizing, organizing, confronting, comparing and contrasting -- is interpreted as calculating, fake or just plain evil. But when a man campaigns hard, refusing to cede an inch, they call it . . . running for office!

Third, Clinton is presumed to be where she is today because of her husband, Bill. The fact that Clinton has a famous former president for a husband is used to discredit her own achievements and to imply that maybe she couldn't have made it on her own. I’m trying to remember if any of these commentators implied that George W. Bush shouldn't be taken seriously as a candidate because his father had been president. Or that people shouldn't vote for a certain male candidate because he clearly got a leg up from his powerful family's money and legacy? Or, say, from the advantages bestowed by his wife's fortune? Who's to say that if Hillary had taken the fast-track first, instead of Bill, she wouldn't have risen to the top before him?

Finally, when all else fails, belittle the voters. Women voters are irrational and biased, and voting only on the basis of gender, the press are happy to intimate (at least about the women who are voting for Hillary), and they not so subtly imply that all voters are stupid and shallow. When the pundits try to mind-read the general public to guess why they cast their ballots one way or another, they often conclude that voters make decisions based on the same superficial traits that fascinate the talking-heads themselves -- like who seems "comfortable in their own skin" or who strikes them as annoyingly nerdy.

One more thing: Hillary Clinton, and women in general, aren't the only ones subject to gender-based assessments. Barack Obama and John Edwards have also been degraded when the media detect in them "feminine" characteristics or behaviors (like paying attention to your appearance) that supposedly are unbecoming in men. That's right, both women and men can be poked with the "girls are icky" stick.

Regarding women and men and politics, we really ought to be past the tree house years. It's not just those in the public eye who are hurt when the media promote sex stereotypes. Daughters everywhere are hearing the message that a woman can't be as competent and effective a leader as a man. Or that all strong women are ball-busters (or nut-crackers) -- right up until they finally reveal that they're just weepy wimps. (Never trust a crying woman. She's after something, you know.)

Just so you don't think I’m making this up, here are a few of the latest offenders (of course MSNBC's Chris Matthews could fill a whole list all by himself):

Maureen Dowd, The New York Times, Feb. 13, 2008
Relaying a joke told by Penn Jillette: "Obama is just creaming Hillary. You know, all these primaries, you know. And Hillary says it's not fair, because they're being held in February, and February is Black History Month. And unfortunately for Hillary, there's no White Bitch Month."

Katie Couric, CBS's 60 Minutes, Feb. 10, 2008
Interviewing Clinton: "What were you like in high school? Were you the girl in the front row taking meticulous notes and always raising your hand? . . . Someone told me your nickname in school was 'Miss Frigidaire' -- is that true?"

David Shuster, guest-hosting MSNBC's Tucker, Feb. 7, 2008
Regarding Chelsea Clinton making calls for her mother's campaign: "here's just something a little bit unseemly to me that Chelsea is out there calling up celebrities saying, 'Support my mom.' . . . doesn't it seem like Chelsea's sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?"

Lester Holt, MSNBC's primary coverage, Feb. 5, 2008
Incredulously, apparently shocked by exit poll results: "With the field of Democratic candidates reduced to two, we asked primary voters, 'Who would make the best commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces?' And here, it was Hillary Clinton who was the clear favorite. The first woman candidate with a serious shot at winning the presidency beat out her male rival -- look at these numbers -- 50 percent to 35 percent. Keep in mind, this at a time the nation is fighting on two fronts."

Andrew Sullivan, TheAtlantic.com, Feb. 4. 2008
"The second bout of public tears just before a crucial primary vote - after no evidence that Senator Hillary Clinton has a history of tearing up in front of the cameras - provokes the unavoidable question: should feminists actively vote against Clinton to defend the cause of female equality?"

Bill Kristol (New York Times columnist), panelist on Fox News Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008
"Look, the only people for Hillary Clinton are the Democratic establishment and white women . . . . White women are a problem, that's, you know -- we all live with that." After other panelists stated their disagreement, Kristol responded: "I know, I shouldn't have said that."

Maureen Dowd, The New York Times, Jan. 30, 2008
"Like Scarlett O'Hara after a public humiliation, Hillary showed up at the gathering wearing a defiant shade of red."

Mike Barnicle, guest on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Jan. 23, 2008
"hen she reacts the way she reacts to Obama with just the look, the look toward him, looking like everyone's first wife standing outside a probate court, OK?"

Maureen Dowd, The New York Times, Jan. 23, 2008
"It's odd that the first woman with a shot at becoming president is so openly dependent on her husband to drag her over the finish line."

Tucker Carlson, MSNBC's Tucker, Jan. 22, 2008
"It takes a lot of guts for a rich, privileged white lady who is one of the most powerful people in the world to claim that she is a victim of gender discrimination. . . . She hasn't driven her own car in almost 20 years and she's a victim of discrimination? I mean can't we both agree that's just BS?"

Gail Collins, The New York Times, Jan. 10, 2008.
"The women whose heart went out to Hillary knew that it wasn't rational. . . . they gave her a sympathy vote."

Chris Matthews, guesting on MSNBC's Morning Joe, Jan. 9, 2008
"Let's not forget -- and I'll be brutal -- the reason she's a U.S. senator, the reason she's a candidate for president, the reason she may be a front-runner is her husband messed around. That's how she got to be senator from New York."

Below the Belt: A Biweekly Column by NOW President Kim Gandy

[Hutzpa]

1. waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

1st


:rofl:

[Darth_Kitten]

56. ???

Typical.

[emilyg]

2. Thank you.

[bhikkhu]

3. Ok, well written and documented, but where does that leave us?

Women are victims? Hillary is unelectable because the country is sexist? I'd stand in line to skewer the media on this...but it is the positives and the strengths that elect a leader, not victim status.

[Fredda Weinberg]

13. It will take a re-definition of gender expectations. For example, no one

doubts HRC's toughness. Her leadership qualities are being tested ... this can only help future aspirants.

[bhikkhu]

21. I hope you are right. It kind of depends on how things play out.

That is, there are possibilities for both positive and negative outcomes - speaking of gender expectations, not election results.

I have the advantage of being raised in a family of strong women, and never really acquired the notion of the "weaker" or "gentle" sex. One of my aunts, who retired from the military when I was ten or so, would give a man a look that would shrink rock if he deigned to open a door for her, or any such thing as if she was incapable herself.

[Fredda Weinberg]

52. My kinda broad, but IRL, I don't punish those who innocently

practice gallantry. It just takes a while for them to realize they're really doofus.

But we've been making life by sacrificing ourselves since we went sexual; females are understandably confused when reproduction is framed as a personal choice w/overwhelming responsibiliites. Expectations? I've escaped that trap, with my mother's collusion. The family is better for it.

Chelsea Clinton is evidence that HRC got something right and we can be reassured. No matter what happens this silly season, our faith in their family is on display w/every public event.

[11 Bravo]

64. It leaves us with jackasses like the first responder.

Sexism and racism are both pervasive, and shitstains who deny the existence of either expose themselves for what they truly are.

[cooolandrew]

4. Why are you still watching MSM. Besies you can listen to fox they love women and HRC now.

[cooolandrew]

5. Besides most genuine attacks are about how nasty HRC has been not what HRC wore.Not sexist reality

[rodeodance]

62. seems no one wanted to respond to you ----so you responded to your self.

[ossman]

6. I can see the Thatcher supporters... waaaah.... victim.victim.victim

[rodeodance]

63. that you got?? the brainless victim card --another MT suit analogy

[cooolandrew]

7. The reason being is she includes beig a wife as something you could write on a resume.

[cooolandrew]

9. Splitting a party apart is not ambition it is politcal suicide & damging any chance of woman pres..

So if we could stopdistorting that would be so nice ty..

[ossman]

10. but wont release any records of her "vast experience" Ask Sinbad.

[Maven]

25. No, WRONG

That's how you and many others have deliberately mischaracterized her experience, which is in itself sexist.

She claims credit for her own direct participation in making policy and conducting diplomacy. NOT for being "Bill's wife." Stop being dishonest.

[Divernan]

27. She makes a VERY big deal out of being president's /governor's wife/ first lady

See post 26 below for link:

CLINTON, Hillary Rodham, (wife of President William Jefferson Clinton), a Senator from New York; born on October 26, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois; attended public school in Park Ridge, Illinois; graduated Wellesley College, BA 1969; graduated Yale Law School, JD 1973; attorney; counsel, impeachment inquiry staff, House Judiciary Committee 1974; First Lady of Arkansas 1979-1981, 1983-1993; First Lady of the United States 1993-2001; elected to the United States Senate for term commencing January 3, 2001; reelected in 2006 for the term ending January 3, 2013.

[Maven]

54. She WAS first lady, what's your point?

It's not a specific ACCOMPLISHMENT she's taking credit for, it's a STAGE of her public life.

[AGirl]

8. Good Call thank you so much , I will bookmark this.

[loveangelc]

11. blahblahblahblah...

I hate sexism but I can honestly feel no sorrow for Hillary on her coverage by the media.

[AGirl]

12. I feel bad everytime sexism is used on anyone.

It speaks more about you, than her if you don't find it a problem if the attacks are directed at Hillary.

[loveangelc]

14. Oh ok, Please tell me what exactly it speaks of me because I don't feel sorry for her coverage then.

[AGirl]

16. It means you don't really think sexism is a big deal.

[loveangelc]

17. Thank you for telling me what I find a big deal and what I do not.

Of course that's totally untrue but you can believe this about me if you really want to...

[cooolandrew]

15. The MSM is there to divide us that is why I promote lbieral radio. Try headonradio.com.trys to be..

unbiased this side fo rthe primary.

[boppers]

18. Strange perception of men you have:

First set of complaints:

A man demonstrates toughness and strength; a woman who behaves similarly is called icy and rigid.
Men can be icy and rigid too. You're comparing apples and oranges. If you want tough, strong, and icy, see Clint Eastwood. If you want tough, strong, and rigid see Elliot Ness.

His behavior shows compassion and warmth, but her similar behavior shows too much emotion and maybe weakness.
She attacks him, he smiles, he jokes and responds, she has screaming fits in microphones.

You cannot keep comparing actually different behaviors and claim sexism.


Second set:
Second, our society still has not come to terms with ambition in women -- it is suspect.
Ambition is suspect.

Clinton is frequently charged with doing or saying anything to win.
Know anything about baseball? Got any idea *why* america is so twitchy about steriod use? There are rules to any game. Deviating from them too much violates the *spirit* of the game, even if it's still within the rules. In most games of sport, of power, of strategy, "some" plays are looked upon with such disdain that they draw scorn. For example, while it wouldn't be technically *illegal* for a chess player to arrange to have his opponent be told that "Your mother just died" before the opening move, but it's enough to draw scorn. Hillary isn't being frowned upon for violating the rules, she's being frowned upon for violating the spirit.


Third set:
Third, Clinton is presumed to be where she is today because of her husband, Bill.
Less constitutional law experience than Obama.
Less legislative experience than Obama.
Less social and community work than Obama.
She's running on a record of '35 years', but I'm not seeing a whole lot of experience that's presidential in there.


Fourthly:
Finally, when all else fails, belittle the voters. Women voters are irrational and biased, and voting only on the basis of gender, the press are happy to intimate (at least about the women who are voting for Hillary), and they not so subtly imply that all voters are stupid and shallow.
I don't think all voters are stupid and shallow, but voting for somebody on superficial characteristics certainly is.


Finally:
One more thing: Hillary Clinton, and women in general, aren't the only ones subject to gender-based assessments. Barack Obama and John Edwards have also been degraded when the media detect in them "feminine" characteristics or behaviors (like paying attention to your appearance) that supposedly are unbecoming in men.
Well, that might have mattered more 10 years ago, before Queer Eye pointed out that "icky" was really code for "jealous".

Daughters everywhere are hearing the message that a woman can't be as competent and effective a leader as a man. Or that all strong women are ball-busters (or nut-crackers) -- right up until they finally reveal that they're just weepy wimps. (Never trust a crying woman. She's after something, you know.)
False. Not everybody is cut out to be president. It's a tough mix of traits required to appeal to everyone, and some people just aren't up to the task. If Barack was also a woman, he'd still be beating Hillary. Heck, if Barack was bringing his skills to the table, with the luggage of being an ex-president's *spouse*, he'd still be beating her. Why do you think the Rovian tactic of "claiming your greatest weakness belongs to your opponent" was used by Hillary?

[FrenchieCat]

23. As a woman with two voting age daughters,

I thank you in taking the time to desconstruct the OP in a reality based manner.

I have problems with what Hillary voted for and against, her campaign words and strategy, her failed approach to health care back in 1993, and what her husband accomplished or didn't accomplish while he was in office. It has nothing to do with her gender.....although I would have appreciated her more if she hadn't included his administration as part of her experience. I didn't want to see a woman feel compeled to bring her husband to her job interview with her in order to get the job. It actually takes us a step back, as it is not an upward career path strategy that I would have chosen as an example to point to as an option for my daughters.

Plus I don't like the idea of Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton at all. Too many gifted folks in this land for that nonsense, IMO.

[Divernan]

26. HRC elected to Senate as FIRST accountable political office? Carpetbagger!

Go to the official website for the U.S.Senate, to the page listing bios for every woman ever elected or appointed to the U.S. Senate. Read what Clinton chose to list as her relevant background/experience. Other than 1 year back in the 70's, during which she worked on a House Committe staff (and at that entry level she would have had no administrative responsibility) the only "relevant experience" prior to her election to the Senate is listed as being the WIFE of WJC and FIRST LADY of Arkansas, and FIRST LADY of the U.S. That's 7 yrs. in the Senate plus 1 year as an entry level House committee staffer. That's EIGHT YEARS of experience - NOT THIRTY FIVE.

www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/women_senators.htm

"CLINTON, Hillary Rodham, (wife of President William Jefferson Clinton), a Senator from New York; born on October 26, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois; attended public school in Park Ridge, Illinois; graduated Wellesley College, BA 1969; graduated Yale Law School, JD 1973; attorney; counsel, impeachment inquiry staff, House Judiciary Committee 1974; First Lady of Arkansas 1979-1981, 1983-1993; First Lady of the United States 1993-2001; elected to the United States Senate for term commencing January 3, 2001; reelected in 2006 for the term ending January 3, 2013."

Look at the history of other women senators.
The early ones were appointed to fill out the terms of their deceased husbands(or in one case a Governor appointed his wife to fill out a term of a deceased Senator). One GOP/Kansas Senator got there because of her father's political standing in the state - Nancy Landon Kassebaum. Even Lisa Murkowski, Alaska, served 2 terms in the Alaska State House before running for Senate to get her father's old seat. Liddy Dole had held two cabinet level appointments as Secretary of Labor AND Transportation, as well as been President of the American Red Cross. She doesn't include anything about who she's married to as part of her experience.

As far as holding up any of these women as "role models" for daughters, HRC comes at the bottom of my list. Unless the role model I wish to hold up is: Marry some charming man who can take you places, and hold on to your status as "wife" for dear life no matter how he humiliates you before the world; then move into a new state and use your husband's political clout to carpetbag the party's political nomination from another female Dem (Nita Lowey), who'd put in 12 years as a Congresswoman and was in line for the Senate nomination. And be sure that whenever you are criticized for any of your decisions or behaviors, never admit the validity of the criticism or that you made a mistake - just claim that "It's because I'm a woman!"

[bklyncowgirl]

28. Thank you, a very well reasoned post.

As a woman who does not support Hillary Clinton for a variety of reasons, I find it disturbing that some people insist on seeing everything through a lense of sexism. I'm not voting for her 1. Because of her vote on the Iraq War Resolution 2. Because her mishandling of the health care issue when her husband was President gave us a window into which to see her political skills (or lack thereof) at work and 3. Because I do not believe that someone so cozy with the powers that be will work to bring about the profound change that this country is crying for.

[bettyellen]

30. "tough mix of traits" and "some people aren't up for the task" ... you're starting to figure it out

but don;t quite get ther. Because according to you, this kinda sexism was so "ten years ago". Cured by the fellas from "querr Eye, and somehow I missed the cultural shift.
Thanks for the report from the front, LOL. Now, put your glasses on and look again fella. If you don't think Obama is popular for shallow reasons you're not connecting the dots. The voters are acting like teenagers, voting for who they'd like to have a beer with, yet again.

[sniffa]

32. Um, no. At least not in our household.

:hi:

[bettyellen]

36. hi sweetie! i'm glad you weren't offended by being told that your outrage was faux

i got tired of hearing it from giggling volunteers how passe activism is. it's all about the reach across, and the reach around. and acknowledging the inherant hawtness of their candidate. i'm sure you have smarter voluteers in MA, but down here... well his workers are a bit of an embarrassment. but they are cute!
:hi:

[dsc]

40. and what is our opinion of Mr. Eastwood and Mr.Ness

hint it isn't negative. Name one, just one single solitary woman in any field and any time who is as universally admired for those qualities as either Eastwood or Ness.

I will give you two in part but lets be blunt here it is way more suspect in women than men.

Three, Obama has three years, three years of federal office experience. His entire public career is barely longer than Bush's and much shorter than Clinton's.

Four, the OP's point is that it is assumed women are doing so but that men are never accused of doing so.

Finally, as to the criticism of Edwards, that was so substantial that Edwards devoted his youtube video for the CNN/Youtube debate to responding to it. He chose to use 30 seconds of free national airtime to respond to that issue (and was smart for having done so and with a great video to boot).

[annie1]

44. if ambition itself is suspect then what about obama?

[hfojvt]

19. Wasn't there once a candidate named Al Gore?

Didn't he get ripped on for his earth tones, and for his sighs, and for talking like the know-it-all teacher's pet?

Second, wasn't it widely said that he would "say anything" and "attack, attack, attack" in order to get elected.

Here's a quote from a book review of a book written by Alexander Cockburn

"On and on it goes. Al Gore is a man of political expediency. The man who famously "reinvented" government, has been constantly reinventing himself. The rap that Gore is a man who will say anything to get elected is verified time after time by the authors."

http://www.amazon.com/Al-Gore-Manual-Alexander-Cockburn/dp/1859848036

I wonder if Cockburn is happy with the Bush administration?

Third, yes it is amazing that there are so many more corporate lawyers who are women, but somehow still not the almost inevitable front-runner in this primary. She's aparently the only woman in America who is smart enough and ambitious enough to make a serious run at the Presidency. She did it all on her own and Bill Clinton had nothing to do with it. Also if you know somebody who wants oceanfront property in Kansas have them contact me.

Finally, I am sure it is only sexism that would lead some people to claim that voters who prefer a candidate that I do not are idiots. Thus the following must be an internet fiction:

"Britain’s tabloid Daily Mirror did its worst, leading with the headline “How can 59,054,097 people be so dumb?” (These are the number of people who voted for George W. Bush, not the Mirror sales figures.)"

Yes, MoDo has written some nasty things about Hillary, but I seem to remember columns she wrote consisting of imaginary conversations Gore had with his bald spot. And then after she helped elect him, she turned on the "Boy King". As Bartcop says "she hates everybody". That's a misanthrope, not a sexist.

[Recursion]

20. What if she actually *is* icy and calculating?

I mean, there's kind of a vicious cycle here: there are some sexist presumptions and characterizations out there but frankly she really lives up to some of them.

[annie1]

42. what other politician have you heard been called "icy".

[Recursion]

49. Gore. Kerry. Dole.

It wasn't entirely unfair to any of them, either

[annie1]

50. never heard them been referred to as "icy". dull. robotic. that kind of stuff,. but not icy.

[Recursion]

55. *shrug* I heard it

I heard it from individuals rather than pundits, but then again I haven't heard anybody in the M$M call Senator Clinton "icy" either.

I think the pundit word for Kerry and Gore was "rigid" (another term mentioned in the OP), and frankly again there was some truth to that.

[Liquorice]

22. The rampant sexism in the media and all over

the internet in relation to Hillary Clinton's campaign has been quite shocking to me. I am extremely disappointed about the whole thing. I am proud to see Hillary running for president, but I have also learned through her candidacy that there are incredibly sexist elements within my own party.

[Maven]

24. Excellent post.

K/R

[damndude]

29. i would not be so obtuse as to claim that there is imagined sexism

in the media and in the current discourse regarding this campaign. however, i do believe there are great many people who are taking advantage of the opportunity to take up that argument in that blank space where a valid rebuttal on the issues should be. is very easy to claim someone is biased against based on your gender or you race if you simply have no interest in debating the issues. i do believe that hillary clinton, her surrogates and her supporters have been guilty of this tactic. yet she has been allowed to get away with the claim of 35 years of experience even though it is basically as a wife representing her husband in the state arena and the national/international stage. her senate seat is owed to her husbands name and her connection in the democratic party. i challenge anyone to tell me what she has actually accomplished and earned on her own outright. i would have though the ladies who are committed to the feminist movement would have called her out on this note by now.
i thought feminism was about self-empowerment, self-fulfillment, and self-reliance. yet they are supporting a woman for president who has been in classic terms is a loving, dutiful wife oblivious to the fact that those are her main credentials.

[OhioBlue]

47. As a woman, this is one that that is so frustrating to me

I'm surprised that she has become the torch bearer for some feminists. I don't see her as a good role model.

[saltpoint]

31. Sexism exists. Big whup. If Senator Clinton is a 2-term U.S. Senator,

a former First Lady of the most powerful nation on earth, an establishmentarian profile of considerable wealth, and wields an Ivy League education, she most certainly is not the victim of sexism.

Efforts in posts to depict her as the victim of sexism reduce her to a cartoon.

[goldcanyonaz]

34. So, you would say the same in regards to Obama, right?

Racism exists. Big whup.

[saltpoint]

35. Correct. Is your point that Hillary lost her titanic lead because of sexism?

That's incorrect. She lost it because her campaign strategy was arrogant and unprepared post Feb. 5th, and is laced with race-baiting slurs against her opponent.

Her campaign strategy is shitwork.

Obama is not winning because he's an Afro American. He's winning because voters are choosing him over her.

[Chalco]

37. You totally miss the point.

By your analysis any successful woman could never be the victim of sexism. Have you no common sense?

Ask any woman how many times they were sexually harassed. Ask any woman how many times a man was given preferential treatment over them. Ask any woman how it feels to walk down a street and deal with the fear of being attacked. Ask any woman how it feels to receive less pay for equal work. Ask any woman how it feels that most medical research has been conducted on men and therefore the results, cures, etc have nothing to do with them. I could go on but I wont.

I personally by anyone's standards am a successful woman. From the age of god knows what I was sexually harassed: by boys when I was a teenager, by adult men, by bosses, by colleagues.

I was told by my parents that there was no need for me to go to college because I just needed to get married and make babies. How did I respond? I put myself through college and graduate school while they paid for my brother to go to college and med school. When I got my Ph.D. no one in my family came to the ceremony. My degree meant nothing because I was just going to get married and make babies according to them. When my brother got his M.D. the family flew in from everywhere to attend the ceremony. My professors in graduate school tried to stop me from getting a Ph.D. because I was a woman. I'll never forget the letter I received from one of them about blocking my degree because it was going to take a job from a man. I literally fell backwards in a faint. But you know what I did? I got up, phoned my dissertation adviser and said "Get that asshole off my committee or else!" He supported me and said he'd take care of the SOB. Another on my committee, the statistician, tried to derail me by saying I'd used the wrong statistics. I wrote him a 10 page analysis of why I was right. He admitted he was wrong. In the end my dissertation and oral defense blew them away. Me against 5 men. I won. That didn't mean the harassment stopped from future men, bosses, and colleagues.

Do you get my drift? You have no idea of what you speak.

Don't bother responding because I don't give a damn what you think.

[saltpoint]

38. No -- to answer your question -- I have no common sense at all.

[damndude]

39. ii for one congratulate you on your accomplishments

in spite of the obstacles you had to go through to make them as well as decry that fact you had/have to suffer through them at all. but the flip side of the gender issue is the race issue and there are great many people who lurk here and post who actually do go through exactly what you have suffered through worse because of the color tone of their skin. hillary clinton, an extremely advantaged woman, in spite of in some cases and because of in some cases, hs dangled the race issue out there in order to di advantage someone else. i would expect, as a woman she would have behaved better.

[Hepburn]

53. Well, let me respond....

Ask any woman how many times they were sexually harassed. Ask any woman how many times a man was given preferential treatment over them. Ask any woman how it feels to walk down a street and deal with the fear of being attacked. Ask any woman how it feels to receive less pay for equal work.

My response...NEVER.

Ask any woman how it feels that most medical research has been conducted on men and therefore the results, cures, etc have nothing to do with them.

My response....I have NEVER been a male prison inmate so I really cannot speak about medical research. Nor have I been a rabbit or a rat...and therefore, again, I have no personal knowledge from whence I can speak.

Any other questions....or would you rather keep perpetrating women as victims?

[Chalco]

65. Just because women have been victimized doesn't mean

they have to act like victims. Doing well is the best revenge.

[annie1]

43. "Racism, big whup" wouldn't go over to well. and is Obama a clown b/c...

everyone is crying racism at the drop of a hat? really disgusting double standard.

[saltpoint]

45. Thoughtful, annie. Insightful, fact-based, and just dazzling overall.

[annie1]

46. well since i repeated exactly what you said...(nt)

[saltpoint]

48. No, I'm serious. It was dazzling.

[Arkansas Granny]

66. The fact that she has done these things does not mean that she isn't a victim of sexism.

It means that she has been strong enough to accomplish these goals despite the sexism that still exists.

[Drachasor]

33. Eh, my mom almost voted for Hillary because she felt sorry for her -- So I think that is a factor

My mom is very independent for what it matters -- politically, she's a life-long democrat. She's blind, a good lawyer, and lives on her own. Nonetheless, she was extremely torn over who to vote for in the Ohio primary.

Now, I don't know how big a factor sympathy is, but I do think it is there to one extent or another. Considering that Hillary can't catch up to Obama, I think it is helping to stop her numbers from falling. Now I am not saying it is the only factor by any means, just that I think it is an actual factor.

[annie1]

41. Seriously. and thank you for writing that. it's really disgusting how this is ok.

[Hepburn]

51. What total BULLSHIT...

..and that is the nicest thing I can call it.

I have been there and done that....being female has NEVER been a barrier to me. I worked for years in what was primarily a man's world. I practiced law for a VERY long time and now have been retired for over 10 years. I retired BEFORE I was 50...so that tells ya that being female did not stop me from succeeding.

When I started most of the male judges and other attorneys were the old timers who belonged to the "Old Boy's Club." That NEVER stopped me. I went nose to nose and wiped up a lot of courtroom floors with opposing counsel and I did not give a shit if everyone in the courtroom was male, but me! In fact, a male, old timer judge, who was elevated to the appellate court bench asked me to mediate cases for the appellate bench...and not because I was some fucking token female, but because I could get people to be realistic and settle.

Stop blaming your plumbing if you cannot make it...it might just be you and NOT your vagina that is the problem.

Sheesh......:eyes:

[Darth_Kitten]

57. Then why do you fight this so much?

A little self-reflection could be in order?

[VotesForWomen]

58. but..but...there is no sexism.. a black woman candidate would be doing just as well as obama... nt

[jillan]

59. Welcome to DU!!

[HCE SuiGeneris]

60. Great post.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[LulaMay]

61. Thanks for the compilation and your thoughtful words.