The Obama Feminists: Why Young Women Are Supporting Obama

[Leo 9]

BlackAndBrownNews


The Obama Feminists: Why Young Women Are Supporting Obama
Posted April 10, 2008 | 05:44 PM (EST)


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This article was written by Ariel Garfinkel, a sophomore at Mt. Holyoke College in Massachusetts who's majoring in the Politics of Inequality.

The epic struggle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama reveals strong fault lines between some older and younger women, first underscored by no less than Gloria Steinem who scorned those of us supporting a male over a female. Women of my generation venerate Steinem for her pioneering leadership but tend to reject her insinuation that the Democratic primary winner must have a body like our own. Beyond the importance of race and gender, we believe this election should be about a vision for the nation, leadership style and basic political values.

On the style side, the contrast could hardly be more evident. As the media endlessly ran clips of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, suggesting somehow that Obama was responsible for the extremes of his minister (a scrutiny, by the way, not applied by the media to the provocative spiritual advisors of John McCain), Hillary ducked to let the circus continue. Failing to show true leadership by denouncing one pastor's views as fair game in evaluating a presidential candidate, Hillary sat it out apparently hoping the focus on Wright might injure Obama. While missing her own principled moment, Hillary was left to watch Obama rise to his.

As the media, perhaps correctly, noted that by remaining in the race, Clinton might be jeopardizing a Democratic White House for four more years, Obama stood up to say that Clinton has every right to remain in the race. How easy it would have been for Obama, even coyly, to have egged on the calls for Clinton's withdrawal. In fact, he came to her defense, showing both a difference in style and principle. Ironically, it was the male candidate rather than the female who exhibited one of the values of feminism, the unwillingness to accept the old style politics played by men for decades.

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/blackandbrownnews/the-obama-feminists-why-y_b_96128.html

[loveangelc]

1. Obama is better for women than Hillary.

[Texas Hill Country]

2. by what sort of twisted logic do you come to that conclusion... she is one of the most influential

people EVER on women's rights.


Her speech to the UN delegation on Women's Rights in Bejing is one of the most important human rights speeches in modern times.

THAT speech rivals "I have a dream"... not Obama's

THAT speech should be studied in high school and colleges.


read and learn...

http://www.famousquotes.me.uk/speeches/Hillary-Clinton/




you just confirmed it... you people are nuts.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

4. 600,000 dead women in Iraq.

That's why.

[AtomicKitten]

24. bingo

:thumbsup:

[Catherina]

31. As well as uncounted numbers of Iraqi prostitutes, to include children

As well as uncounted numbers of Iraqi prostitutes, to include children and child slaves in Chinese factories.

Hillary's feminism is a revolting White Man's Burden type of feminism known as Second Wave Feminism. Count me out. I'm with the Post-colonial Third Wave.

That's pretty much where the Feminist split is between the HRC and Obama camps.

[Leo 9]

54. Third-wave feminism

Third-wave feminism
Main article: Third-wave feminism

Third-wave feminism began in the early 1990s, arising as a response to perceived failures of the second wave and also as a response to the backlash against initiatives and movements created by the second wave. Third-wave feminism seeks to challenge or avoid what it deems the second wave's essentialist definitions of femininity, which (according to them) over-emphasize the experiences of upper middle-class white women. A post-structuralist interpretation of gender and sexuality is central to much of the third wave's ideology. Third-wave feminists often focus on "micro-politics" and challenge the second wave's paradigm as to what is, or is not, good for females.<19><33><34><35> The third wave has its origins in the mid-1980s. Feminist leaders rooted in the second wave like Gloria Anzaldua, bell hooks, Chela Sandoval, Cherrie Moraga, Audre Lorde, Maxine Hong Kingston, and many other black feminists, sought to negotiate a space within feminist thought for consideration of race-related subjectivities.<34><13><36>

Third-wave feminism also consists of debates between difference feminists, such as the psychologist Carol Gilligan, who believe that there are important differences between the sexes, and those who believe that there are no inherent differences between the sexes and contend that gender roles are due to social conditioning.<37>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminism#Third-wave_feminism

[Political Heretic]

34. Owned.

[knixphan]

52. Bingo!

[PVnRT]

5. Stay Classy, Texas

I thought the Obama supporters were the haters around here.

[Texas Hill Country]

8. it's frustrating as hell because people dismiss offhand the essential and massively important &

influential things she has done for some guy that makes some pretty good speeches



She has FOUGHT her ass off all her life for womens rights and I am insulted as a HUMAN that it is dismissed in this manner.

She has been a LEADER of womens rights all over the world for decades and deserves, at the very least, recognition and respect for that.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

50. I do recognize and respect it. I'm just not supporting her.

Sorry to disappoint you but I'm not.

[goldcanyonaz]

6. That Bejing speech should be seen and read by every woman around the world.

[Texas Hill Country]

9. yes, yes it should. it is one of the greatest speeches in modern times.

[DURHAM D]

17. Funny thing is - around the world they are already familiar with the speech.

Here in the U.S. - not so much.

[loveangelc]

10. Am I not allowed to my opinion? In my opinion he will be better on women's issues than Hillary.

[Texas Hill Country]

11. it is a free country, but I would hope you would educate yourself on the subject.

know your history.

I believe, once you do, you will have a different opinion, if not, then I will respect that.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

12. I thought she was against speeches.

[JVS]

26. Just words, as she said

[Starbucks Anarchist]

27. I wonder if she said those words to a large, rally-like crowd.

[JVS]

28. Demagogue!

[FrenchieCat]

13. If that speech was so important, how come it still hasn't gotten it's due

after 13 years? :shrug:

[goldcanyonaz]

14. Because women are often an afterthought in society,

but as a woman you probably already know that. We, as women still have many mountains to conquer before we get our equal due.

[TahitiNut]

16. You continue to say "nuts" as though it's a Bad Thing.

How sad. :nopity:

[Butch350]

39. Are you ladies

Anti men?

Barack Obama is a capable person to be President. If you don't think so - then that's you gals opinion.

You know a lot of people won't admit it - but it's not the leadership capabilities of Barack that some of you have
a problem with - but it's the color of his skin.

The presidency or nomination is not owed to HRC - SHE HAS TO FIGHT FOR IT AND WIN IT.

If your a sore loser, too bad. Ain't it past you ole gals bed time?

[Hugabear]

41. I think Susan B Anthony might beg to differ with that opinion

There's a few others as well, but heck. Who am I to stand in the way of Hillary being the Most Influential Woman Ever?

[Cha]

47. The influence hilary has been on this

Democratic Primary campaign will go down in history as the most negative, chock full o' lies, debt and smear ridden attempt to horn one's way into the white house on "experience" that this country has ever seen. It will be her legacy.

[Adelante]

3. Older women, too

Like me :)

[OnionPatch]

30. And me.

:hi:

[Cha]

48. Yes, and doesn't that young woman, Ariel Garfinkle,

write like an old soul? :)

[LisaM]

7. This article barely discusses feminism at all, much less Hillary's history re the same

It's unfocused rambling against the political system, mixes up Hillary and Bill, misquotes Hillary on the exchange about Obama's religion, and includes this little type: coups de gras, which, while certainly forgivable in a quick email, is hardly what one would expect from a Mt. Holyoke student in an article submitted for publication.

And to suggest that Gloria Steinem wants us to vote for a candidate based on her "shape" shows an enormous misunderstanding of feminism and feminist issues.

One has only to look at the recent atrocities in THIS country in the polygamist colony they just uncovered to know that feminists have not made great strides after all. If THIS can go on, there are women in this country who are practically enslaved and certainly victims of a vicious misogyny.

[DURHAM D]

18. Yep - that post is idiotic drivel.

[chill factor]

19. I disagree...

being a college professor this was a very-well written piece. This student would well have been on her way to an "A" paper. She is also a political major which gives her a much clearer understanding of the political process, a quality I often find missing in many of the bloggers here. She is also a female - raised in a generation much different from my own who has not had to fight the battles I did. A young woman with critical-thinking skills and reasoning who does not run on passion, but makes decisions based on logic and reason. She may not support your candidate, but she speaks very well in support of her own.

[Texas Hill Country]

21. she may be from a different generation, but it lacks a larger context... and she is a sophomore...

not exactly in the advanced classes yet...

[chill factor]

29. have you been on a college campus lately?

The article only says she is young...it does not say how old she is. The demographics of college students has changed immensely - most of my students are from 30-55 years old. I do not have many 19-20 year old students enrolled in my courses. I recognize the clarity of her writing; it is not based on passion but on how she intelligently interprets the political landscape.

[Gore1FL]

33. I work on one and mostly see kids

I guess it depends on the college and time of day.

[chill factor]

36. I also see many kids...

but there are many, many nontraditional students in the ballgame now. 'Young' just not necessarily mean a 19-20 year-old. And those 19-20 year old students are much more acclimated to their environments and much more politically savvy from the days when I was their age. No one can discount them just because of their age.

[Gore1FL]

37. fair enough

The do make me feel old, though. When I went to college, everyone was wise and mature! :)

[LisaM]

51. "Being a college professor this was a very-well written piece...."

If you are a college professor and made those two huge grammatical errors in your first sentence (you state that the PIECE was a college professor, and you mis-hyphenated) then not only do I shudder for the state of our colleges, I would like to know WHERE you teach, so that I can caution everyone I've ever heard of from attending.

[Window]

15. K/R.

:kick:

[glowing]

20. I don't think many young women grasp the true history of women and the

struggle for equality and a voice. It certainly was not taught in school.. unlike at least 1 month completely devoted to black history. In reality, true history is not taught; its a white male perspective. Most do not understand that it was an epic battle for women to gain the right to vote, to gain the right to their property, to have the right to not be thought of as property.. and in many countries women's rights are still majorly repressed.. Even in this country women are still repressed.. making less than their male co-workers and having to give up precious mothering moments to bring money into the home... Enslavement of people seems to be an ultimate goal of a few at the top.. Forget who is better at what.. Let's work together and solve the issues that bring all of us harm.

[AtomicKitten]

22. Obama is more of a feminist than Hillary in many ways.

She didn't need to compromise feminist principles in order to prove her mettle with the boys. It was a conscious choice she made. In comparison, Obama comes across as more thoughtful, more measured, more reasonable, more elegant ... more presidential.

[polichick]

23. Two things immediately come to mind...

Sure, Hillary is biologically the female, but Obama's vision and wisdom express "feminine energies" ~ as does his unifying and less combative approach.

Hillary has spent her life trying to impress an impossible-to-please father and playing second fiddle to a narcissistic philandering husband ~ neither of which is impressive from a women's rights point of view.

[OhioBlue]

40. I agree.

IMO, Hillary seems to have a more patriarchal view of society than Obama, she just trades the male for the female in the structure. Obama's style appears to be more about community and reaching goals together, working as a society to make strides. He peppers his speeches with "we" can do this and "our" goals. Hillary comes across as "I", "me" and "my". She says she will fight for the people.... Obama wants "the people" to fight for what is right.

As a metaphor, it is like Hillary is the father figure giving orders and making decisions . Obama is like the nurturing parent that wants to teach and encourage the citizens to participate and make the world better.

[knixphan]

53. well-said

[NashVegas]

25. "How easy it would have been for Obama, even coyly, to have egged on the calls ..." Uh, He Did

Until he realized what kind of backlash he was facing.

Or did the author miss the line about a "movie that's gone on too long"?

[Bodhi BloodWave]

35. would you mind pointing me toward where 'he' egged it on?

[sniffa]

32. Well, according to a thread in the Hillgeon

It's because they're stupid and don't know what it's like to face sexism...... and, that Obama can't be trusted, and will probably appoint judges to overturn R v. W.

What's wrong with young women? Some of them even have blue hair.

[StevieM]

38. The same reason all of his supporters are behind him--he has people fooled about

himself and Hillary. He is a mean-spiritied man who uses the press to savage her while he pretends to be an idealist.

There is nothing idealistic--or pragmatic--about Obama. All he cares about it power and he'll destroy anyone who stands in his way to get it. All the hateful (and unfair) things that have been said about the Clintons are actually the truth about him.

Steve

[eridani]

42. On women's issues specifically, any Dem will do, IMO n/t

[SunsetDreams]

43. Excellent article :)

I agree with it whole-heartedly. Thank you for posting :)

[cooolandrew]

44. Code pink for me highlight feminism at it's best for peace while Hillary votes for Cluster bombs.

[Cha]

49. Excellent

examples.

[kwenu]

45. They don't have to worry about getting hit on by his spouse?

[Cha]

46. This is Good! Perfect..thank you, Leo and

Ariel Garfinkle(young but oh so knowledgeable on what's going down with "the epic struggle"..)

HOw right she is.."Obama is the true feminist"!

"Values and vision matter most to us, and Obama's extraordinary world view resonates with our desire for a different future. We do not want a nation or world where the old rules are maintained, and we do not want to continue political discourse at this most base level. We have a future to re-define, not only for women but for men and children, and we may have an opportunity to define it through the leadership of an inspiring and visionary young Senator from Illinois."