Why can't a woman be less like a man?!

[cali]

Apologies to GBS. Hillary's constant tough talking troubles the hell out of me. Using words like "obliterate" in reference to Iran. Insisting that she won't speak directly with our enemies and even those who aren't our enemies, like Chavez. She's making toughness the cornerstone of her PA campaign, and what it really shows is weakness. I don't think it's so much that Clinton is a war mongering neocon- though I know others here vehemently disagree with me on that- but that she's determined that she has to project a tougher than any man on national security issues. In a way, it reminds me of bush in his flight suit, or bring it on. No, no, I'm not saying that Clinton is like bush in any meaningful way, but that she seems to think that talking tough and swaggering, albeit verbal swaggering, are legitimate. That approach is NOT legitimate even if its being used to win an election.

Hillary could have taken a different approach and demonstrated real strength. She chose to go for cheap tough talk. And what bugs me most about it, is like on so many other issues and topics, she's abiding by the principle that the voters are stupid.


Disclaimer: I'm not insulting men, just playing cute with a quote.

[Maddy McCall]

1. Why can't a woman be bold without people constantly saying she's trying to be a man?

She is who she is. There really are no hard n' fast demarcations between what is masculine and what is feminine.

If this bothers you, the problem is you, not her.

[cali]

3. bold? LOL! yeah using words like obliterate in reference

to another country is just bold. glad you're so comfy with that sentiment, dear. if this kind of jingoistic crap doesn't bother you, the problem is you.

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. It is not being "bold" when one engages in a testosterone-throwing contest

We have seen time and again that female pioneers who enter into traditionally male fields -- sports, medicine, science, writing, politics -- are expected to surpass their male colleagues to be accepted. It is not enough to be good as, they have to be better; and this attitude persists until enough women have entered the field that attitudes relax. (To pick one of many examples, science fiction writing. Andre Norton legally changed her name so as to compete with male authors, and Marion Zimmer Bradly had to write outstanding stuff to compete with male authors writing crap.)

The unfortunate truth is that presidential politics has always been about being testosterone poisoned. Clinton, as the first woman with a serious shot at the Presidency, must out-testosterone the competition if she wants to be taken seriously. It is not enough to match the competition, she has to excede the competition. And if all of the other traditionally male fields are an example, such will be the situation until women in presidential politics becomes routine.

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. It is the same macho stand that has been politics for centuries

If I described the attitude as being, "My dick is bigger than your dick," would that be sexist?

[ruggerson]

5. Because the way to handle a woman

is to love her.

Simply love her.

Simply love her.

(apologies to L&L)

[napi21]

6. Hillary just turned 60 and I'm 64, so we are a product of the same era.

I I had to act the same way in the workplace or i would have remained someone's secretary for my entire career. I can't count the # of times I was told or overheard the supervisors, managers & VP's (who were ALL men) that women don't have the personality or temperment to be bosses or ever get close to being in the Board Room! It took a lot of effort on my part to finally be acepted as "one of the guys". When I finally retired I was a Corporate Accounting Director.

I admit many things have improved for gender parity over the years, but there are still a lot of people, some unconciously, who still don't believe a woman can nor should be in a "top job". I recently had conversations with people who said they wouldn't ever vote for Hillary. When I asked why, all they could say is "I don't know, I just don't like her."

[splat]

7. A woman has to sound like a commander-in-chief; a man just has to look like one

A woman has to talk hard and carry a big stick to convince John Wayne she can lead the army. Otherwise he'll just smile and drawl, "Little lady..." ;)