After Obama's landslide presidential win and epic victory speech, the message to America seems to be clear: anyone can be president. We're the land of equal opportunity. Any kid, no matter the color of their skin, can dream of actually being president of the United States one day. Anything really is possible.
Except if you're a woman.
I am thrilled about Obama's victory, no doubt, and I completely recognize how momentous and wonderful an occasion this is for America. I get it. And I appreciate it. But I am somewhat troubled by this new misguided belief that now, truly, anyone in America can grow up to be anything they want, when everyone seems to be ignoring the one white elephant still in the room after the 2008 campaign: sexism.
I am, by no means, attempting to lay all the blame for Hillary Clinton's eventual fall on sexism. It was by no means the only factor, but certainly a contributing one. She made plenty of campaign gaffes. Obama's campaign was unusually skilled at engaging people online and turning that into votes and volunteers. They ran a great campaign and that is why Barack Obama won. But you would be blind to say that there was no sexism at play in this race. The "Stop running for president and make me a sandwich" facebook groups? The constant commentary about Hillary's makeup artist, her voice, her tears? The comments about her being too "cold"? (Because, we all know, women are supposed to be more caring and nurturing...)
I am not saying Hillary was the only candidate affected by sexism; Sarah Palin faced it too. The world loves to scream about her $150,000 wardrobe, but the reality is that for a woman candidate, it's necessary. Women running for office are judged on their appearance, their dress, and their hair far more than men running for public office-- and that's unfair. But pointing out this injustice doesn't do anything to fix it; it only gets the Rush Limbaughs and Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermanns of the world complaining that we tried to play the sexism card. So instead, they have to roll with the punches, accept that women candidates will get judged on their appearance more, and spend exorbitant amounts of money on wardrobes.
The worst part of the problem is that young women seem okay with it. I know very few women in my generation who seem troubled by the sexism that is still prevalent in our supposedly postfeminist society. It may not always be conscious, intentional sexism -- but it is still sexism, nonetheless, and still inflicts damage. Even women do it; I've heard plenty of my girlfriends say they won't vote for Hillary because she's too cold, and I can't do much but be disappointed. Not enough women are speaking up about this; it's considered too radical, the stuff that belongs only to women's studies types. But how will we ever get past the underlying misogyny here if women won't speak up in their own defense?
Call me a raging feminist, I'm sure you will. Hillary supporters tend to get that a lot. You'll tell me sexism doesn't really exist anymore or that this is not such a big deal. Racism is a big deal, you say, but sexism is just overblown whining; it's just women hating on men all the time. You're not really a sexist. You have no problem with a woman being president, you say. Just not Hillary, she's too ......cold? calculating? Ambitious? Impersonal? or my favorite: Bitchy?
But if you say it, you're part of the problem, which is that sexism has now become an acceptable part of mainstream society. Objection to the norm gets us branded as raging feminists or man-haters. Sexist putdowns are still more acceptable than racist ones. Women still earn seventy-three cents to the man's dollar. They still face more sexual harassment at work. They still get judged on their appearance and dress more than men. And they still can't be president of the United States.
Except if you're a woman.
I am thrilled about Obama's victory, no doubt, and I completely recognize how momentous and wonderful an occasion this is for America. I get it. And I appreciate it. But I am somewhat troubled by this new misguided belief that now, truly, anyone in America can grow up to be anything they want, when everyone seems to be ignoring the one white elephant still in the room after the 2008 campaign: sexism.
I am, by no means, attempting to lay all the blame for Hillary Clinton's eventual fall on sexism. It was by no means the only factor, but certainly a contributing one. She made plenty of campaign gaffes. Obama's campaign was unusually skilled at engaging people online and turning that into votes and volunteers. They ran a great campaign and that is why Barack Obama won. But you would be blind to say that there was no sexism at play in this race. The "Stop running for president and make me a sandwich" facebook groups? The constant commentary about Hillary's makeup artist, her voice, her tears? The comments about her being too "cold"? (Because, we all know, women are supposed to be more caring and nurturing...)
I am not saying Hillary was the only candidate affected by sexism; Sarah Palin faced it too. The world loves to scream about her $150,000 wardrobe, but the reality is that for a woman candidate, it's necessary. Women running for office are judged on their appearance, their dress, and their hair far more than men running for public office-- and that's unfair. But pointing out this injustice doesn't do anything to fix it; it only gets the Rush Limbaughs and Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermanns of the world complaining that we tried to play the sexism card. So instead, they have to roll with the punches, accept that women candidates will get judged on their appearance more, and spend exorbitant amounts of money on wardrobes.
The worst part of the problem is that young women seem okay with it. I know very few women in my generation who seem troubled by the sexism that is still prevalent in our supposedly postfeminist society. It may not always be conscious, intentional sexism -- but it is still sexism, nonetheless, and still inflicts damage. Even women do it; I've heard plenty of my girlfriends say they won't vote for Hillary because she's too cold, and I can't do much but be disappointed. Not enough women are speaking up about this; it's considered too radical, the stuff that belongs only to women's studies types. But how will we ever get past the underlying misogyny here if women won't speak up in their own defense?
Call me a raging feminist, I'm sure you will. Hillary supporters tend to get that a lot. You'll tell me sexism doesn't really exist anymore or that this is not such a big deal. Racism is a big deal, you say, but sexism is just overblown whining; it's just women hating on men all the time. You're not really a sexist. You have no problem with a woman being president, you say. Just not Hillary, she's too ......cold? calculating? Ambitious? Impersonal? or my favorite: Bitchy?
But if you say it, you're part of the problem, which is that sexism has now become an acceptable part of mainstream society. Objection to the norm gets us branded as raging feminists or man-haters. Sexist putdowns are still more acceptable than racist ones. Women still earn seventy-three cents to the man's dollar. They still face more sexual harassment at work. They still get judged on their appearance and dress more than men. And they still can't be president of the United States.
Labels: activism, election 2008, gen y, gender politics, hillary clinton, politics, president, sexism, women
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