Stop the Sexist Rants on Palin!

UPDATE: Jenn Pozner has a great analysis of the media's treatment of Palin at NPR.

UPDATE:At Writes Like She Talks, Jill Miller Zimon is on the #PalinSexism watch.

The ascent of Sarah Palin to the national political stage has yielded no shortage of material for legitimate criticism -- even legitimate derision. There's her famous lack of intellectual curiosity, her tortured syntax, and her alliance with a group of Alaskan secessionists, to name just a few.

But whenever Sarah Palin makes news, as she did big-time with her decision last weekend to resign her office as governor of Alaska, more than legitimate criticism hits the airwaves and the Web. Seeping through the Web's meshes and wafting through the airwaves is the acrid stench of sexism.

I'm hardly the first to notice this trend. At Jezebel, Megan Carpentier has been on the case since the presidential campaign, when Palin burst on the scene as John McCain's wild-card pick for his vice-presidential running-mate. So, too, has Melissa McEwan at Shakesville. But this latest burst of fresh hell leads me to take another approach: I'm asking readers to Tweet any sexist coverage they see on Palin with the hashtag: #palinsexism.

Why? As blogger Echidne of the Snakes observes, the takedown of Palin following her resignation of her office "may be mostly justified, but it allows the misogynists to join in, and they are not just attacking Palin, my friends: They are attacking women in general."

Just look what happened on CNN just moments after Palin's resignation broke into the airwaves: anchor Rick Sanchez speculated that Palin might be pregnant again. As if women don't work when they're pregnant, or make sane decisions while in the family way; as if Palin hadn't already worked through one pregnancy.

Michelle Goldberg observed that in Todd Purdum's Vanity Fair profile of Palin, several sources pegged Palin as having a textbook case of narcissistic personality disorder for exhibiting exactly the same kind of self-centered traits demonstrated by male politicians who are presumed to be sane.

Even here, on The Huffington Post, blogger Andy Ostoy referred to Palin as "the most famous MILF in America".

But Ostoy's narcissistic crudeness (like I really care who you'd like to do, Andy) is nothing compared to some of the comments made by readers of otherwise fine, upstanding liberal blogs. The intrepid Echidne went wading into those slimy waters (so you and don't have to), protesting as she did:

I hate McCain for what he did to me as a feminist, by putting me in the position of having to wade into the sewers of lefty blogs to find out what sexist crap might be floating around on the topic of Sarah Palin. I do that not to defend Palin but to defend the women of the future who might one day run for the office, and I do it with great bitterness, because I'm going to be told off for spending time on someone like Palin by all those who don't see that certain comments are not just about Palin but about women in politics in general.

And here's a taste (blech!) of what she found in the comments sections of Eschaton and Democratic Underground:

===========

Let's put it this way.

Sarah Palin is probably a sexual object in the sense of most porn starlets.

Good sex (there is no other kind) but you want her out of your bed before the cock crows, because the thought of having to make small talk with her over breakfast repulses you no end.

==============

Palin's not hot. She's actually pretty dick deflating, in an ignorant-stupid-moralistic way. Sorry, but she's a typical 40 - something GOP woman that thinks with that push-up bra, tummy tuck panty hose, and makeup from hell that she still has it.

she doesn't.

================

she gets on national tv and rambles for 20 minutes...
And do we get a great shot of her tits? NO!!!!!

============

I could've straightened her out with a good, hard spanking, but Cindy wouldn't let me.

Now look what's happened . . .

--John McCain Editorial note from Stan: of course, that's not really John McCain writing

============

palin's pregnant with levi's love child.

===========

I hope she can become a spokesperson for drilling in ANWR now, and helping this country become independent of foreign oil.

She should pose naked on a drilling rig.

===============

she thought she was pulling of a cunning stunt with her announcement.

===============

This asshole is going to be a constant reminder of what you can do with NO qualifications

Goodbye you whore.

Enough already! Whether it's a news anchor, an unnamed source, a blogger or commenter, it's time to put a stop to this barrage of gender-based hatred. It's not only right; it's smart. There's plenty to criticize about Sarah Palin, her latest gambit, and others who share her politics without stooping to the lowest forms of name-calling. Keep the critique on the up-and-up, and you'll have more credibility.

So please join me in helping to put a stop to what really amounts to a war on all women: When you see or hear a sexist quote about Palin, Tweet it, and add the hashtag: #palinsexism.

Follow Adele Stan on Twitter: www.twitter.com/addiestan

Comments

[sixyfivepercentwater]

Women will never get on with the business of being the best humans we can be until we grow up and stop looking for sexism. In the case of Sarah Palin, we need to acknowledge that the only reason any of us knows who she is is because she is a woman. If she had been a perky, brain-dead inexperienced governor of a nearly-unpopulated state who also happened to be male (and maybe unattractive?) she would still be wallowing in obscurity. As a candidate for VP, the only things she had going for her were her appearance (some people go for that flight attendant perkiness) and her sex.

Instead of rootling around for the supposedly "acrid stench of sexism," we should be focusing on the reasons why we don't need to hear one more word from Malibu Barbie. Those reasons include the fact that she is dumber than a box of hair, has strangely skewed opinions on any issue she does pretend to understand, and is both a loser and a quitter. She also has no leadership experience, and many of her gubernatorial antics have been steeped in impropriety. In short, she hasn't done much to recommend her for any public office, and much of what she has done is under investigation.

So let's not get all bolluxed up in the minutiae of possible sexism. The larger issue of whether Sarah Palin is someone we need in the public arena is what we have to address.

[ObamAtomic]

Using her sex (female) to advance her political career is fine,but if some one dare to
call her qualification it's sexist,from the start she created the environment ,she was saying
the difference between her and pit bull,lipstick,she called herself a pit bull.
Roar! miau!

Who was winking all the times?

[Producer1]

Adele, as much as I admire your writing this is one of those rare times that I must disagree with you. From the beginning she used her motherhood, children, husband ad nauseum as political props as well as her cutesy femininity. She also was the attack pit bull with lipstick. The fact that she's dumb as a stump, correction, dumber than a stump (no self-respecting stump would open its mouth like that) just made the situation ripe for exploitation.

She proved beyond a doubt during the campaign that she couldn't handle even soft interviews, then railed against the media when it showed her up for what she was. Her debate with Joe Biden was all about her antics and they backfired on her. She caused it all, without regard for the effect it had on her family and then she complains about the unfairness. She fired the first salvos. She had her choice of weapons and totally misused them. Frankly, she deserves everything she's getting and more.

The problem is that she's really the symptom and product of a dumbed down America. She appeals to the lowest level of intellect. She is a perfect example of why we need to improve our education and critical thinking skills. I shudder to think that my daughters would ever look at her as a role model. Fortunately, my two daughters are college graduates and working professional mothers who can't stand the woman.

[Eris23]

"The problem is that she's really the symptom and product of a dumbed down America."

This really is the biggest missed point, in my opinion. It is embarrassing that, as a nation, we have a visible group of people that measure appearance as something worthwhile in a candidate. Here we had the worst selection for a VP in the modern history of the USA, who created a supernova display of ignorance and arrogance and, despite that, the media and a portion of the population paid attention to an "is she hot or not" theme. There's no shortage of examples that can be pulled from all over, presented as either supportive or critical of her, involving nothing more than her looks that could have been used to demonstrate exactly how sexist the coverage of Palin was from multiple angles.

Yet, Adele focuses on anonymous comments from an online version of mob mentality, and complains about how an author or his sources didn't mention that other male politicians act the same as Palin. I felt like I was reading an O'Reilly rant. There's so much information out there to make a strong and valid critique about a lot of what is still wrong in our country on a lot of levels regarding sexism and leadership. Yet, the author decided to simply bloviate about subjects that didn't require any time consuming research. Therefore, the points ear easily refutable thus damaging what could have otherwise been a good argument.

[eclectablog]

Adele, I am absolutely, 100% behind your message. As a man who was raised by an activist/feminist single-mother , husband to a brilliant, talented woman and father to a beautiful daughter, I'm absolutely on guard for sexism, particularly against women, everywhere I go. But I DO think that her wink during the debate was flirtatious unlike Bush's that were more of an insider's wink. And he never did it during a campaign debate. She was trying to make "little starbursts shoot out of the screen*, he was sharing an inside joke with his pals.

*Referencing Rich Lowry's blog (http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NDYzMGFiNjQ0MWRjNmI0ZTlkYjgwZTExMjA3MWNiZTk=):

A very wise TV executive once told me that the key to TV is projecting through the screen. It's one of the keys to the success of, say, a Bill O'Reilly, who comes through the screen and grabs you by the throat. Palin too projects through the screen like crazy. I'm sure I'm not the only male in America who, when Palin dropped her first wink, sat up a little straighter on the couch and said, "Hey, I think she just winked at me." And her smile. By the end, when she clearly knew she was doing well, it was so sparkling it was almost mesmerizing. It sent little starbursts through the screen and ricocheting around the living rooms of America. This is a quality that can't be learned; it's either something you have or you don't, and man, she's got it.

[studentoflaw]

as someone who considers herself a feminist, i simply do not see the treatment of sarah palin as anything other than parallel to the treatment any politician receives from his opponents. in fact, i almost view this reaction as a form of "reverse sexism" (did i really just say that?). just as gender should not be a basis for criticism, it also shouldn't be a basis for dodging or stifling criticism.

do some people make nasty comments about sarah palin that relate to her gender and are probably below-the-belt? of course! but how about all of the jokes about bill clinton not being able to keep it in his pants? is that sexist?

from my perspective, the really troubling thing about sarah palin is the extent to which she embodies many of the stereotypes that sexists try to apply to all women, and in doing so reinforces these stereotypes:

she is erratic, she takes everything personally, she is snide and catty, she quits when her feelings get hurt, she is borderline imcompetent--i could go on and on.

while i agree that many of the things said about sarah palin are beyond the pale, i see it as being entirely consistent with the rove-ian attack politics, applied to men and women alike, that we have had for the past 8 years. it might not be justified, but it's not sexism.

[been2there]

Sarah Palin does display all the worst characteristics of narcissism, and she does have a double standard in that anything she does is OK, but that does not mean that we have to stoop to her level. Criticize her politics (making a rape victim pay--OMG), her character, her "education", her "intellect," her religious oddities, her policy idiocies, her ethical problems, etc. They are fair game. Do not go after the children who had no say in their appearing on a world stage; do not resort to snide comments about her presumed hormonal state, and do not dwell on her looks. The way she uses her looks to get ahead is fair (and revolting) game, but there is a difference between saying that her winks are sleazy and snarking that she is 40+.
Feminists, stay classy!

[BlueMominaRedState]

Here you go, Ms Stan

http://www.runnersworld.com/photo/sarahpalin/slide7.html

Explain to me why no one should comment on her exploitation of her sexuality?

[been2there]

Feel free to criticize her exploitation of sexuality, but not the fact that she has sexuality.

[BlueMominaRedState]

I feel free to criticize anything I want to, especially anything that Palin puts out there to be criticized.

The pseudo-feminist thought police need to stand down and let this woman stand up for herself. Not that she can. Further proof of her incompetence.

[Dots]

Finally. You have clearly and accurately put into words what I feel.
Thank You.
I am frankly releived she has "quit" but nobody should be subjected to pundits like this!
What commandment did she break?

[ObamAtomic]

1- Dare,subtle threatening the press.
2-Calling an elected senator *terrorist*
3-Patriot Americans and bad Americans.
4Her family value is not better than other American family.
5-While she want to restrict people using funds from the government,
she build herself a half million mansion,a major job don't paid that kind of money.
6-She was use as attack dog.

Just saying!

[LewDan]

Gender-based comments are not "gender-based hatred." Your post is "sexist." Ther're two sexes, they have differences, commenting on them is "sexist."--So what?

Many women DO leave employment do to pregnancy, ANY comment, about pregnancy is "sexist," there's nothing wrong with that. Lots of politicians male AND female ARE narcissists, such comments don't even BEGIN to be "sexist."

But your attempt to carve out some special bubble for Palin, where any comment which might be gender specific or even just directed at Palin, should be censored and condemed is as sexist as you can get.

As a Black in the '60s I repeatedly tried to point out that the Civil Rights Movement was racist. But some of what was done was not just racist but as wrong as the racist practices we were fighting against. I was told Blacks COULD NOT BE racist because THEY were Black. Femnists seem to feel the same way, that THEY can be sexist with impunity while deriding everyone ELSE.

Its not about being "sexist," or "racist," its about right or wrong. You are wrong. I don't see where you've shown reason to be offended, even if you had there's no reason for Palin to get special treatrment BECAUSE SHE'S A WOMAN. She's a politician, she's a Govenor for Christ's sake! If you think she can't take it, because she's a woman, now THAT'S sexist! If you think SHE shouldn't have to, because she's a woman--That's even worse.

[angrydove]

Honestly what else is there to talk about when it comes to Sarah. What other meaty issues has she tackled? She ran entirely on her cuteness - doing her best to appeal to the men. If republican men are voting for her because "she's hot", I don't think it is that inappropriate to point out that she is NOT.

[zeezan]

My problem with Sarah Palin is that she employs sexism as a tool. She has no trouble attacking her opponents with innuendo and outright lies, but whines that she is being picked on if anyone dares to criticize her. She pimps her children out by parading them around at political events, then whines if anyone makes a negative comment about them. She has gotten through life on the basis of her good looks and seems to think that's all that should be required of her. She doesn't think she needs to study and master history and current events but, when criticized for her ignorance, whines that she is being picked on because she's a woman.

[barackobama4prez]

ditto. I'd like to give this article a thumbs down but there is no rating tool.

[ObamAtomic]

Its not about sexism,edu­cation,her lack thereof ,her family values,absent, her compassion for others,non existent, her political abilities,need to be discover,anyways defending Palin
against her own victimization,your defense is doing more harm than good.

Facts are, she is not ready to be a president,but if you want to use her sex for a free pass,
be our guest.

[been2there]

Adele is not suggesting that she is ready to be president, she is pointing out that nasty, sexist talk--like"dick deflating"--is not legitimate criticism; it is sexist nastiness and should be called down. She is right.

[ObamAtomic]

No she is wrong,women advanced so much all this years,is an insult to females
her victimization,for women really to advance,their first priority is to reclaim
their freedom to choose from the old white males,that is the biggest SEXISM ever,
males deciding what is right or wrong for a woman.

[ObamAtomic]

Her new Department of Law.

[Rjchinook]

Its an insult to women that McCain chose Sarah Palin to win over Hillary supporters.
Someone noted that if Sarah Palin looked like Susan Boyle we wouldn't be talking about her now o ever.
I agree.
Sarah Palin doesn't deserve feminists support and your comments are why I no longer refer to myself as a feminist.

[been2there]

Palin can be soundly criticized without stooping to sexism. Pointing out that she is stupid, ignorant, arrogant, or religion challenged is legit; speculating on Trig's parentage is not.

[bronceye]

By repeatedly earbanging that she is a mother is sexist isn't it?

[been2there]

Yes.