Misogyny, Momism and Militarism

Elton John recently expressed surprise at the misogyny of the American media as it relates to Hillary Clinton. I have been stunned by it -- especially the random physical put-downs that are everywhere. Matt Taibbi* refers to "flabby arms" in his latest Hillary obit. Who cares? I want to ask. But apparently Mr. Taibbi does. (And how would he know? Hillary is always encased in a blazer).

Physical mockery ended in seventh grade, I thought -- but apparently not where women pols are concerned. I find it bizarre that a grown man would invoke a physical put-down in an opinion piece. It smacks of a complex of some sort.

Disturbing enough that magazines like Star show telephoto close-ups of women's stretch marks (Cindy Crawford is the latest victim) -- but what is the meaning of this mockery of age-related or even genetic (chubby ankles) flaws? We know that ankles have no impact on the ability to do a job well. (Katie Couric has great ankles and is not getting the ratings CBS wants). And HRC is not auditioning for American Idol or a modeling contract or even gazillions as a news reader.

Look at a room of middle-aged male politicians -- paunches and liver spots abound. Pathetic comb-overs that turn to greasy streamers in a high wind. Skin cancers turning to melanomas, flat feet, bursitic elbows and shoulders -- who cares? Ronald Reagan got elected with a wandering mind. And that does impact performance. So this is more than a double standard. It's a kind of obsession with female youth and perfection -- which, of course, would disqualify a candidate too.

Do we want to live in a country where women's brains are judged by their arm flesh and the trimness of their ankles? I don't. I am writing from Rome where the men are just as sexist as they are in America yet there is no physical mockery of female candidates. The Italian elections are on Sunday and Monday and most of the women candidates are between forty and sixty plus. Yet no one makes fun of their looks. They are not movie stars. They wear glasses and don't all have facelifts. Nobody expects them to look like Sophia Loren. And nobody mentions their physical attributes one way or another.

So what is wrong with American men? Particularly male journalists. I think it was discovered long ago and labeled "Momism" by Philip Wylie in a virulently sexist book 1942 book called Generation of Vipers. The book went through many, many printings in the forties and fifties. It apparently struck many nerves. Momism is a kind of Oedipal obsession with the bad mother -- to counter a boy's attraction to his good mother.

Wylie's book is as livid as the Malleus Malificarum -- that textbook for witch hunters. No one could hate so much without having loved. And love is the problem, of course. You cannot fuck your mother so you must revile her.

A few months after Benazir Bhutto was assassinated, I found in the bathroom of my Connecticut house a New York magazine I had not read when it appeared. It contained an article of advice from Benazir Bhutto to Hillary Clinton.

Bhutto, of course, came from a society where western educated women leaders were not uncommon -- their tribal credentials being more important than their gender. Benazir Bhutto suggested to HRC that she evoke the strength and caring of a mother in proceeding with her campaign. Perhaps this is possible in Pakistan and India with their myriad female deities who embody the mother as creator and as destroyer. But in uptight American Christianity, the only role for the mother is as puritanical disciplinarian who eschews sexuality in favor of punishment. Punishment evokes rebellion. And tender little boys grow up to be Momists. When a powerful woman comes along -- whether Hillary or Eleanor Roosevelt or Gloria Steinem, the reaction is kneejerk. The rage against her spills over into idiotic name-calling, which only reflects badly on the name-caller. And we are all the losers. We get mediocre male politicians with comb-overs and drinking problems rather than acknowledging that women have brains that might be put to use to save us. Goddess help the U S of A.

* Corrected to reflect that Matt Taibbi, not Mike Taibbi, made the reference, in a Rolling Stone story that can be found here.

Related:
Matt Taibbi Responds: Erica Jong Thinks I Want to Do My Mother
Erica Jong Responds: Eight-Hundred-Year-Old Jong Responds to Callow Youth Taibbi
Matt Taibbi Responds: Erica Jong Rolls Out Every Liberal Cliche in Existence

Comments

[signifyingnothing]

I agree completely with Jong about the name calling. Terms like "cankles" are hideously inappropriate, as are jokes about Hillary's breasts and unending close-up photos of the wrinkles on her face (hey HuffPo, you listening? There's a particular cruel one posted on the site right now!). Nobody can tell me that these are not clear and ugly indicators that sexism is alive and well in our society. And just because a person disliked her for political reasons first does not mitigate resorting to this kind of locker room screed.

On the other hand, I agree with the posters on here who are saying that Hillary is going to lose this nomination process for all the right reasons as well. The race-baiting and fear-mongering is what lost me, and I began this election cycle as a Hillary supporter. I have many valid criticisms of the negative campaign Hillary has been running. I want her to lose because Democrats should never be about 3 am ads and racist comparisons between Obama and Jesse Jackson. But my criticisms have not, and will never, never incorporate sexist bile because that's just not the kind of thing I think about when I consider a strong, intelligent person running for the office of POTUS.

[FreedomLoverX]

There are extreme close-up photos of men, why not of women? A bit sexist of you I think...

[signifyingnothing]

Trying to explain sexism to a sexist is like trying to explain racism to a racist. There's not point. Good luck!

[c1ee]

Every photo i see of Cheney is a close-up of him sneering and sniggering.

[clevelandchick]

I was not ever a Hillary supporter because when my candidate dropped out her campaign went off the deep end with their race-baiting and fear-mongering so they made their decision for me. And when her campaign put out flyers in Iowa and NH saying that Obama was anti-choice even though he has a 100% rating with NARAL and NOW and has done great work for women's choice it downright infuriated me. For the Hillary campaign to use choice as a wedge issue disengenuously against a pro-choice candidate was absolutely disgusting and the farthest thing from feminist I can think of.

I do agree focusing on a candidate's physical features is shallow....I mean just because Kucinich is short and elfin does that make him any less accomplished and just because John Edwards is good looking and has nice hair does that make him too elitist and effeminate? You see Hillary has not been the only victim of the catty media.

[pinkyboo]

How come Elton John got one of "The worst persons in the world" on Countdown for saying SOME PEOPLE in this country are misoginistic, but Randi Rhodes did not get a mention for saying that HRC is a F***ing Whore?

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

I don't care about her physical attributes, it's her policies that I find horribly unattractive.

[thewolf1]

I'd suggest that the NYT Magazine piece on Chris Matthews came a bit closer to the underbelly of this. The fact is that light-hearted humor wears poorly on older men, who are expected to have gained some insight from living longer, and so be more sensitive to the potential impact of their words, unintended though they may believe that impact to be. I'm sure it's not easy to accept that you're closer to Larry King than to John Stewart in your broadcast career. So you make mistakes that hurt people.

That said, I wouldn't conflate Chris Matthews -- or anything said by an actual, real-world teenage boy -- with the candidacy of Barrack Obama. Senator Obama has addressed Senator Clinton throughout this campaign respectfully, if at times pointedly, without resort to the language Ms. Jong and I'm sure many other women (including his wife Michele) would find objectionable. I cannot say the same of Senator Clinton, who has personally resorted to various forms of dimunitive in describing her opponent. It is clear that she wishes him to be seen as a boy, rather than as a man, though for obvious reasons she would never use that word. I'm left to speculate whether for all the similarites in campaign style and substance between Obama and her husband, Hillary doesn't see Bill as more of a man precisely because of his "popularity" with other women. There is something distinctly Arkansan in all of this.

[jojojo]

As Taibbi says in his response on HuffPo, he's been at least as judgemental about the physical appearance of many men in politics. He cites several examples. Jong should get her facts right, like HRC.

Maybe Ms. Jong ought to quit whining about how mean those meanie old meanie men are. Jeez, my women friends, both those over fifty and much younger, are SO tired of HRC's victim act! All it does is make women look weak and unable to take care of themselves.

And by the way, I voted for Hillary Clinton twice for senator, where I think she's done a pretty darn good job.

[NursePatric]

I'm not sure about all the Oedipal psychobabble but you definitely got it right that there is a lot of woman hating going on with regards to HRC's campaign. I guess what amazes me is the level of discourse. These men and women who carry on about her monstrous qualities do so with all the sensibilities of an 8 year old. C Jung made a very convincing case that what ails Western Civilization is the "problem" of evil and the feminine. We want to deal with both dimensions of our being not in real terms but rather with childish, frightened, imagined figures. Misogyny is all around us and very few even see it ... I guess it's easier to hate and disparage than to take back the projections and deal with the real issues ... We want to believe in GOD yet view the devil as a silly cartoon character. We want to be whole beings without embracing our feminine traits and states. Nothing like a good witch hunt to put those troubling thoughts to bed for awhile.

[accountability]

nursePatric.

will you marry me?
;-)

I've been calling on Jung too, not that I am an expert by any means but the hate is so overwhelming and so irrational that I have been thinking in terms of some sort of mass hysteria or cultural scapegoating.
The ancient Hebrews had a ritual where they would take a goat and literally load it down with their own "sins" and send it into the desert to die thereby absolving them of those sins.

[accountability]

I've been searching about, trying to figure out what thesins are and I keep coming back to getting the government you deserve, allowing the government to get away with all they have the last eight years and doing nothing to stop it. Are they projecting their own corruption onto Clinton?
(Corruption as in enjoying the fruits and perks of Democracy but not really participating in it as the framers envisioned.) Rathert than taking action with mass uprisings using demonstrations, activism, civil disobedience, passive resistance, showing up and proving that we are just pissed to hell and want our government and our fourth estate back there is mass blogosphere hate fest going on which is complicit in aiding and abetting the media to feed our consumerism. We can consume more than goods, we consume information, gossip, sensationalism, negativity, distractions, bias, hate, misogyny, duplicity, whatever will suit our current needs and agenda. Right now the agenda is destroying Clinton, the bad mommy, the evil goddess/demon.

damn, I keep writing too many words.
Again can't get it all in.

[nibblybits]

Have you considered a simpler explanation? People do not like Hillary Clinton. Not because she's a woman, but because of her: her actions, her words, her character, her morals. Consider it.

[JanetE]

Erica Jong wrote: Do we want to live in a country where women's brains are judged by their arm flesh and the trimness of their ankles?

It is so sad to read some posts here and listen to people like Chris Matthews whom I used to admire tear this woman down day after day after day. Mock her, make comments about her hair, wrinkles, clothing (OMG, cleavage!????? I notice she never showed it again after the media went absolutely bonkers over that).

When I was younger and thinner I wondered why men weren't as attracted to my brain (graduated Magna Cum Laude from college) as much as to my breasts and butt. Now that I am older and no longer skinny, I feel absolutely invisible!!! Are people really so shallow?

Erica Jong, very interesting article!

[kirksong]

Erica just doesn't get it... many voters are looking for authenticity, integrity, dignity, intelligence, honesty, wisdom, and character. I have no doubt that HRC is highly intelligent - but often lacking in these other qualities during this campaign. HRC's public persona has been a disingenuous hodgepodge at best. Even many of her own supporters have grown weary... This is not about misogyny - it is about authenticity, honesty, integrity, and character. HRC simply does not exemplify these qualities to a majority of voters. I was open to supporting HRC at the beginning of the democratic primaries - but changed my mind quickly.

[weinbob]

IT'S KIND OF SILLY

When I was young and idealistic I never imagined our country would "invade", "torture" and be villified world wide with "Abu Graib"

To add insult to the injury - a fatally flawed "female" candidate for president has conducted her puplic campaign in a manner which incites race tension. Worse yet - the candidate states openly "vote for me because I was born a women" . That's her idea of change!

We have lots of women bashing which needs to be addressed and corrected in this country. We shold all agree HRC is not a normal situation. We should really look to the many elected and competent and honest women govenors and politicians to make our assesment of this issue.

[UsStupidWhiteMan]

As a male growing up my best conversations were with female friends. I never learned anything from anyone that agreed with me. Soon after I became involved in a relation those conversations came to an end. I became blinded by love and followed the advise from only my love. What have I learned from my experience? When I allow my emotions to control my thinking I lost the vision to make a good dicision.
I had to register as a Democrat just to vote in a up coming primary. I'm not proud of the fact I'm a member of the Democrat party. I will not be supporting Hillary. My dicision is based on the behavior of Hillary. It's very troublesome to me.

[Foohog]

Several years ago I heard a U.N. report that said you could educate every kid on the planet for what we spend on cosmetics in this country.

Hillary jokes about taking so much longer than the guys to get ready and the women howl with delight, then leave the arena to get a cup of coffee and the entire conversation revolves around men and their obsession with looks.

So who's obsessed: a guy making a dumbass, throwaway joke about flabby arms or the woman who takes two hours (if she's in a hurry) to get out from behind the mirror?

Was the "I Feel Pretty" video of John Edwards screwing with his hair funny because of his sex or because anyone who takes that long on doing up their hair is just something to be laughed at? For me, it's always been the latter.

Speaking of sexism, is Madam Jong really suggesting that men are incapable of coming to a conclusion about a woman's attraction level (as politician or otherwise) without it being based on an attitude that women are inferior? Must every judgement call be translated into some deep social problem or is it okay if some of us like ketchup more than mustard?

I also wonder sometimes if all women truly think that men would no longer want them if everyone would stop caking all that crap on their faces every day.

[JanetE]

Foohog, I think you have it backwards. If men would look more closely at what's inside, women wouldn't bother obsessively with the outside. You think they do that for themselves? That's just silly. Women live in a world obsessed with looks and men will look right past you to the one over there with the big dark eyes and the bright red lips if you didn't put your makeup on today. And by the way, if she has larger breasts hanging out of her blouse, no amount of makeup can save the day. :-)

[Yogsoggoth]

Women tell me all the time that they do themselves up for themselves and NOT to attract men. So which is it?
You also said,

"Women live in a world obsessed with looks and men will look right past you to the one over there with the big dark eyes and the bright red lips if you didn't put your makeup on today. And by the way, if she has larger breasts hanging out of her blouse, no amount of makeup can save the day".

So does this mean womena are only concerned with being seen by men? Seems to me a well adjusted, confident human being wouldn't be concerend with being noticed by others.

[atlfemdem]

Sorry, JanetE, but I disagree. Women wearing make-up and getting face lifts for someone else is degrading. I don't wear make-up, have 2 advanced degrees, and I've never felt the inferior need to "doll up" just because I want to be accepted by men. I have a wonderful boyfriend who supports me in whatever I do, no matter what I look like.

And, no, I'm not just lucky that I found a man able to look past the outside. What we do to ourselves on the outside is an adequate projection of how we feel about ourselves on the inside. Sure, I'd be thrilled if they quit publishing "Who's Fatter" in the grocery store magazines, but until women have the ability to look inside themselves, why on earth should we expect men to do the same?

We don't need men to 'lead' women to feeling better about themselves. We can do that just fine on our own...

[Foohog]

This is THE greatest cop-out in a world full of cop-outs.

IN MY LIFE I have never known a man, either in a group of men or in mixed company, state that women would no longer hold any attraction for him if they quit wearing make-up.

If men were'nt so worried about looks women wouldn't obsess about their looks? Here's a news flash so you can relax: men have preferences in women. Some like skinny, some like big, some tall, some short, you know, like women have preferences. So what?

Every man I know thinks Sheryl Crow is hot, especially without the make-up. So where are the huge boobs there?

Sorry ladies but it's on you, not us. Stop buying the shit, stop putting it on your already lovely faces, quit worrying about all the good looking morons chasing the bimbo with big tits, and wake up to the fact that there are alot of guys not chasing her, some not so bad looking. Oh, and quit worrying about whether every guy thinks you are good looking. Some will, some won't and some do love dogs and some are cat people and some even put mayonaisse on their french fries. Get over it.

I tell my female friends to become lesbians or nuns or deal with what men are.

You'll be amazed at the rewards that come with being truly "equal". In the good ol' days it was called adulthood.

[c1ee]

Women having do do up and makeup for men is a myth. Women don't wear make up primarily for men. They do it to show off and compete with other women.

[weinbob]

Male candidates might color their hair - women can appear twenty years younger one day versus another. (Drudge photo versus debate images) - Personally I have always thought that Hillary appears unfit, and the extra weight around her middle is a legitimate concern if voters inquire as to her fitness regime, and her health and diet.


A male candidate busted on video making multiple "false valor" claims would be shamed out of a race for dog catcher. I am not sure if HRC remains due to being a women or due to being an institutionalized candidate representing a third Clinton restoration term.

Kucinich has not had an easy time of it. Biden has the hair plugs and he got run out of nomination because of plagurism charge (which is nothing compared to a "false valor" claim. Richardson gets the fat comments. Romney was ridiculed as a Ken doll, Huckabee's weight loss and appearance often referenced.
Golda Mier to Janet Napolitano these issues are greatly dimminished. I believe HRC a "stand in" for the term restricted politician . She lacks charisma, style, and the skills of a natural politician. NY gave her a Senate seat. Now she is being "force fed' to the public. ( first women to win a primary in - so kudos for that). but - with a total lack of honest behavior - people will show their frustration in a way in which real female leaders and politicians deal with at a much more manageable level.

[northeast73]

Of couse every Obama supporter on this blog says "Its NOT because she is a woman......", but of course that is the nature of sexism.....those that are guilty of it find "other" reasons to critisize, but of couse most are issues that they would never hold against a man.


Look at HRC's Iraq war vote. John Kerry and Edwards also both voted for the war, but 4 years ago we all defended them by saying "bush lied to them"......but we don't give HRC the same leeway. Mind you she had been a senator for 1.5 years at the time and Kerry was a 20+ year veteran of the senate foreign relations comm, but somehow SHE should have known better.

Factor in news stories about her cleavage, calling her "whiny and desparate", accusingher of having dangerous mood swings.....it all adds up.

We, as a society, need to examine this issue. Many of of thought sexism was dead or irrelevant....it is alive and well. (and women are some of the worse offenders)

[Lostskeleton]

Sir Elton John's (and your comments) are just plain stupid. That is why keith Olberman included Elton John in his worst person in the world segment (he wasn't the worst, but worse) Think about it, Elton was saying that the 13 million democrats who voted against Hillary Clinton, including Black woman and young woman, did so because they hate woman. Under that logic, does that mean the 13 million democrats who voted against Sen. Obama did so because he is black? Or is it just that Hillary is so great, who wouldn't vote for her or Obama is so flawed, the only reason to vote for him is because people hate woman. Give me a break!

[weinbob]

A male candidate busted on video making multiple "false valor" claims would be shamed out of a race for dog catcher. I am not sure if HRC remains due to being a women or due to being an institutionalized candidate representing a third Clinton restoration

[JimR]

No, all 3 of them should have known better. They are all disappointments. At least Edwards was able to admit he made a mistake.

[vonfifenburg]

Erica,

Have you ever read any of Matt Taibbi's stuff? He says juvenile things like that about everyone. Although I thoroughly enjoy his Rolling Stone columns - I repeat, Rolling Stone (we're not talking Wall Street Journal here), one could hardly call him a serious journalist. He's a great writer in the tradition of Hunter S. Thompson, but he's not exactly Edward R. Murrow. I've noticed the misogynist slant against Hillary too. I wish you had used a better example than Taibbi. It would have helped your argument immeasurably.

[nibblybits]

Erica Jong's whole stock in trade is crying wolf in cases where there is no wolf. She peddles sexism and the outrage of sexism. That's her only relevance. Do you think she's ever consulted on any other issue than when the ugly head of misogyny raises its head, even when it's not really there? She'd never get asked her opinion of she only spoke up when real misogyny occurs.

Ms. Jong wrote a slightly titillating book about a thousand years ago and hasn't done a damn thing of note since. But she's gotta pay the rent like the rest of us, so she comes on places like this, and rips and roars like a fake orgasm, making the noises but not really feeling it. It's her version of the Hollywood Squares, her trotting out as a has-been writer and she sits in her side square and comes up with hack answers.

[kingcityguru]

Both Democratic candidates suck: too wedded to a belief in high taxes and that what makes America great is what is wrong with America.

Vote Republican.

[Clinton]

Fat chance.

[wisechild]

You have to be kidding!

Either that or you are in the top percentage of those who got a perm tax break they didn't need.

Does your break trickle down anywhere to anyone?

Otherwise, you're clearly not paying attention to your republican party and the damage done

And no, not a negative whiner, just a regular citizen who would never ever vote republican again