Beyond Sexism

Surprisingly, this is not about politics. It is about the long reach of the "Hillary Factor" in the everyday lives of woman around the world. To be blunt, this is not the voice of an ardent or militant feminist that takes no prisoners and suffers no fools. Rather these are the reflections of a social scientist looking at everyday events in the lives of women in this country and worldwide.

Sexism is alive and well which is disheartening. One would have hoped that it had long been banished from the consciousness of the American people. We are such a progressive and liberal country, yet we suffer from underlying issues that are played out in everyday life. These are insidious and often covert forces undermining our progress. Somehow we propagate a message of liberalism, yet still engage in blatant sexism in all levels of our society and workforce.

Women that are too aggressive are perceived inappropriately. They are penalized for being strident and competent. In fact, they have to work harder everyday to achieve the routine respect showered on their male colleagues. This is the reality of life for working women. Often I overhear a woman, in a moment of weakness, talk about her long hours and the problems encountered day in and day out just to do their job.

So what does this have to do with Hillary?

The way in which she was treated by the great liberal media was appalling. It revealed the sick underbelly of our society and culture. They criticized her at every turn for smiling, crying, and even drinking a beer. She couldn't dress right, wear pearls or not, and forget about her pantsuits. Everything was fair game for this amazing accomplished woman. Maybe we should call it the "YUCK" factor because it left such a bad taste. Our media machine should have known better, but couldn't stop. It was just too easy and played upon the basic prejudices that we don't talk about.

Yeah, yeah, yeah -- the Hillary bashers will come to the front and say she's this or that. But the remarkable thing is that this is bigger than politics, and reveals some of the sickness we have not healed. It is time to stop penalizing women for being smart. It is time to stop using language that reveals the deep revulsion to smart, competent women.

Please let's get over it once and for all. We can reach beyond sexism and the Old Boys Club once and for all. This is a time in which the American people are embracing a remarkable new presidential candidate, Barack Obama. Assuredly, we should be able to banish all gender, race and religious bias.

This is our time as a country to reach for the sky and take back our leadership. This is a time in which sexism should not longer permeate the halls of academia, the factories, or the boardrooms of the corporate world.

We are hungry as a nation for equality, and a fair dollar for a day's work. May it be.

Comments

[mmerose]

I am an ardent feminist, and all you say about the challenges of women in this world are true.

Don't dismiss my problems with Hillary Clinton by writing me off as a "Hillary basher."

I have specific problems with Sen Clinton's policies, performance and words in many areas of her history and recent campaign.

As for her treatment by the media, when compared to that doled out to Dennis Kucinich, what's your beef? Do you think no one would have mentioned a male contender musing about assassinations late in the campaign?Was it somehow OK for Sen Clinton to endorse John McCain because she is a woman?

[JaneEyrez]

As a woman I feel qualified to express this thought: Why do women feel that the treatment of Hilary Clinton should say anything about the treatment of women in general? I recognize sexism as much as anybody, but I believe that Hilary Clinton is disliked for her own self and there is othing wrong with people, including the media, having a problem with a person's presentation. Watching Hilary, I never felt that she was sincere, but that she was donning a variety of hats to meet the situation she found herself in. A candidate who lacks authenticity will be rejected, and should be, without other people who have suffered legitimately from sexism believing that was the factor.

[michellekraus]

This race encapsulated the tipping point for many social issues including bias about gender, race and religion. It is time to move beyond these with the breath of fresh air that we have with the Democratic candidate, Barack Obama. But it still goes on even with the attacks yesterday on him by McCain on race. The issue here regardless of your like or dislike of HRC was the way she was treated in media and what it revealed about the subtle prejudices of our culture. We can choice to disagree but it is hard to ignore as race raises it's unyielding head yet again.

[mmerose]

compare media treatment:

Sen Clinton complained about getting the first question in debates. Kucinich got a question about a UFO.

You can't possibly think the media were kinder to Kucinich about his personal appearance than they were to Clinton.

I nominate the crude sniggering at (non-campaigning) Mrs Kucinich's tongue piercing as at least a draw with David Shuster's gaffe over the campaign role of Chelsea.

[laurajeankarr]

In my opinion, what you call the "Hillary Factor" is not about some misguided notion of underlying sexism in America. What it is about, is a group of people using the poor choices and personal character of one woman who chose to enter the presidential race as a breeding ground for playing the sexism card.

I am a woman. I have experienced sexism in all areas of my life. However, I also take personal responsibility for my own actions and don"t play into the perpetual whine factory that uses gender as an excuse for not getting everything I want or feel that I deserve in life. Sexism does exist and always will in some form in every society across the globe. Sexism is a fact of life both for females and males.

The only affect in my daily life from the "Hillary Factor" is watching the progress of the feminist movement lose credibility because of Hillary Rodham Clinton. She did more damage in a short time span than any man in the political spotlight ever could have. And it is posts like yours, claiming to be a social glimpse into how the "Hillary Factor" has affected women that are only continuing the damage.

Just a tip: When your respond to a comment, you may want to read it through before you post it. Your response to JaneEyrez, makes no sense. You contradict your original article post as well as contradict your response in your response.

[JaneEyrez]

I do feel that HRC was done in by the double whammy of being a woman and an older (not hot) woman, but she might have survived that if she didn't bring with her the stench of all the old Clinton dramas. I felt, and I think many people did, that here was our chance to move beyond all that. I want a woman president with gravitas and humor and intelligence, but I want those same qualities in any leader. I especially want a president who doesn't feel that he's entitled to it, which is one thing I see in Barack Obama, that, right or wrong, he feels he's doing this for us and with us. Far from being arrogant, if anybody saw that YouTube video of him address his campaign workers after he got the normation nailed down, it was the feeling of now we have to win, because if we don't, then what have we let our country in for? More or the same bungling and mismanaged governance that we've experienced for the last seven and a half years, with the complete indifference to what the polices will mean to the lives of the average American.

[earlgreyrooibos]

Michelle-

I agree with you completely. While I disagreed with Clinton's politics and would not have voted for her (but I am no McCain fan, either), I was dismayed to see her criticized for things like her clothes and voice, things that had no bearing on her ability to lead. Plus the way she was criticized for being "ambitious." I'm sorry, I'd LIKE for my candidates to be modest.

By the way, have you noticed how some commentators have now been criticizing Obama for being "too ambitious"? Yup. Any candidates who aren't white males need to stay in their respective places.

[mmerose]

Bravo Jane!

Beyond being disliked for her own self, disliked for her actions.