Yep, we totally live in a post-feminist world, where gender doesn't matter, everyone's on an equal playing field, and sexism has been stamped out. And can we get a pony, while we're at it? Maybe a unicorn? Because that's just not the reality we live in. Below are just a handful of the charming tweets in response to Hillary Clinton's official campaign announcement that she's running for president. There have been plenty of attempts at humor surrounding various perceptions of her qualifications ("none") and her history ("scandalous") which are totally fair game. But when people put the focus on gender, they just prove how much farther we still have to go when it comes to equality for women.
Hyperbolic much? Sure, there's some legitimate excitement about the potential for a first female president, just as there was justified excitement about a first black president -- after a long, sole history of white male presidents, this was to be expected. But the excitement would not be so profound were it not for people's genuine belief in her ability to get the job done well, based on her experiences as a lawyer, a senator and a Secretary of State -- experiences she certainly could have had with a penis.
Hillary Clinton accomplishments? That's Funny. Is riding on Bill Clinton's coattails considered an accomplishment?
— Mr T 2 (@GovtsTheProblem) April 12, 2015
They both went to Yale Law School. They both had impressive careers before Bill Clinton was elected president. They're both smart, motivated, ambitious people. You can't dismiss all of her accomplishments just because Bill got into the White House first.
When you really want to dismantle a woman's credibility and undermine her authority, just start talking about her looks -- after all, that's the most important thing about her. In this world, it's the ONLY thing.
Right-wingers using the term "shrill" for Hillary are like climate change deniers saying "the science is inconclusive." You automatically prevent yourself from being taken seriously.
If calling a woman ugly isn't working for you, the next best way to undermine her power is to call her old. On men, age equals experience; on women, age equals sadness.
Or you can just go straight for the big guns with the C word, if you really want to take yourself out of any serious political discussions (and the human race in general). If it's not okay for white people to call Obama the N word, should we really be so blase about white guys calling Hillary the C word after women have suffered oppression, rape and violence for centuries? Sexism -- the last socially acceptable prejudice.
Ditto.
We love how this one's personal Twitter image manages to incorporate homophobia (by [mis]appropriating the Human Rights Campaign's logo) into the tweet right alongside its inherent sexism.
Young Whore Humping and Slobbering Over Old Whore: @lenadunham Lena Dunham: Hillary Logo 'My New Tramp Stamp' http://t.co/ayW6jtdgpr
— Vanderleun (@Van_der_Leun) April 13, 2015
Attempts at slut-shaming are such an easy giveaway of sexism.
"Cunt, whore, skank." Translation: How dare you try to rise up from your lower status and try to claim power that rightfully belongs to men and men alone!
Ditto.
Life's already a bitch. Why would I vote for one? #WhyImNotVotingForHillary pic.twitter.com/5cgiRoNTnZ
— MaydnUSA (@MaydnUSA) April 12, 2015
A man who's powerful, opinionated, and motivated is a good leader; a woman with those same qualities is just a bitch. Read "Lean In" for more.
No, with traditional reproduction, you can't really choose what kind of sperm (male or female) fertilizes the egg and thus determines your sex. So, you're right, being born female is not an accomplishment. But becoming a successful lawyer, senator and Secretary of State in a sexist world where women make 70-some cents for every dollar men make -- that's an accomplishment.
OUT: "Racist!"
IN: "Sexist!'
@peddoc63 @LodiSilverado pic.twitter.com/tbZC0b8rOL
— MaydnUSA (@MaydnUSA) April 10, 2015
Saying you're not racist or sexist by admitting that people think you're racist and sexist doesn't make you not racist or sexist.
Ha, ha, see? Even though she's been in all these powerful political positions, she's still just doing dirty housework...because, deep down, she's nothing but a little woman.
It especially sucks when democrats resort to using the C word. Just like it sucks when women cut other women down by calling them names.