A Woman President Would Be Cool, But I’m Not Sold On Hillary Clinton Yet - RawStory

[WillyT]

A woman president would be cool, but I’m not sold on Hillary Clinton yet
The feminist establishment has declared her our candidate. However, many of the same women once chose politics (and Bill Clinton) over sisterhood
Donna Ladd, The Guardian/RawStory
19 Apr 2015 at 09:41 ET

Donna Ladd: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Ladd

<snip>

I believed in feminism in my radical days of wearing a burnt-yellow Ms Magazine t-shirt (with no bra underneath, of course) to my Mississippi high school; I loved to debate teenage misogynist boys and male teachers about why we needed the Equal Rights Amendment and insisted on opening my own doors because I had to take a stand, somehow, in the Bible Belt. Worse, I went around proclaiming that I might never get married or have babies, which is sacrilege in these parts.

Then at Mississippi State in the early 1980s, I excitedly went to a local National Organization of Women meeting, and was promptly treated like a dumb Southern belle. The feminists there even made a stink about of my nail polish –because that was the thing to notice about a confused, young feminist and date-rape victim . The solidarity and sisterhood I’d expected, hoped for and needed never materialized. I never went to another NOW meeting and even stopped calling myself a feminist for many years.

I remained cynical about the feminist establishment well into my thirties (and am still, today). Still, I interviewed Erica Jong – who coined the phrase “zipless fuck” and titillated a certain segment of upper-crust feminists – in 1997 for a Colorado newspaper about the divides between older and younger feminists, and she took aim at Esquire’s belittling phrase “do-me feminism” .

“It implies that if you’re a feminist, you don’t like sex. It’s total and utter bullshit,” Jong told me then.

A year later, after the Monica Lewisky scandal broke, Erica Jong shared that her hygienist said that the intern “had third-stage gum disease”, as part of a discussion for the New York Observer about Lewinsky’s supposedly inferior physical attractiveness. Jong was possibly the kindest feminist around the table that day. (And Jong publicly apologized to Lewinsky this month, telling Lloyd Grove of Daily Beast that she is now empathetic: “Women have a tough time when they get famous for anything sexual. People are cruel, and I’m glad she survived it.”)

It was bullying, it was harassment, it was what Lewinsky called shaming and misogyny, and it is a primary reason that Lewinsky doesn’t call herself a “Feminist, with a capital F” , even though she appreciates what feminists have done. I’ve been insulted and cyber-harassed in similar terms by some redneck bigots here in Mississippi, but it couldn’t possibly compare to the hurt that these powerful women inflicted in their ad hominem hate-fest.

If you aren’t (or weren’t) a young feminist, you don’t know what it’s like to think you’ve found your people, only to discover that they’re just as capable of denigrating you for your gender or your sexuality as any man is. There are real reasons that, like Lewinsky, so many women still say “I’m not a feminist, but”.

I still find it noxious that many of our feminist mouthpieces had and defended zipless fucks, and then damned the next generation if they followed suit, when they should have been supporting women’s right to be fully themselves and to make mistakes.

Many of us...

<snip>

More: http://www.rawstory.com/2015/04/a-woman-president-would-be-cool-but-im-not-sold-on-hillary-clinton-yet/

[cali]

1. wtf? The author doesn't give us one valid reason for her not supporting HRC

this is such a stinking pile. There are lots of reasons not to support her, this is just ugly crap.

[boston bean]

2. Did you post this because you agree with it... or are you playing devils advocate this time?

[WillyT]

4. I Post Things That I Find Interesting... This Piece Was Interesting To Me...

Sorry if you do not agree.

I did not realize the depth of the schisms she speaks of.

[cali]

5. but she doesn't give a single reason for why she wouldn't support HRC

it's really just a rant about how awful feminists are- and it's incredibly self-centered. Not one issue is brought up.

[WillyT]

6. She Says She's Not Sold On Hillary Clinton Just Yet... Maybe She's...

Trying to say that she won't vote for HRC SOLEY because HRC is female.

Wants to see and hear more, perhaps.

[seaglass]

22. Well there is nothing wrong with that. I hope she and many on DU can understand the difference

between defending Hillary against sexist attacks and committing to voting for her in the primary. From what I have seen many feminists have not declared who they will vote for in the primary since it is still very early.

I think the author has some kind of chip on her shoulder about Hillary or the Clintons in general if she can't figure out that Hillary would be a better president than Rand or Cruz, that is just dumb.

[sufrommich]

3. This reads like someone from the Sarah Palin

brand of "feminism" wrote it.

[HERVEPA]

7. Maybe you shiouldn't post this crap without giving your own take on it. Pretty cheap.

[WillyT]

9. Like I Said Above... I Didn't Realize The Schisms Ran So Deep...

Therefore I thought it interesting...

Therefore I posted to get other opinions on it.

Like I tend to do.



What's YOUR take in it?

[HERVEPA]

12. That someone hates Hillary

[WillyT]

14. Ah... The Hater Theme Raises It's Head Again...

Good luck with that.

[Major Hogwash]

18. The Hater train has left the station!

If you don't agree --- totally, 100%, unequivocally, absolutely, and completely --- then you're a hater.

[sheshe2]

21. I posted something tonight.

I was not a firm supporter of Hillary here for her 2016 run.

I was always firmly in this Presidents camp from nearly day one prior to 2008. He caught my attention at the 2004 Key Note Address. I was in awe. When he first declared, I thought he needed more time to grow. That idea changed quickly. Yes, there were times when he would pause when talking, at first I felt like saying JUST SPIT IT OUT! I wasn't sure he knew the answer. Took me a bit to know he was just pausing to think before he responded. He thought. God I love our President.

So, back to Hillary. I understand disagreement of the facts. That is politics and I am for a healthy debate. Yet what I see here is a woman being bashed here for her hair, her looks, her age and her logo. She is being trashed here in a very unhealthy way. You probably never saw this, yet in our new forum, I believe they call themselves populists or whatever. There, someone childishly posted an image of Hillary as an aging crone. That hurt. Me, yup. Aging woman here, we are not allowed to age with dignity or grace. This needs to be about the issues and not her looks.

Please understand this is not directed at you, Major. I know you never said any of that. I am just saying what pushed me into her corner. I don't like seeing women abused, I know a bit about that, been there. People on this board need to talk issues not looks.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. Wow.

nt

[Bobbie Jo]

10. Geeze

[haikugal]

11. I think I understand where this woman is coming from..

Back in the day we were walking away from tradition and hadn't found our footing, plus we were young. I ran into feminist buzz saws myself but it taught me to stand up for what I felt to be important and to keep going. I never became a person who said "I'm not a feminist but." I've known several and felt sorry for them. I embrace feminists whole heartedly, even when I'm unsure of myself...just me I guess.

I don't see what her message is beyond unresolved hurt. I'm sure I'm not alone in having been judged by other feminist for my hair, makeup, mode of dress etc. I can't be that rare bird...I stayed home with my single child because I loved it and could, but that put me on the wrong side for some feminists..etc., etc.

She needs to get over it, we need her!

[WillyT]

15. THANK YOU !!! - For A Real, Honest, And Personal Perspective !!!

I knew this article would not be warmly welcomed, but I also knew it had to be posted.

Longest hesitation to hit the ENTER button, ever.



Thank you.

[haikugal]

16. I think you may be right...

This may be the right time to address this topic WillyT. You're a brave soul, LOL! I think you rock too!

[hrmjustin]

13. Ummm.

Really?

[lumberjack_jeff]

17. I wonder if Hillary's biggest hurdle might not be men.

But people concerned about her godawful taste in clothing.

[McCamy Taylor]

19. Um... women criticized her nail polish and she fled? Sorry, but she needs to get a spine.

[WillyT]

20. Ok... Granted... And Yet There Are Many Younger Women That Feel That Way...

How Do You Propose To Attract Them To HRC After They've Felt Burned By That Generation ???

[demmiblue]

23. I didn't read past, "The feminist establishment has declared her our candidate."

Pffft... sounds like something the righty/MRA faction would say.

She certainly isn't my candidate of choice.

[MattSh]

24. When it comes to a President...

the last thing I look for is cool....