History of Feminism
In reply to the discussion: Rielle Hunter and John Edwards. [View all]hlthe2b
(102,241 posts)are involved. I agree the cheating married spouse is deserving of all the scorn heaped on them, but sorry, unless the partner in the affair was honestly and totally unaware that they were married with kids, they bear some responsibility. And surely, just being an ADULT and (hopefully) a compassionate human being, I would think she could have avoided piling on-- in repeated interviews-- the ugly accusations about Elisabeth, now dead and unable to defend herself-- and knowing full well the young children would hear all this.
I agree that whoopi was off base blaming her for Edward's political misdeeds, but I'm not about to let RH off the hook. I think she is far from blameless in the episode.
However, I will say that it is more reflexive to hold contempt for her in doing this-- in disregard of the children involved-- than it might be for a male helped to break up the marriage of a woman with kids. Perhaps that represents some long-standing expectations that women "should" be concerned for those affected, even if men are not. To that I cop to some level of gender-based inequity in perception and expectations--those that tend to give men a very unwarranted pass.