Some voters say sexism less offensive than racism

Parent Cafe
1

<p>The simple fact that either Hillary Clinton, a white woman, or Barack Obama, a black man, will likely be the Democratic nominee for president is fueling a nationwide debate about how sexism and racism may shape this campaign.
…</p>

<p>Voter Babette Feibel told us, “Sexism of the nature Hillary Clinton is experiencing has been around as kind of an acceptable joke for years. As far as racism, it’s definitely not politically correct or acceptable.”</p>

<p>Hillary Clinton has had to deal with plenty. At a rally, hecklers yelled to her to iron their shirts. Radio host Rush Limbaugh told listeners, “Will this country want to actually watch a woman get older before their eyes on a daily basis?”</p>

<p>MSNBC’s Chris Matthews suggested “the reason she’s a U.S. senator, the reason she’s a candidate for president, the reason she may be a front-runner is her husband messed around.”</p>

<p>Hillary Clinton’s hairdos, ankles and even her cleavage have sparked discussion.</p>

<p>…</p>

<p>Most of the junior leaguers said they thought similar attacks on Barack Obama’s race would spark more outrage.</p>

<p>Why, then, does it appear this behavior toward Clinton is accepted?</p>

<p>Dr. Yvonne Scrubbs-Leftwich, a former president of Black Leadership Forum and now a professor at the National Labor College, suggests racial guilt may have something do with this behavior.</p>

<p>“There have been enough examples now of how misguided the earlier stereotypes and characterizations of African-Americans have been so that there has been in fact some overt adjustment to how African-Americans are addressed and are verbally considered in public.”</p>

<p>At our tea party, voter Mabel Freeman told CNN: “In this country, as awful as sexism has been, people lost their lives for civil rights.”</p>

<p>Obama hasn’t been free of jabs, a few have come his way.</p>

<p>He’s been called a fundamentalist Muslim even though he’s a Christian, and his middle name, Hussein, has been compared to Saddam Hussein.</p>

<p>Even Limbaugh, not playing favorites, aired a song about Obama called, “Barack the Magic Negro.”</p>

<p>Why does it appear to be all uphill for Hillary Clinton while Barack Obama’s “racial teflon,” as some columnists and bloggers call it, deflects most of the comments about him?</p>

<p>Feminist pioneer Gloria Steinem recently wrote in a New York Times Op-Ed piece, in which she endorsed Clinton, that “gender is the most restricting force in America,” not race.</p>

<p>Ohio voter Mary Austin Palmer agrees, “You always have to go three extra miles so that you can say I’m at least on par with you.”</p>

<p>Online, Clinton is targeted, too. Clinton toilet brushes are being marketed as your “First Cleaning Lady” and a Clinton nutcracker is also for sale. It cracks nuts between her legs. That left the women we talked to in Ohio outraged.</p>

<p>And remember when the New York senator’s eyes teared up in New Hampshire?</p>

<p>Mary Austin Palmer said if the election had been that day, she would’ve pulled the lever for Hillary Clinton. “They attacked her as a woman, I felt like you know, if we cry, then we are weak,” she said. Asked what they thought might happen if Obama cried on the campaign trail? Voter Carolyn Pettigrew laughed, and suggested, “they would probably say he was a very sensitive male.”</p>

<p>…</p>

<p>[Some</a> voters say sexism less offensive than racism - CNN.com](<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/15/kaye.ohioracegender/index.html]Some”>Some voters say sexism less offensive than racism - CNN.com)</p>

2

<p>Obama is just as much white as he is black. I wouldn’t vote for Obama or Clinton because of inexperience, not an ism.</p>

3

<p>Sexism vs. racism is really an apples vs. oranges comparison. The author should have been comparing male vs. female discriminatory commentary, and Black vs. White commentary. It is okay to make jokes about females AND males, because they are perceived to hold similar power in America and can thus fend for themselves. It is okay to make jokes about Whites in America (but not other races) because Whites are perceived to hold most of the power, while other races can be oppressed by the White majority.</p>

4

<p>Bay made an excellent point!</p>

<p>Was it sexism when the media mocked John Edwards’s hair and called him pretty boy? Or when the media was saying that some men voted against Romney because he was too handsome?</p>

<p>Or is it sexism when the women vote for Hillary because she IS a woman ?</p>

<p>Is it sexism that caused the media to constantly challenge why Romney’s sons didn’t serve in the armed forces, yet Chelsea Clinton gets a free pass?</p>

5

<p>well, you better believe in God and talk about your “faith” cause THAT is the biggest road block to public office- people would rather vote for some with “religion” than someone who is not a “believer”</p>

<p>doesn’t matter if they are fake about it, or real about it, or that it is how they want government to be, biblically based, nope, gotta have faith and be a mediocre person, than an amazing person who don’t go to church</p>

<p>yep, chelsea got a free pass…and Romney’s son need to serve HIM above all others…hmmmm</p>

6

<p>It’s a tenet of constitutional law that treating people differently because of their gender is less suspicious than treating them differently because of their race. They just aren’t the same thing.</p>

7

<p>Gender is much more defined than race. Relatively few people are racially “pure” while the vast majority are male or female.</p>

8

<p>

Senator Clinton probably planted those hecklers in order to raise sexism as an issue and motivate women to vote for her.</p>

<p>The LA Times labelled Obama the Magic Negro.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>[Obama</a> the ‘Magic Negro’ - Los Angeles Times](<a href=“Obama the 'Magic Negro'”>Obama the 'Magic Negro')</p>

<p>Democrat Senator Joe Biden referred to Obama as the first African American candiadate who is articulate, bright, clean, and nice looking.</p>

<p>[Biden’s</a> description of Obama draws scrutiny - CNN.com](<a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/31/biden.obama/]Biden’s”>Biden's description of Obama draws scrutiny - CNN.com)</p>

9

<p>

Absolutely nothing in the Constitution creates this distinction. The Supreme Court created the distinction based on their person preferences.</p>

10

<p>Hence my phrase “It’s a tenet of constitutional law…” not “According to Article III, Section 1…”</p>

<p>If you disagree with the tenets of constitutional law, go right ahead, but that’s utterly tangential to the thread.</p>

11

<p>Ahh, “sexism” rears its ugly head again. Now it is sexism that may cause Hillary to lose the election.</p>

<p>[Clinton’s</a> struggle vexes feminists - The Boston Globe](<a href=“http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/02/19/clintons_struggle_vexes_feminists/?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed1]Clinton’s”>http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/02/19/clintons_struggle_vexes_feminists/?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed1)</p>

<p>Hillary is described in the article as “…A female candidate with a hyper-substantive career…” I think that the term hyper substantive career is misleading. Some of us still do not know what she did for 35 years that qualifies her to be President. </p>

<p>In reality, there are many reasons that both men and women will not vote for Hillary. Gender has nothing to do with it. It is articles like this that propagate more of the same “glass ceiling” nonsense. :(</p>

12

<p>

</p>

<p>Actually, if I do decide to vote for Clinton, it will be because I think she’s equally as qualified, if not moreso, than Obama, and truly because she’s a woman. I just don’t think their policies differ that much, and I would honestly prefer to see a woman in the role. I think it’s about time. (Again, I honestly felt that Edwards was the best choice, but since he’s not an option anymore-- I’d just as soon vote for the woman.) Hmm . . . I don’t know what that says, but there you have it. ;)</p>

13

<p>I just looked at another thread. Another poster (2cakes) hit my sentiments on the head. She/he said: </p>

<p>“And I would love to see a woman be President–just not THAT woman.” ;)</p>

14

<p>

All excellent points. Sexism goes both ways.</p>

<p>When John Kerry was bronzed & botoxed during his presidential run he looked absolutely foolish. I know personally I would be more forgiving of a woman who did this. We generally like our men to be nonchalant about their appearance, but expect women to take pride in being polished. It’s not fair, but it is what it is.</p>

<p>I heard the Rush discussion of Hilary aging in office. He was clear that what he was about to say would likely be misinterpreted, but said it nonetheless. We give men a pass when they age. TV news anchors who are men can have liver spots, double chins, bellies, and receding hairlines. Women must be botoxed the minute their jawlines look droopy or their crows feet appear. And they must be slim & trim. Rush often says politics is Hollywood for ugly people, but that mostly applies to the men. Women are just held to a higher attractiveness standard, and their inevitable aging is more likely to be frowned upon in any profession. That’s just the sad truth. Hilary wears pantsuits because of her piano legs. Yet nobody is suggesting that Obama have his ears pinned back or should bulk up in the gym. He gets a pass; she doesn’t.</p>

<p>George Bush entered office as a relatively young & attractive looking man. He looks about 100 today. I think it WILL bother Americans who are so inundated by images of air-brushed, surgically altered beautiful people to see a woman age rapidly before their eyes. It certainly is not the big issue of the day – Hillary has so much baggage besides her appearance that can potentially bring her down – but it will be shocking if she becomnes pres & ages before our eyes. We’re just not used to allowing women in prominent positions to age gracefully, and the stress of the presidency will add 20 years to anyone. (I don’t like Hillary, but always wondered why her looks are trashed by some in the media. I think she’s an attractive woman, and always scratch my head over all the fuss her haircuts or clothing choices would create.)</p>

15

<p>I also think another reason Hillary is scrutinized for appearance is because it is obviously important to her. She has gone through many, many transformation over the years. Contrast that to Barbara Bush, who never bothered to play the game. Didn’t give a hoot about how old the white hair made her look, how stuffy the pearls were, or how matronly the extra pounds appeared. Maybe Hillary should go back to the headbands and say I am what I am. Take it or leave it.</p>

16

<p><em>sigh</em></p>

<p>Sexism and racism are both real, prevalent problems in US society.</p>

<p>Why does there have to be so much discussion about who has it worse?</p>

17

<p>

</p>

<p>Seriously, Kerry was bronzed and botoxed? That must have been short-lived, or his old craggy lined face must have been too far gone for the botox to do any good. Wow. I don’t remember that. Got any pictures?</p>

<p>Before Romney dropped out, I was listening to one of these panel discussions on NPR (all political people)-- and just before the show ended, one of the women-- don’t remember her name-- said she honestly felt the reason Romney was doing so poorly is because he “put too much gel in his hair, and his voice is too high.” The show ended on that note, but I thought the comment was pretty funny. Let’s be honest, though-- if Ron Paul looked like Mitt Romney, he’d be doing a whole lot better in the polls. I really believe that. </p>

<p>I do think Hillary could use some help with her clothes. I think her make-up, jewelry, and haircuts/hair color look good on her, though. I always found Barbara Bush scary, and still do. Does anybody remember what Laura Bush looked like, before she got a make-over?</p>

18

<p>“I always found Barbara Bush scary, and still do”</p>

<p>me too. and those big pearls.</p>

19

<p>To me, Kerry has always resembled a cadaver…</p>

20

<p>“Sexism and racism are both real, prevalent problems in US society.”</p>

<p>But this has deteriated to “looks-ism” (?) which is really, really sad…</p>