The New Feminazism?
My friend posted an opinion piece by a so-called "feminist" who is voting for McCain (full piece under LJ-cut), with the disclaimer that it was not her personal viewpoint but was the first argument that she had read that was somewhat cohesive.
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I AM A FEMINIST AND I AM VOTING REPUBLICAN
Two weeks ago I published an article on my blog entitled, "THE X
FACTOR." The article went viral and is posted on dozens of blogs.
I have received over 1000 emails commenting on my position as a
liberal Democrat voting for McCain-Palin. Most of the emails agreed
with my position, but others called me Benedict Arnold, Lipstick
Lady or Bill O'Reilly's new squeeze. My loyalty to the progressive
women's movement has been challenged because I have chosen to try a
different approach to fight for women's rights. I want to start by
squashing all rumors. No I am not stupid. No I am not a closet
Republican. And yes I understand the possible implications on Roe v.
Wade by supporting a McCain-Palin ticket.
A few days after posting the article I delivered a shortened version
of the speech at a McCain-Palin Rally. An executive member of the
National Organization for Women contacted me the very next day. It
was a friendly conversation tinted with sarcasm. "How do you feel
about your speech?" she asked me. "Great." I responded. "Why
shouldn't I feel great? I gave a speech about women's rights in
front of a large audience. I highlighted the underrepresentation of
women in every branch of government, the sexism in the media, and
the unfair treatment of Hillary Clinton by the Democratic
Party." "Where did you give your speech?" A rhetorical question
deserved a quip answer, "Before thirty-thousand Americans."
Republicans are Americans, aren't they? "By speaking at a McCain-
Palin event people will think you are endorsing McCain." That's the
point, I am endorsing McCain-Palin.
I tried to explain to my comrade in arms that we have the same goals
and that I stand on the same side of the issues with most other
feminists. I am strongly pro-choice and will fight anyone who tries
to interfere with a woman's reproductive freedom. I believe in the
economic and educational advancement of women. I believe in equal
opportunity and equal pay for equal work. I believe in equal
representation for women at all levels of government. I believe that
only by achieving gender parity in the House, the Senate, the
President's cabinet and on the Supreme Court can women achieve real
equality. The problem is not where we want to end up, but how we
are going to get there.
I take offense that people think if I vote McCain-Palin that I am
not a feminist. If I am anything, I am a feminist.
I have worked an entire lifetime to further feminist causes. My
first professional job was teaching remedial high school math to
girls. I stared a web-based business called color Math Pink to
promote math achievement for girls and I was selected by the
American Girl company to write Mathsmarts, a math strategy book for
girls. If I am anything, I am a feminist.
I have researched sex-role stereotyping and gender issues and
published dozens of articles in trade and professional journals
including Working Mother, Essence, and Ms. If I am anything, I am
a feminist.
I have fought for the rights of women rights every single day of my
life. I point out the dearth of photos of women in the New York
Times to the lucky person who sits next to me on an airplane, the
lack of pictures of women on money to the wait staff at a diner, and
I have been in a decade long fight with the United States Post
Office to put more pictures of women on postage stamps. If I am
anything, I am a feminist.
I coined the term "latchkey children" and defended the rights of
women to work on national level. I have assisted numerous projects
to improve the quality of childcare so that mothers could work and
not worry about the safety of their children. If I am anything, I
am a feminist.
I am passionately pro-choice but I also think that it is not always
a psychologically free choice. I have written a play which deals
with the psychological complexities of abortion entitled, One in
Two, which has been performed in New York, New Jersey, and
Washington DC. If I am anything, I am a feminist.
I have spent decades coaching women on how to achieve more power in
their personal relationships and in the workplace. If I am
anything, I am a feminist.
I am voting for McCain-Palin and I am a feminist. Many feminists
can't understand my choice. I am not betraying the cause, the
fight, the mission, because I don't want to vote Democratic. The
Democratic Party is not our ally. The Democratic Party is 60% women
but it has only once selected a woman as a vice-presidential
candidate and that was nearly a quarter of a century ago. We are
chattel in our own party. The head of the Democratic National
Committee has never been a woman. Money donated to the Women's
Leadership Fund is funneled into the Obama Victory Fund. We cannot
give dominion over our bodies or ourselves to one party. Current
feminist groups have no teeth because they are part and parcel of
the Democratic Party. They are held hostage by Roe v. Wade. They
know it and the Democratic Party knows it. The only way to regain
our power is to regain our vote. The Democratic Party has no reason
to earn our vote. We've sacrificed one choice for another.
I will by not be held hostage by the Democratic Party that turned a
blind eye to the corruption in the Democratic primaries and
Democratic caucuses.
I will not be held hostage by the Democratic Party that ignored a
woman who got 18 million votes.
I will not be held hostage by the Democratic Party a party that was
deaf, dumb and blind to the persistent and pervasive sexist attacks
against Hillary Clinton.
I will not be held hostage by a Democratic Party that has never had
a female head of the DNC.
I will not be threatened into submission. I will not cast my vote
based on fear.
The Democratic Party cannot be rewarded for it's pervasive
disrespect of women. Sometimes you have to break a few eggs to make
an omelet. Sometimes you have to tear down a house before you can
rebuild it. Most feminists think the Democratic Party will treat
them differently during the next election. There is no next time.
There is only this time. Reinforcing abuse only perpetuates abuse.
In any abusive relationship, you have to leave to get respect.
Abusers are often charming and apologetic and hold out the hope of
better behavior. But there is no then, there is only now.
I am a woman and I am a feminist. To the other feminists out there
I ask, "Where is your pride or are you a victim of your own
misogyny?"
I am a woman and right now I am ashamed to say, I am a feminist.
This was my response:
"I'm really glad that's not your viewpoint, because it was making me a bit ill thinking it was (should have read the disclaimer!). I especially disagree with the "I will not cast my vote based on fear" statement when that is a main way the Republicans try to win elections when they have little else to stand on: "Al-Qaeda will come back, we will lose the war, the sanctity of marriage will become obsolete, and the middle class will go broke if Democrats get elected!" I wish I was exaggerating but you have only to look at a McCain or, especially, a Palin speech or interview to see that this is a key talking point.
I guess I just don't understand being willing to vote for Republicans because you'd rather have a grossly underqualified female with anti-feminist political views on the ticket than none at all. I would love to have a woman on the ticket; I voted for Clinton; I consistently think of how proud I am to be from a state with two female US Senators. However I can't imagine someone voting for Palin just to tell Democrats that they should have picked a woman. Palin is horrifying in so many ways and despite her sex she embodies so much misogyny and sexism within her own political ideals that I can't believe someone could think the author of this article does and still consider herself a feminist like I believe you and I are.
Just my two cents. Thanks for giving us something to think about."