PSA: A note on sexism and Hillary

[CheshireDog]

I noticed a lot of people here being called out for sexist remarks and thinking, which they refute, especially in regard to Hillary Clinton. A lot of people give examples of supporting other female politicians or their wife as proof they are not sexist. I think it's important to give a little info on what exactly sexism means:

It does not mean that you dislike women, nor does it mean that you never support women. Sexism simply means that you treat an action from a woman (even if an isolated case) differently than if that same action came from a male. As an example, look at racism. If I am walking down the street and a black man is walking toward me so I switch to the other side - this is a racist act if I do not do the same when a white man approaches. It DOES NOT matter of I supported Obama in 2008 and 2012. It does not matter if I have a ton of black friends and list Oprah as my biggest hero. None of that 'proves' that that act was not racist.

When talking about Hillary, it IS sexist to take her remarks differently or talk about her differently because she's a woman. Calling her a "bitch", which would never be said of a male politician, is sexist. Attacking her looks or laugh or facial expressions is sexist. Calling it pandering when she talks about her mother but not doing the same to a male politician is sexist.

Just like racism, small acts can be sexist without us even realizing it.

[rbrnmw]

1. ^^^^this^^^^

[djean111]

2. And none of that is a reason to vote for a politician, when things like war or cluster bombs

or the TPP or Wall Street greed are on the table.

[Fawke Em]

15. Correct.

Voting FOR a woman only because she's a woman is also sexism.

[CheshireDog]

18. Assuming any woman who supports Hillary...

Is doing so because she is a woman is also very sexist. It implies that women do not think or consider the issues, and so their vote MUST be due to ovaries.

Did you make that argument to black voters when they votes 90%+ for Barack Obama? No, you knew it was racist. No different than how this is sexist.

[leftofcool]

3. Yes!

[NCTraveler]

4. Spot on for the aspects you address. nt.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

5. Well put!

[zazen]

6. and excusing her unethical behavior because she is a woman is profoundly sexist

I appreciate what you're saying. I'm a lifelong feminist activist and have been on the receiving end of daily sexism and lots of male violence.

I got a lot of flack here on DU in 2007 for initiating a major protest against the "Hillary Nutcracker" ads that DU was running at the time by suggesting that no one would put up with an "Obama sex toy" ad. DU pulled the ads.

I've begun solidarity threads for her recently (as a Sanders supporter).

Her recent insinuation that Sanders was intentionally sexist was the most vile misappropriation of feminism I've even seen a Democratic candidate make. As someone who's advocated for battered women and sexual abuse victims for decades I was disgusted.

This is the height of cynical privilege. It's vile to trivialize the real suffering of females to attack some of the few male allies we actually have.

She doesn't get a pass for that, or for her collusion with Wall Street and support for invading Iraq, because asshole Republicans or even some Democrats attack her. There are billions of women who've been through so much worse. A lot are dead at the hands of men.

I don't get a free pass to lie and cheat and collude with oligarchs because of the misogyny I've experienced. I certainly am not automatically qualified to be POTUS. Neither is she.

She's lost me, for good.

[CharlotteVale]

7. You nailed it.

[MuseRider]

10. You say it better than I can.

Thank you.

Beyond that it is just dishonest to take words out of their context and use them against someone. Apparently she does not think she can win without this kind of behavior.

What she said is true for women. What she said was not what was happening. If it happens I would stand behind her 100% in her complaint and send letters to whoever said that.

I don't care for a woman of her stature and advantage pretending to be made a victim especially when taking everything out of context. Like people who can think beyond her campaign strategy won't notice that?

[Bread and Circus]

8. So by your definition voting for Clinton because she is a woman is a form of sexism

Not saying that's right or wrong. Just saying that is the case if we combine the specific enthusiasm we have for her being the first female President and your definition of sexism. She is being treated different because of her gender and according to you that is sexism.

But here is a real problem I have with your post which is that sexism means different things to different people and it is used so widely for so many different things that may or may not really be sexism that it itself then loses its value and real meaning or potency.

The other issue is that it is used as a political cudgel here on DU and elsewhere so that it creates an asymmetrical debate and thus shuts down true communication.

Additionally there are many times I read you can't make fun or make discourse over Clinton's hair, looks, mannerisms, and facial expressions because we don't treat male politicians this way. To this I say complete bollocks. To make fun of politicians looks and expressions is stock and trade of politics.

Reagan's senility and general sense of daftness
Gore's sighs and brown suits
Bush's chimp like countenance
McCain's lost granda bit at the debate
Clinton's bulbous nose and philandering
Countless political caricatures depicting politicians features in the worst light.

Those are just a few things I can think of off the top of my head.

The point I am trying to make is don't abuse words for one thing because then you ruin the power of those words. Second realize that getting made fun of in terms of looks and mannerisms is part of politics and has been for centuries. To act as if men are immune to childish aspersions is disingenuous.

[earthside]

9. Ridiculous.

"Attacking her looks or laugh or facial expressions is sexist."

No.

It isn't.

All of us laugh at cartoons of candidates that mock their looks; we grin at jokes the ridicule individual characteristics of candidates (those are attacks if you are on the receiving end) ... the same for virtually every high profile politician in the news.

Indeed, to accord Hillary special treatment because she is a female politician is an even worse form of bias.

[earthside]

13. Ha! Tell that to Sarah Palin.

The people who are pushing this line about appearance are only making hypocrites out of themselves.

[Fawke Em]

16. The media's certainly made a lot out of Bernie's hair.

So men's looks are discussed, too.

[Bluenorthwest]

11. But of course straight people making OP's to instruct LGBT about our own history and allies is

perfectly acceptable and done on DU all the live long day. I'm a Bernie supporter but some claiming to support Bernie do that, as do some claiming to support Hillary. 'Let me as a straight person who defends anti gay clergy on most days explain to you that Bernie is anti gay'.