Why Feminists [and the CCPM] Hate Sarah Palin
Cathy Young examines the cult of hate that has exploded against Sarah Palin:
On Salon.com last week, Cintra Wilson branded her a “Christian Stepford Wife” and a “Republican blow-up doll.” Wendy Doniger, religion professor at the University of Chicago Divinity School, added on the Washington Post blog, “Her greatest hypocrisy is in her pretense that she is a woman.
Ouch! A feminist lynching crew out to get the one woman that personifies all their objectives, save for one detail: There is an “R” after her name instead of a “D”.
Even her marriage, broad network of family support, and successful career is seen as an impetus to the feminist archetype: “I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never let you forget your my man…because I’m a woman”
Mrs. Palin’s marriage actually makes her a terrific role model. One of the best choices a woman can make if she wants a career and a family is to pick a partner who will be able to take on equal or primary responsibility for child-rearing. Our culture still harbors a lingering perception that such men are less than manly — and who better to smash that stereotype than “First Dude” Todd Palin?
Nevertheless, when Sarah Palin offered a tribute to her husband in her Republican National Convention speech, New York Times columnist Judith Warner read this as a message that she is “subordinate to a great man.” Perhaps the message was a brilliant reversal of the old saw that behind every man is a great woman: Here, the great woman is out in front and the great man provides the support. Isn’t that real feminism?
Not to Ms. Marsh, who insists that feminism must demand support for women from the government. In this worldview, advocating more federal subsidies for institutional day care is pro-woman; advocating tax breaks or regulatory reform that would help home-based care providers — preferred by most working parents — is not.
When will the feminist establishment drop the pretense of being independent of any political party? As long as they support women who only goose-step to a democrat platform, they will never be an advocate for women’s issues here or abroad. They are all on board with Obama’s idea of “Change”, but not when that “Change” comes to roost on their doorstep.
But when the feminist establishment treats not only pro-life feminism but small-government, individualist feminism as heresy, it writes off multitudes of women.
Of course, being a feminist role model is not part of the vice president’s job description, and there are legitimate questions about Mrs. Palin’s qualifications. And yet, like millions of American women — and men — I find her can-do feminism infinitely more liberated than the what-can-the-government-do-for-me brand espoused by the sisterhood.
Karen Porter, director of the Chester County peace Movement and Chester County Obama Team Leader has this to say about Sarah Palin:
“I grew up with many Sarah Palins – I know who they are, what they stand for, their limits – and their strengths. They are ruthless, messianic, true believers, and unflappable, as well as cruel to those (most of us) whom they objectify”
I am Sarah Palin. Her brand of feminism is a path I’ve been walking my entire life. You know what? It feels good to walk in her shoes.
Seems to me they all got PMS (Palin Madness Syndrome_
Everybody should read this great article in the Toronto National Post:
SARAH PALIN, A FEMINIST REVOLUTION WITHOUT THE FEMINISTS
Barbara Kay
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fullcomment/archive/2008/09/10/barbara-kay-sarah-palin-a-feminist-revolution-without-the-feminists.aspx
The article starts this way:
How I wish I’d been the proverbial fly on the wall watching the changing expressions on Barack Obama’s face as Sarah Palin delivered her already-legendary speech at the Republican convention last Wednesday.
I imagine his pre-speech expression as alert, but relaxed paternalism, like a chief surgeon set to supervise a lowly resident’s clumsy initial attempt at an appendectomy. Then puzzlement as the surgeon realizes that he’s to be the patient, and finally horror as, strapped to the table and, before a nation of fascinated onlookers, he is subjected to … a palinoscopy!
Oh, she got through to him all right. For eight months critics haven’t really laid more than glancing blows on Obama, because they were jabbing away at his exterior. Sarah got him right in the gut.
To read the rest of the article, click on the link above.
I never knew that feminism meant having government benefits that only benefit women. My AP History teacher might as well been a feminist, but I swear to you all she wanted was equal pay for equal work and for the stereotypical stay-at-home-mom to be less…well, less stereotypical. She was happy as long as she could do what she wanted, and wouldn’t be barred from it just because she was a women.
Believe it or not, she was also a Democrat! However, as she said so herself, every year she grows older it’s one more step towards conservativeness and Republican-style thinking (real Republicans, not RINOs).
Maybe it’s just me, but I think these “feminists” are just bitter and cling to their gender in times of emotional hardship…(aka No Hillary means PMS for all!)
great job skye. we are all “sarah palin”, i find her an amazing person. she has strength, she has warmth, she has compassion, she is the best thing to happent o women in a long time. she shows you can be a “femenist” and still be femenin, you can be a wife and mother and bread winner and look hot while shooting a moose. she also has convictins and morals, she is a great role model.
As a student of visuals as well as the written word I have been intrigued by all the photos of Sarah Palin’s shoes.
I count at least three news photos featuring the governors feet in high heels at various podiums.
I cannnot recall anything like that when Hillary was running (though there was the speculation about her pant suits) and of course we never see photos of the shoes the male candidates are wearing.
Is this focus on footwear an example of sexism in the pool of photojournalists who cover these events or is there some kind of shoe fetish among photographers?
ANOTHER REASON THEY HATE HER, SHE’S A WINNER!
Love the way Skye put this together, spirit and spunk, that’s our Skye.
“Gloria Steinem feminism” is dead. “Sarah Palin feminism” is alive!
maybe all the photograghers have a foot fetish? they really like her pumps, they like her legs.
Watching and learning about Sarah Palin was like observing my Grandmother who had her own business during very difficult times in Germany. She then moved to America, with her 13 year old daughter in tow, when she was in her 40s. Well in 2 days in America she had a job, in 1 year she established her dry cleaning and tailoring business, and in 2 years she built a home. AND she dressed to the nines and wore pumps!
My Mom had the same story line and installed in her 3 daughters tenacity and an enthusiastic approach to work, raising children and being fun and terrific wives (at least we think so). I see Palin in all the most important women in my life – my grandmother, my mother, my 2 sisters and so many wonderful mentors that I have encountered through my professional career. It is about time that a feminine strong female is being spot-lighted, yes it is okay to wear cool pumps and have a brain.