The success of women in politics, is frequently cited as evidence that feminism has met it goals. Hardly! Too often the Exceptional Women – is also, ‘the Exception to the Rule’. Amanda Fortini writes in the New York (April 21, 2008) – why does our culture take sexism seriously? Sexism is often so subtle, threatening its insidiour existance…..and anyone who talks about it, risks sounding like an overzealous lunatic at worse – scrutinizing every interaction for gender – specific offenses.
She goes on to say – ‘it was hardly a revelation to learn that sexism lived in the minds and hearts of right wig crackpots and Internet Nut Jobs,….but, it flourished among members of news media. The MSNBC portrayed Clinton as the grieving widow of adsurdity, saying of her Presidential Candidacy and Senatorial Seat – that she didn’t win on her own merit. She won because everybody felt, ‘oh my God…this women stood up under humiliation’. Please….that displeases me – Political Success to rewards of Public Sympathy? Okay….people loved Hillary – She kept going, when everyone thought she’d play the role of the ‘victim’ – but anyone who’s read books on ‘The Life of Hillary Clinton’ – know thats simply just not her style. She played her cards right politically! Yet, the media went to arms lengths, to show ‘sexism’, as though her intelligence and long record of public service counted for NOTHING! So, why does our culture not take sexism seriously?, or do we?
I just read tonight…when I was doing a search on political websites. That Sen.Hillary Clinton has declined to return $170,000 in campaign contributions from individuals at a company accused of widespread sexual harrassemt. Clinton’s spokesman, told NBC News that the senator decided to keep the funds because the lawsuit is on-going and the sexual harrassment allegations are still yet to be proven in Court. The sad thing, as Women’s Rights Spokes people point out in the Nation – is that throughout this entire campaign, the welfare of women has been off the table as a topic of discussion.
Its profoundly concerning when conversation about qualifications to be President of the most powerful nation (America) ignores the reality facing the worlds inhabitants. While Americans debate whether Clinton is being targeted unfairly – for example – while thousands of women and children in Gaza are collectively being punished, as Israel withholds food, fuel and electricity. Yet, is Clinton talking about that? No. In a world where women are facing an epidemic of rae in conflicts from Nepal to Chiapas to the Democratic Republic of Congo, neither Obama or Clinton has seen fit to mention it. Women and children make up the bulk of worlds refugees and make up majority of world’s poor. None of the presidential candidates have chosen to highlight the profound effect that gender inequality is posing to the development, economic stability and future peace of our world. If Clinton took time to stand up for women, rather than arrogantly dismissing issues, such as seriousness of sexual harrassment, she would have had full support of her constitutuency, American Women. I think Clinton is an exceptional women…but, I think her character is missing the ‘love’ when it comes to demonstrating her committment to ‘gender equality’ and her own political career life. As, if she really cared about the welfare of women internationally. Then, she could have seen fit not to retain the $170,000 and return it to individuals….her political speeches aren’t addressed to the real issues at hand – with ‘gender equality’.