You might disagree with me for linking to a piece called, "Never trust a big butt and a smile-in politics," in discussing Sarah Palin. An obvious reference to a classic Bel Biv Devoe track that had me dancing (even as recent as my 30th birthday), but also a potentially sexist statement about women that are good looking but trouble. You know, Sirens. And we have discussed before how to negotiate our feminism with music that we like but recognize is sexist, but that is not the point of this post.
Davey D, the author of this blog, is a leader in hip-hop political writing and although I have frequently disagreed with him, I thought this post had some really valid points. What I found interesting about his piece was not his invoking of Bel Biv Devoe, but the argument he makes about how Palin is considered "hot" by old white men, therefore swaying them to vote for her and how most women he has met think she is full of shit. He says,
However a lot of men, especially older men see her as hot. She's a fantasy come to life. She's the naughty librarian 'MILF' who they'd love to get with. This manifest itself in the form of male talk show hosts giving her a pass. Many actually spend valuable time talking about her looks and small time stuff and not her scary politics. It manifest itself in people actually giving John McCain props for picking such a nice 'looking babe' versus's focusing on his shortcomings. It sort of like him having a trophy wife. Except this one will have serious impact on US policy. It manifest itself in male producers who are behind the scenes spending time editing film and audio tape giving her a favorable look as she is a welcome break from the daily onslaught of old wrinkly white males who they are usually editing.
Meanwhile a lot of those women who have dismissed have done so without ever talking to the men and their lives and making sure that they don't get taken up by the proverbial 'big butt and a smile', made famous in the song 'Poison' by Bel Biv Devoe. Many women figure men see her the same way as they do. Wrong!Look lets keep it real. We have more than enough examples to show that way too many men from former president Bill Clinton on down have to Jesse Jackson and beyond have screwed up big time and caused irreparable harm chasing a cute skirt. Way too many men have been outright reckless. I say leave nothing to chance. Women call the men in your lives and make sure they understand this is serious. Make sure they 'get it'. Make sure they understand that a vote for her will do you harm. Don't let someone with her backwards politics get to the white house. And trust me with her winking, giving shout outs to Joe Six Pack and wearing her librarianisque outfits, she's tossing those vibes out there. Her calling herself a hockey mom was designed to appeal to men more than women.
So you may not agree with Davey, but I think he makes an apt point in suggesting that her over-feminization and over-sexualization is to attract to men, not women. I think this is plausible because the Republican party does not care about women and their choices. Furthermore, as Courtney discussed here, Palin is the type of woman that is acceptable to patriarchy and if anything reifies masculinity. Furthermore, as many feminists have discussed, I also think this is one example of how sexism is working in Palin's favor.
I really hope we only have one more month of analyzing Palin. After yesterday's shenanigans, I have pretty much hit the point that if you are voting for the McCain/Palin ticket, I need you to not talk to me.
Fight amongst yourselves!
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Whatever they chose her for, it's not working. She's basically only good for whipping the idiot 28% base into a lather.
I've thought all along that's the case. Although my theory was a little different - Palin was for the conservative men who were accused of being sexist about Hillary. It was like McCain was saying to men, "I can help you prove you're not sexist! Support my VP! I can make you feel better about yourselves by providing you this opportunity!" Although, as it's clear to us, supporting Palin supports sexist policies and is no different than supporting McCain himself.
Thought this would be interesting, along the same lines:
The MILFy Way
http://www.theroot.com/id/48351
10/7/08
The Root: Homespun. Folksy. Straight-talking. These may be just a few of the endearing terms pundits have used to describe Sarah Palin. But there's another, more salient, tag floating around the Alaska governor, and the ever-crafty McCain/Palin camp seems to be counting on it to help pull its overmatched ticket across the finish line come November: "MILF" appeal.
I tend to agree. And the fact that she's most popular amongst Republican males is a testament to that, I think.
These comments also apply to the post on Elving's remarks, above:
Regardless of Palin's appeal to men (and it just isn't Elving who apparently gets turned on looking at this woman -- Rich Lowry of the National Review wrote a review of her debate performance that indicates he was not thinking with his brain), McCain's choosing her was a big mistake for him as a candidate, particularly if he wants to appeal to women. This is because:
1) He _does_ look old and tired next to her, but in a way that Asteroids looks compared to a shiny new video game;
2) The effusiveness of male commenters on her appearance uses language that clearly turns women off. If Palin appeared competent to voters, women would be angry but supportive of her because of the sexist language-- instead, they are just disgusted with the possibility that this woman might actually become VP.
3) This decision shows how incredibly out of touch the Republican Party is with women, and women can see this. It will reflect in their votes (51%+ of the electorate).
Well I'm a man and every time she winks at the camera or *shudder* says the word "maverick" (or worse, "Team of Mavericks", as if she's going to gather reform the A-Team to snatch back abortion rights and cram Leviticus down our throats) I feel physically sick with fear.
The way some men have reacted to her reminds me of Katherine Harris of Florida 2000 recount fame.
As someone with a Masters in Information Studies (that's what they're calling Library School these days) I'm incredibly, spitting-nails offended that ANYONE thinks she represents the naughty librarian archetype. You know, considering her opposition to education, her 'innocent' inquiry into how one would go about banning books, and subsequent (but entirely unrelated!) firing of the librarian who told her that books would not be banned on that, or any other librarian's watch. Because of this not being Cuba, or the Third Reich.
In another thread I mentioned that my father is apparently voting for McCain/Palin and LOVES her. When I knew him, he was a Democrat--sort of moderate, his racism started building after 9/11, but still voted Kerry--but something that I've always noticed about him is that he gravitates towards vapid women who wear lots of makeup. And told me, when I was 10, that boys don't like girls who are too smart, so I better watch out.
I'd say "I can't believe they're actually winning guys over this way," only I can believe it. It just makes me terribly sad.
This is absurd liberal propaganda. There is no proof at all in what Davey D is saying. So first liberals say that Palin was chosen to woo irrational female voters. Now here's another theory about how she was maliciously chosen to win men over with her sex appeal. When does it end, when will you leave Sarah alone? Need I remind you of Madeline Albright's quote?Even LA's leader of NOW supports Sarah Palin.
The Republican party is no longer the evil chauvinist old white man contingency. Liberals see Sarah Palin as proof of this, and proof that their message is becoming more relevant. This explains the outlandish attacks on Palin.Feminists, it's ok to be republican!
Breathe....breathe...do not feed the trolls. Do NOT feed the trolls. SoyMilk, DO NOT FEED THE TROLLS!
I'm going to go scream into a pillow now.
http://www.absurdliberalpropaganda.com/ is available as a domain name. Since I nuked my old site, I might pick it up.
Oh yes patronize me that's a great way to prove your point. Typical liberal technique. Just talk down to me. I'm not worth your time. Apparently you're disinterested in different points of view.
alixana, that's a good point.
the article is interesting, but i take issue with the phrase "wearing her librarianesque outfits." umm, she's a politician. who wears suits and business attire, as far as i can tell. which is...entirely appropriate. by this standard any woman with glasses who dresses professionally is some librarian straight out of porn? i don't think so--this comes a little too close to shaming women no matter what they look like ("too sexy" or "not sexy enough", etc).
That's right Soy Milk Conspiracy. Thanks for your self-control.
Troll Be-Gone has been sprayed.
Oh please, evarn, each of your points has already been discussed in recent weeks.
It's not even that McCain chose a female running mate. Why THIS female? Why Palin? What in the WORLD does she have to offer? THAT'S what everyone has been puzzling over, including Davey D of this article.
There are plenty of female Republicans who are intelligent, experienced, and impressive. I admire Olympia Snowe in particular. McCain, if he said, "I want a woman for my VP," had so many people to pick from. I challenge any admirer of Palin to insist she was the best choice out of all the female Republicans that could have had that spot instead. Most of the lampooning of Palin is exactly because she's so amazingly inexperienced and such a bizarre, unreasonable pick. No one can wrap their heads around it.
Gah, Toll-B-Gone was sprayed while I was composing my retort.
I still stand by my comment. I think McCain insulted everyone with his pick - Democrats and Republicans, men and women. He didn't make his selection with the country's best interest at heart, and he did something that could leave us in a dangerous position should he be elected and end up dying before the end of his term. It makes me mad.
@ Alixana, I'm totally with you on this one.
It's like McCain picked his First Lady rather than his Vice President.
@RileyStClair
I'm also with you. There's no way to win. Either you get thrown out of a White House event for wearing pants like Martha Stewart, or you're too sexy for wearing skirt.
@Alixana, I agree. And Courtney nailed it. When she was picked I found myself mulling over the possibility that symbolism could have been a factor: the two of them as the parents of the Great Big American Family. He as the benign head, leader, and father, she as the fiercely protective but nurtering mother. And, importantly, as his second, when he would call the shots. That way, people who were put off by Hillary because they deemed her 'too ambitious' and 'unfeminine' in her running for the highest spot, could feel comfortably able to support this ticket. Her pick appeals to patriarchal values more than it subverts any of them.
But did you see this? Women choose Clinton over Palin 2:1.
Even though Palin is old enough to be my mother, I think she is rather attractive.
But if it is any concern to anyone that she'll get my vote because of it, you're wrong. Men with strong liberal leanings will not vote for Palin, even if they find her attractive. Republicans will vote republican no matter who is in the vice president seat.
I think Palin is so off base with a lot of voters that she'll do more harm than good, even with her attractive looks.
If this is what McCain was trying to accomplish with Palin, he should have thought harder. Men will not vote for a woman just because she looks good. Men, believe it or not, are not that shallow. However, I won't lie, a good-looking woman will have an advantage with men, but it won't win her everything. It certainly won't win Palin everything.
As my son would said when he was a teen, "Durrr. . . . ." (rolling his eyes & wondering why he had to be related to me). In my opinion, Palin's sex appeal to the angry white male (combined with her evangelical "creds") are the main reasons she was selected as the Uber Republican VP. The "angry white male" is frequently, but not always, a sexually frustrated or inhibited older male. Palin obviously (to me) appeals to that group. Her "Hockey Mom" and "Republican Feminist" creds are secondary to that sex appeal. She is also an enabler of the sick Uber Republican agenda, to the point of being an automaton. Peculiarly, McCain (like Bush) seems to thrive on the women they use to enable their sick agendas. Thankfully, Katie Couric had the cojones to pin down Palin & show there was no substance behind the rhetoric.