Results matching “"palin sexism watch"”

We've received a ton of reader mail (and public requests) over the course of the past week asking us to blog about an article that appeared on Playboy's website about conservative women they'd "like to hate-f*ck." Several people have asked us write about it to "prove" we are against sexism and hatespeech directed at all women, regardless of their ideological orientation. Others are saying that, because we haven't blogged about this one article, which has since been taken down, we are ok with sexism directed at conservative women.

And I'm getting annoyed. Because this sounds really familiar. During the presidential campaign (and long after) conservatives liked to invent a narrative in which feminists did not decry sexism directed at Sarah Palin. These poor souls are all apparently unable to use The Google. Because if they were, they would have turned up:

Sarah Palin Sexism Watch: O'Reilly Edition
Palin Sexism Watch: Proud Uncle McCain Edition
Palin Sexism Watch: C-Word Edition
Palin Sexism Watch: Sex Doll Edition
Sarah Palin Sexism Watch: Halloween Costume Edition
Palin Sexism Watch: Sexist Stereotypes Edition
Sarah Palin Sexism Watch: Schoolgirl action-figure edition
Sarah Palin Sexism Watch: Skirt-wearing, SexyMom edition
Palin Sexism Watch: VPILF Edition

And there's more -- including a recent post calling out the misogyny against Miss California Carrie Prejean.

What I find almost laughable is that most of the conservatives who have said, "HA! See? Feministing doesn't care about that Playboy article, and therefore all feminists are hypocrites!" are not folks who normally give two shits about sexism. They only care about this article because they think it's a "gotcha" moment.

The real reason I, personally, have chosen not to blog about the Playboy article (or the follow-up on a right-wing blog titled "liberals we'd like to hate-f*ck") is the same reason I choose not to write about every offensive thing published in Maxim or on many other sites that are repeatedly, link-baitingly sexist: because I (or any number of feminists) am not going to change the very editorial mission of these publications. My writing about how fundamentally screwed up an article is will not lead to more feminist or less sexist content in Playboy in the future. It will just give them many more hits. I'd rather spend my time calling out widespread media narratives that are sexist (i.e. Palin is a "VPILF") and trying to change them.

Good ol' boy Bill O'Reilly was on The View yesterday and, in addition to being generally offensive and irritating, he also said the following in response to this seemingly innocuous question: "Why won't Sarah Palin come on your program?"

I don't know. I want her to come in. I have outfits she can wear.

See the clip for yourself below:

*Taking a tip out of a 1970s anti-feminist rule book, Bill also recommends that Joy Behar "lighten up" about politics. Yeah, why can't she just see it as one big, melodramatic performance with no consequences like he does? It makes for great ratings.

I'm proud of her...And I can't tell how proud I am of her and her family.Her husband's a pretty tough guy, by the way, too.

Yup, that's the Republican presidential candidate talking about his running mate, Sarah Palin, last night in the third and final debate. I was pretty horrified that, number one, he seems to feel that it is necessary to articulate how proud he is of Governor Palin, as if she were his niece not his equal. But what was even more shocking was that, in answer to Bob Schieffer's great question, "Why would the country be better off if your running mate became president rather than his running mate?", Senator McCain felt the need to end by invoking Palin's husband.

Did you hear Obama say anything about Senator Biden's wife, as reassurance that Biden will have help in the White House from a big, strong lady? If I were Palin, I'd be pissed.

So apparently a group of people who are anti-McCain/Palin showed up at a rally wearing these shirts:

Not exactly a new approach to "political discourse" about a female candidate. Sigh.

One of the shirt's creators emailed Politico's Ben Smith (Emphasis mine.):

I personally am a registered Libertarian, supporting Obama this year. Palin is the last woman I want to hold a political office right now. Her lack of common sense, cruel treatment to animals, and just plain ignorance to what we (Americans, and even women) really care about is absolutely frustrating. The point of wearing the shirt to me is just a bold way of saying that she certainly is not liked or one of "us." To play the gender card is irrelevant, because I am a woman who wears the tshirt anyway.

Whoa whoa whoa. The claim that "I'm a woman, therefore it's okay for me to use anti-woman hatespeech" is ridiculous. There are plenty of civil ways to state your beliefs about Palin and her politics -- and note that she does not represent all women or what's best for them -- without resorting to sexism. And no, just because McCain reportedly used this word to describe women doesn't justify McCain's opponents using it.

You know, it's one thing for gag-gift companies (and other folks who don't appear to give a damn about the outcome of the election) to create sexist products about Palin. I'm obviously against it. But it's all the more maddening to me when I see self-identified Obama supporters pulling this shit. Please stop. You're just making it harder for everyone who opposes Palin because of her stance on the issues.

(Oh, and a sidenote: Melissa has noted that, though the shirts are detestable, she's chosen not to cover this because "It was a publicity stunt, and I'm not inclined to give them any more attention." I get that. But I have to believe that a lot of the sexist incidents regarding both Hillary Clinton and Palin were, at their core, publicity stunts. And I see no reason to stop calling it out, even when it's designed to bring attention to the idiots behind it. Also, the right-wing is going to claim (accurately) that Palin has faced sexism and (inaccurately) that the left was silent about it -- so I'll admit to feeling an obligation to call out these t-shirts.)

Seems like there's plenty of Palin-sexism to watch out for these days. This latest one, however, may take the misogyny cake.

From The Frisky:

Created by adult product purveyors Topco, the Sarah Palin blowup doll is known as the "This is NOT Sarah Palin Inflatable Love Doll." Featuring a busty, conservatively dressed Palin lookalike, the box cover promises: "Cross party lines with your own inflatable running mate!" The political love doll's suggested uses include: "Blow her up and show her how you're going to vote," "Let her pound your gavel over and over," and "It's time some male interns caused a scandal in the Capitol."

So disgusting.

We all knew this one was coming. (And I don't doubt this is just the beginning for the holiday.)

h/t to Erin.

There's a new documentary out about women and creativity.

Lynda Carter says Palin is no Wonder Woman.

A school bars males students from wearing makeup. (File under: Patriarchy hurts men, too.)

Yesterday was Coming Out Day! The Bilerico Project has a great series of coming-out posts. And Wanda Sykes has a great little ad on why saying "that's so gay" is insulting.

Nezua on politicians "microtargeting" Latino voters, while at the same time neglecting the big picture: "And as if the fluffed-up bios are somehow a substitute for staking out a position and promising action on issues integral to community and family and the health of children, such as immigration? Feel the pride."

The NYT profiles Queen Latifah.

Asylum for women fleeing domestic violence is in jeopardy.

Palin Sexism Watch: Lipliner edition. (Ditto for hairstyles.)

Carmen wrote an open letter to white voters.

What happens if the anti-choice ballot initiatives pass in South Dakota and Colorado?

"Hair and makeup is killing female hip-hop," says a source. "The grooming cost to break a female rapper versus a male rapper is 10 times as much per appearance. That tends to have an adverse effect on a record company's willingness to even entertain a female rapper."

More "isn't breast cancer sexy?" advertising.

On the invisibility of Muslim women.

MzBitca has an interesting post on "feminist dealbreakers" -- exploring the question of how we discuss feminist statements and actions coming from a person who hasn't historically been a feminist or ally.

Chicago is considering opening a gay-friendly high school.

Check out the Black Masculinity Project. And ?uestlove's thoughts on the daily life of a large black man.

On Michelle Obama's hair. (Shark-Fu has more.)

Actions

Participate in a survey about street harassment.

The Native American Task Force of the South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families needs your donation to help mobilize Native American communities against the proposed abortion ban. (Link leads to a few other events and actions as well!)

Events

Chicago, IL: Free screening of Quinceanera. Monday 10/13.

NYC: This Is What Women Want Pre-Debate Speakout! Tuesday 10/14 in Long Island City, Queens. Free! Featuring Kate Bornstein, Kety Esquivel, Shelby Knox, Maegan "la Mala" Ortiz, Betsy Reed, Amy Richards, Luz Rodriguez, Deborah Siegel, Carmen Van Kerkhove and others.

Yet another installment of Palin Sexism Watch.

Sigh. Not good.

(More here.)

For the record, asking questions about Sarah Palin's record, experience, or policy positions is NOT sexist. But selling/wearing T-shirts with designs like this certainly is:

The real sexism against Palin, like the designs above, has been the flip-side of the sexism against Hillary Clinton. A sadly perfect illustration of the Catch-22 women face. You're either a scary, ugly, old, mannish harpy. Or a ditzy, perky, fuckable bimbo. You're either cracking nuts between your thighs or dressed up like Britney Spears. The sexist remarks about Clinton and Palin are like our hate mail ("you ugly man-hater!" followed by "gimme a blow job!") writ large. It doesn't matter that, in reality, neither Hillary Clinton nor Sarah Palin fits these stereotypes. Both are attractive women who have made their fair share of political enemies. But reality doesn't matter much in terms of how they're portrayed.

Which is why it's (almost) hilarious to see someone like David Brooks declare that feminists' problem with Palin isn't based on her anti-woman stance on the issues, but that she's "not a real woman because she doesn't hew to their rigid categories."

Excuse me, our rigid categories? Last I checked, feminists were outraged at Palin being labeled a MILF and Hillary being labeled a bitch. Putting women in sexist little boxes is exactly what we're against. Maybe we need to send Brooks a copy of Jessica's book on double-standards?

The BBC has a video about new Sarah Palin action figures that you can get in several "looks": business suit Palin, a Lara Croft-like superhero Palin, and (my personal fave) Schoolgirl Palin. Fucking seriously?

So Hillary gets a nutcracker and Palin gets a schoolgirl outfit - obviously both of these come from a place of fear of women's power. With Hillary, just call her a ballbuster; Palin, just sexify her so she's not a threat but just another hot chick to look at. Either way, blech.

The company's contact info is here, if you'd like to give them a piece of your mind.

Thanks to Katrina for the link.

There's really nothing about this clip that's good. According to Donny Deutsch, host of CNBC's Big Idea, the "new feminist ideal" (ahem) is selling women in power as a sexy SuperMom. Also, Sen. Hillary Clinton made a mistake when she "didn't put a skirt on."

There is the new creation that the feminist woman has not figured out in 40 years of the feminist ideal that men can take in a woman in power and women can celebrate a woman in power. Hillary Clinton didn't figure it out. She didn't put a skirt on!

...She [Palin] talked about energy. Didn't matter! Today everybody's running in circles -- we want to have her over for dinner. I trust her. I want her watching my kids. I want her laying next to me in bed. That's the way people vote.

Via Think Progress.

As we noted over and over throughout the Democratic primary, it's important to decry sexism against women in politics even if you don't agree with them on the issues or endorse their candidacy. With that we're depressed to note that the sexist bullshit against Republican VP pick Sarah Palin is cropping up so soon:

C'mon. Criticize her on the basis of her political record or experience. Don't make it about looks.

(For those who don't get the "joke," this should explain it.)

UPDATE: And Jill points out another incident, too.