I’m a little peeved. I was reading through my links list and once again was shocked by the division of the left with regards to Clinton vs. Obama. We are attacking each other viciously based on who’s support who. There’s even a boycott at DailyKos because some Clinton supporters don’t like the way the Obama supporters are behaving. Following the links from here to there (and everywhere in between) led me to my favorite feminist site. There was some analysis of an article by an older rad fem who believes (basically) that women who aren’t supporting Clinton1 are being deceived because we’re weak and trying to impress the men folk. There are some sane voices, saying it doesn’t matter who a woman chooses to vote for as long as she’s choosing to vote (and someone mentioned that to fight for the right of choice is to fight for the right of choice throughout every aspect of our lives as women- with which I completely agree).
But I cannot get past the sentiment that as a woman I must vote for another woman as president. As if I’m being traitorous for not doing so. As if I can’t make an informed, educated decision to not vote for the woman set before me.
Here’s the (admittedly) worse comment of the lot. I’ll answer with my own thoughts throughout.
The Clintons’ marital problems aren’t even a blip on my radar. Why should I give a damn about that?
I just believe that, to be blunt, if you’re a feminist, if you’re a woman, you’re nuts to even consider voting for Yet Another Man for President.
Especially when Clinton’s policy positions are fairly similar to Obama’s, only better mapped out and with more real experience behind them.
Since I’m a feminist (though I would be defined less so by feminists such as this) I have used my brain to make a decision I feel is best for me. I don’t believe that Sen. Clinton would be the best choice for what is important to me. For one, she voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act. In favor of defining marriage as between one man and one woman. This alone has the potential to make me turn away from her. Is it better to elect a woman that would hinder the rights of another group of minority citizens just because she possesses ovaries?
Um, no.
And on the Iraq war vote: Obama HADN’T BEEN ELECTED TO THE SENATE YET, so people need to quit pretending he’s some Crusader for International Justice because he didn’t vote for the resolution. It’s a flat-out bullshit argument.
Yet Sen.Clinton had more than one chance to vote “Nay” on any resolution regarding our involvement in Iraq. She didn’t do that. No, Obama didn’t have the chance to vote “Yea” the first time, but Clinton had the chance to vote “Nay” the second time. And she still voted right along with Bush.
You want change for women? You want to slap the patriarchy upside the head and make it shut up about how women should stay home and bake cookies? You want to put a big dent in sexist double-standards and stereotypes? Here’s a real chance to make that happen for once. This is everything feminists have been working toward since the Suffragist movement and you’re going to let it slip through your fingers because right-wing white male pundits have castration anxiety and because she voted on one resolution the same way nearly every other member of Congress did? Flippin’ bananas.
My vote isn’t dependent on what any man has to say- except Obama2. And here’s the old argument “Well THEY did it too!” Doesn’t make any of them right, does it? She’s voted against equal rights and for Bush’s invasion and has proven to be a dirty player in all of this. But she’s a woman so I should vote for her?
I respect the decision that some have made to vote for Sen. Clinton based on her record and what she’s done for New York (someone I call a friend is proud to have Clinton represent him and I respect that) and I’m glad that some folks respect my decision not to vote for her. But honestly, I think the people that think I’m less than a woman because of who I choose to vote for should stuff their opinions straight up their asses.
My question becomes, what kind of woman is the above commenter who votes for someone because of their double X chromosome and regardless of their history? What does it say of a person to say “I’m a woman and so I have to vote for Clinton?” That type of attitude is one of the things that is so wrong with our electoral process. “I like blah blah because blah blah is female/male/white/black/Christian/not-Christian…” is worse than being a woman and using other criteria to decide for whom to vote. I chose against Hillary because I am capable, as an educated, literate, and thoughtful woman, to make that choice for myself.
Someone who really wants to be equal and be taken seriously should use something more than “She’s a woman” in determining for whom to vote. Suppose Ann Coulter were to run for president against Obama. Based on the reasoning by the above commenter, I can safely guess it would be Ann who would get the vote. How sad is that?
Lil’ Miss said something to me that I think earns a mention here. My 16 year-old told me:
Mama, do you realize how historically significant3 this election is? For the first time in our country’s history we have a woman and a Black person running for president- and one of them will probably get it. Can you believe it? It doesn’t matter if it’s the woman or the Black guy, someone is going to make history and I’m alive to see it. That’s progress that I’m proud of.
What I think of the Division
I’m a little peeved. I was reading through my links list and once again was shocked by the division of the left with regards to Clinton vs. Obama. We are attacking each other viciously based on who’s support who. There’s even a boycott at DailyKos because some Clinton supporters don’t like the way the Obama supporters are behaving. Following the links from here to there (and everywhere in between) led me to my favorite feminist site. There was some analysis of an article by an older rad fem who believes (basically) that women who aren’t supporting Clinton1 are being deceived because we’re weak and trying to impress the men folk. There are some sane voices, saying it doesn’t matter who a woman chooses to vote for as long as she’s choosing to vote (and someone mentioned that to fight for the right of choice is to fight for the right of choice throughout every aspect of our lives as women- with which I completely agree).
But I cannot get past the sentiment that as a woman I must vote for another woman as president. As if I’m being traitorous for not doing so. As if I can’t make an informed, educated decision to not vote for the woman set before me.
Here’s the (admittedly) worse comment of the lot. I’ll answer with my own thoughts throughout.
Since I’m a feminist (though I would be defined less so by feminists such as this) I have used my brain to make a decision I feel is best for me. I don’t believe that Sen. Clinton would be the best choice for what is important to me. For one, she voted in favor of the Defense of Marriage Act. In favor of defining marriage as between one man and one woman. This alone has the potential to make me turn away from her. Is it better to elect a woman that would hinder the rights of another group of minority citizens just because she possesses ovaries?
Um, no.
Yet Sen.Clinton had more than one chance to vote “Nay” on any resolution regarding our involvement in Iraq. She didn’t do that. No, Obama didn’t have the chance to vote “Yea” the first time, but Clinton had the chance to vote “Nay” the second time. And she still voted right along with Bush.
My vote isn’t dependent on what any man has to say- except Obama2. And here’s the old argument “Well THEY did it too!” Doesn’t make any of them right, does it? She’s voted against equal rights and for Bush’s invasion and has proven to be a dirty player in all of this. But she’s a woman so I should vote for her?
I respect the decision that some have made to vote for Sen. Clinton based on her record and what she’s done for New York (someone I call a friend is proud to have Clinton represent him and I respect that) and I’m glad that some folks respect my decision not to vote for her. But honestly, I think the people that think I’m less than a woman because of who I choose to vote for should stuff their opinions straight up their asses.
My question becomes, what kind of woman is the above commenter who votes for someone because of their double X chromosome and regardless of their history? What does it say of a person to say “I’m a woman and so I have to vote for Clinton?” That type of attitude is one of the things that is so wrong with our electoral process. “I like blah blah because blah blah is female/male/white/black/Christian/not-Christian…” is worse than being a woman and using other criteria to decide for whom to vote. I chose against Hillary because I am capable, as an educated, literate, and thoughtful woman, to make that choice for myself.
Someone who really wants to be equal and be taken seriously should use something more than “She’s a woman” in determining for whom to vote. Suppose Ann Coulter were to run for president against Obama. Based on the reasoning by the above commenter, I can safely guess it would be Ann who would get the vote. How sad is that?
Lil’ Miss said something to me that I think earns a mention here. My 16 year-old told me:
That’s my girl.
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