Why Feminists Should Love Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin has galvanized American social conservatives, those least responsive to the feminist message.
Shouldn’t feminists delight that conservatives have made a hero, a role model, of a woman? Doesn’t the Alaska Governor remind young girls that they can succeed in positions of power and responsibility?
Those who savage this successful reformer help diminish the accomplishments of a strong woman. When they badmouth her (as opposed to limiting their criticism to her policies), they define their feminism not as a means to empower women, but instead as an ideology designed to enact liberal policies and elect Democratic candidates.
Doesn’t sound much diferent from the agenda of the national gay groups. Just replace the word, “women” with the expression “gays and lesbians.”
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I think the thing that makes Sarah Palin somewhat controversial as a feminist role model is the fact that she seems to have accomplished a great deal, but while still clinging to the traditional (read stereotypical) role women have been expected to fill all these years in our country.
Some might feel that this perpetuates the stereotype, but at least she is truly exercising the choice…one that she can best live with.
Comment by J — November 2, 2008 @ 8:04 am - November 2, 2008
Sorry, J, but there are two things wrong with Sarah Palin:
1. She doesn’t celebrate abortion, and
2. She isn’t a Liberal.
It doesn’t help that she didn’t graduate from an Ivy League college.
It doesn’t help that she’s pretty.
It certainly doesn’t help that she seems to love American, even raising a son that is willing to fight for America.
But the feminists might put up with “pretty” and “ordinary college” if she had just aborted that Downs baby, instructed her daughter to abort her baby, made it clear that she doesn’t REALLY love America, and perhaps run on a platform of “you can’t be successful without government’s hand-up–and PLEASE, don’t even try.”
I think Gov. Palin’s own story gives the lie to that belief that no one can make it in America without Big Government’s intervention. Worse, her experience shows that corruption in government CAN be attacked and beaten.
Face it, she’s not what America(n government) wants.
Comment by Polly — November 2, 2008 @ 9:37 am - November 2, 2008
I have a theory that Palin makes liberal women feel secretly envious and ashamed.
The reaction to Palin from certain liberal women I know has been delusional. While otherwise nice people, and somewhat balanced, they are threatened by Palin and downright irrational in their beliefs and comments about her. For example, “She wants to deprive my 14-year old son of sex education!”, one such woman told me. That’s downright nutty for at least two reasons:
1) No, she doesn’t. Where do you get this stuff?
2) Even if she did, lady, why aren’t you and your husband teaching your son what *you* want to teach him? Palin is not a threat to you in this area. Quite the reverse: She’d love for you to exercise your power and teach your son whatever you care to.
Hopefully, that gives you an example of what I mean by these women having “threatened” and “delusional / irrational” reactions to Palin. On to my theories as to why.
Abortion is a huge part of it, of course. (Palin being very anti-abortion.) So is anti-militarism, usually the “ostrich” variety in which a person simply wants to escape the fact that America is threatened by militant Islam and must fight to defend herself, a fight in which real people die. (Palin has a military son whom she speaks of often.)
Abortion and escapist anti-militarism have, I think, been key drivers of Bush Derangement Syndrome. Bush is anti-abortion and Bush lives in a mental and moral universe where America is threatened by militant Islam and willing to fight it to defend herself; therefore NOTHING Bush says or does can possibly be right, ever. That, I think, is the beginning of BDS – and of liberal MDS, that is, liberal McCain Derangement Syndrome that has come to replace BDS.
But Palin Derangement Syndrome (PDS) goes even beyond that, with certain liberal women. What could the additional drivers be?
I think it comes down to this: Palin puts the lie to their lives and pretensions. Take Hillary Clinton. She, like many liberal women, pretends that she’s succeeded on her own – when the only reason she became known at all was because of her husband. And she pretends that, as a feminist hero and great gal, she has no hostility to or problems with men – when her biography and marriage tell a different story.
Now take Sarah Palin. She really *did* succeed in politics on her own; not from her husband. And, apparently, she really has a great, loving relationship with her husband, and no particular problems with men. And she is still fairly young and beautiful. In other words: “Sarah Palin has it all.” She is living the liberal feminist shibboleth, “you can have it all, baby” – for real. Other feminist women have found that they can’t, or not as well or as much. Like Hillary Clinton, they pretend they’ve pulled it off, or want to believe they’ve pulled it off – while living lives of secret unhappiness and anger. Then Palin comes along and she really does have it all: so Palin must be destroyed.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — November 2, 2008 @ 10:04 am - November 2, 2008
For the record, a propos of Palin and sex education, Google turned up this from the LA Times:
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — November 2, 2008 @ 10:07 am - November 2, 2008
Ah, so that’s what those acronyms stand for. Anyway, that liberals hate conservative women is nothing new … just look at the entire history of female Republicans at all levels of government to see more examples. But Palin is something of an extreme … I don’t think she has even one viewpoint that isn’t typical of a conservative, and she’s running for a pretty high office, so it makes sense that liberals will focus even more attention on her.
Comment by Stopped Clock — November 2, 2008 @ 11:20 am - November 2, 2008
Feminism was never about empowering all women – only a certain kind (liberal) woman. In order to get out of the house and take on the trappings of men – these educated white woman had to use and abuse many simple uneducated women of color to care for their homes and children.
Of course they hate it when someone not from their crowd does what they claimed they want for all women. Reason no. 1 why I am not a feminist. But here’s one thing I have they don’t – satisfaction and happiness. Same goes for Sarah.
Comment by Leah — November 2, 2008 @ 12:18 pm - November 2, 2008
Sometimes, the PDS phenomenon looks like the plot of a bad 40′s movie. A hot, smart young woman comes to town and turns the heads of all the men, and the old, uptight blue bloods can’t stand her and turn up their noses. “The nerve! The very nerve!”
Comment by V the K — November 2, 2008 @ 12:54 pm - November 2, 2008
Career; kids; respect and admiration from traditional men… For most women, it’s “pick any two”. Palin has them all.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — November 2, 2008 @ 1:08 pm - November 2, 2008
I like Palin a lot. I think her only real weakness is that she hasn’t had enough national press experience and it showed. I suspect if the ticket loses on Tuesday and Palin wants to have a seat in national politics in the future, she will do a lot more Sunday morning shows and other national press interviews and change the “idiot” perception some people have of her. I doubt the lefty feminists will go for anything other than the “idiot” perception though, because I think they find her threatening.
In a lot of ways my 15 year old daughter reminds me of her. My daughter likes hunting, and is a better shot than my husband. She is a feisty soccer player on her high school coed team, which plays in the boys division. Her nickname on the team is killer, because her little 5’4″ petite frame has knocked down or stopped many a taller and larger boy in his tracks. She also plays the flute. My sister calls her a regular Sarah Palin.
Comment by just me — November 2, 2008 @ 4:50 pm - November 2, 2008
[...] Why Feminists Should Love Sarah Palin [...]
Pingback by GayPatriot » Of Sarah Palin’s Marriage — and her Strength — November 3, 2008 @ 2:49 am - November 3, 2008
[...] blogs at Gay Patriot: The Internet Home for the American Gay Conservative, argues that feminists should be cheering Palin for appealing to a traditionally non-feminist group: Sarah Palin has galvanized American [...]
Pingback by BallotVox » Blog Archive » Palin: Feminist Role Model or Not? — November 3, 2008 @ 9:50 am - November 3, 2008
What about the fact that she has 5 children in a time of overpopulation. She had her 5th child over 40 – which is known to be a dangerous time for Downs Syndrome so that instead of being there for her 16 year old daugher she was having morning sickness. Now her daughter and grandchilds life chances have been greatly reduced. Where is the logic in that? You guys hate wealth redistribution – who do youthink is going to pay for teenage moms and Downs babies?
She likes hunting ie killing for sport – which is exactly what her son is doing in Iraq at the moment – only he is killing innocent people rather then polar bears.
She was chosen because she is a woman and not for her expertise and experience because if thats the best America’s got I say G-d help America!
Comment by Lilliput — November 3, 2008 @ 11:50 am - November 3, 2008
Lilliput, thank God she has 5 AMERICAN children. If overpopulation is your concern – please take a look at all those muslim countries where men are having 20 children with numerous wives.
As to paying for Down syndrome babies, Sarah and Todd are paying for their own children, they have yet to come to you to ask you to pay for them. Unlike most liberals who feel the government owes them money even for their healthy children.
I am sorry that Levi is not finishing high school, he has gone out to get a paying job to pay for his soon to be wife and child. So once again, they are taking reponsibility for their actions.
How do you know that Sarah only hunts for sport. I don’t know a single hunter who doesn’t eat what he/she hunts. Hunters waste nothing, if they don’t eat it themselves, they make sure that the meat from the kill ends up on someones table. Often poor people who can’t afford meat themselves.
As to Track Palin killing innocent people – I have nothing but contempt for you that you could make such a statement. I wish you a one way ticket to Iran, our military isn’t there. Watch this movie http://www.iranfocus.com/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=11929
Then, please have the Chutzpah to come back and say that Track is killing innocent people.
Comment by Leah — November 3, 2008 @ 12:54 pm - November 3, 2008
(High fives Leah!)
Comment by V the K — November 3, 2008 @ 1:16 pm - November 3, 2008
Hi Leah
Thank you for making my points so eloquently. Firstly, I’m in the UK where the death penalty is illegal so as long as the Death Penalty is still legal in the States, I don’t know how you can say those people are any better then then Americans are ( except for having more money to do it with greater speed and sophistication).
Having said that, I am fully aware that not all Americans are for the death penalty just like all of Iran doesn not condone what happened in that hanging and hence I would not go in bombing everything as that would be killing innocent people – people that are not in charge and have no say in stopping the murder occuring in front of them.
Those muslim countries are overpopulated precisly because abortion and birth control are not available – the very things that Palin is not keen on and G-d forbid wants to take away. Its very sad that a young boy has to give up his future to look after a child he didn’t want and to marry a girl he never wanted to – how about we take a bet now of £10 that their marriage will be over in 2 years if McCain/Palin win or if they lose – there will be no wedding at all.
As for the government not paying for Palin’s baby – who do you think pays her salary as a Senator – the government Duh! All we are saying is that if a cleaner has a Downs baby and works her heart out everyday but still doesn’t make enough to meet all his special needs that she has support – what is wrong with that. Contrary to popular belief the world does not laze on the pavements…..
Now, guessing from the Chutzpah you’re probably from my tribe and we the Jews have been hated, burned and pillaged by the very religious Christians longer then the Muslims so I don’t know why you and the gay author of this blog swear allegience to a women who probably thinks we will burn in the fires of hell – if there is one. I would prefer to be in a society which accepts the equality and freedom of colour, race, religion. A society that understands that they are not the centre of the Universe but rather a small part of a planet that is populated by I don’t know how many other billions of people who need to work together to save the planet and its endangered species.
The Cherry on the top however is the Polar Bear hunting – there are enough cows to eat G-d damn it – killing Polar Bears for fun is just psychopathic.
Comment by Lilliput — November 3, 2008 @ 2:03 pm - November 3, 2008
The main issue with Sarah Palin is that she is not very intelligent.
Comment by jane — November 3, 2008 @ 4:16 pm - November 3, 2008
She’s not, Jane, um, how do you know?
Comment by GayPatriotWest — November 3, 2008 @ 4:42 pm - November 3, 2008
I have four well loved and well cared for and fully supported by my husband and I chidren. If for some reason I found myself pregnant, then I would have 5 children. I think it is great that Palin and her husband have 5 kids that they obviously love and support.
As for hunting-considering her husband’s heritage I am willing to bet they do not hunt for sport. While I do not care for deer, my husband and at least half of the kids do, and when he hunts with my oldest daughter, and deer they kill ends up in the freezer and eventually on the dinner table. Wild game can be a great way for large families to supply food for the table.
Comment by just me — November 3, 2008 @ 5:11 pm - November 3, 2008
Aren’t you confusing things? As Leah points out (but I deplore her use of the slur “simple”), feminism has been the center of conflict amongst differing factions: upper class white women, blue collar white women, and women of color of all classes.
As was revealed by the likes of Gloria Steinem suggesting that Obama should bow out to make way for Hillary Clinton, race and class are a continuing struggle within feminism. Younger feminist of all colors took umbrage at older white feminist insistence that they were gender traitors for not voting by their chromosomes. Other feminists called people like Ted Kennedy a traitor for supporting Obama and not Clinton.
As for Sarah Palin, the question is whether she defines herself as a feminist. I’ve heard various points. Does she?
Many feminist believe that to be a real feminist, a woman must believe in equal pay for equal work and laws that enforce such a belief. Support of abortion is also considered part of the litmus test.
Those feminist would point to women like Phylis Schaffly, politically involved women who work outside the home but who are against
Similarly, the conservative movement has traditionally lobbied against women like Palin who have school aged children and work outside the home. Thus, from a conservative side, isn’t the message mixed? On a recent Christian talk show, the host took a swipe at Palin because she has young children but does not devote herself to them but follows her own personal career ambitions.
Comment by Blake — November 3, 2008 @ 5:29 pm - November 3, 2008
And if an unwed, unemployed single mother had chosen abortion 17 years ago… I would not have my adopted son CJ. So, Lilliput, Bite me. Seriously. Bite me.
Comment by V the K — November 3, 2008 @ 5:56 pm - November 3, 2008
And jane, she’s governor of Alaska. You’re leaving catty comments on someone else’s blog. I think that makes her more intelligent than you.
Comment by V the K — November 3, 2008 @ 6:36 pm - November 3, 2008
Lilliput, I am NOT from your tribe. Yes I am Jewish, which means that my highest authority is GOD not some liberal shibboleth. Sarah Palin has more respect for Jews and Israel than you do.
I fear what fanatical muslims will do to Jews and Gays – we see it happening every day, in Iran, in France, and these days, even in your beloved Great Britain.
Yes, for 2000 year Christian Europe reviled, hated, killed Jews. Then in the 20th century, secularism and something called National Socialism (otherwise known as Nazi) came into being and in 6 years killed more Jews than were killed in 2000 years before hand.
Your lovely continent laid low for 50 years, but enough was enough, now it is your lovely country that spews more antisemitism and hate than the Christian world does – and we’re not talking the few Chirstians who are left in Europe. We’re talking ‘enlightened secularists’. I’ve been to London, I’ve sat in a restaurant and heard the vile antisemtic conversation from good ol’ average Brits.
You have the audacity to say that deformed or imperfect children shouldn’t be born since they are a burden on society – gee sounds like you have more in common with Nazi philosophy than your so called Jewish roots.
Comment by Leah — November 3, 2008 @ 7:19 pm - November 3, 2008
Leah… you rule, srsly.
Comment by V the K — November 3, 2008 @ 9:02 pm - November 3, 2008
Thanks V the K, and Blake, I never said I was a feminist – I’m not, never have been. Simply a strong woman who thanks God daily that I married a wonderful man, that I have 3 wonderful healthy sons who respect women for who they actually are.
Feminism has always been about empowring wealthy educated white women. In order to do so, brown and black women had to take care of the children and the home. Sorry, I have a lot of respect for women – none for feminism.
That said: if feminists were honest with themselves they would see Sarah Palin as a vindication of their beliefs. Since they can’t it simply proves that they only speak for a certain kind of woman – and Sarah is not the right kind.
Comment by Leah — November 3, 2008 @ 9:11 pm - November 3, 2008
Leah, if only you were straight… and I was looking
As is, I owe you dinner if you swing by Columbus.
Comment by The_Livewire — November 3, 2008 @ 9:20 pm - November 3, 2008
Leah—bravo, bravo, and BRAVO!!!
Comment by Vivian — November 3, 2008 @ 9:56 pm - November 3, 2008
Live wire, I am straight, a straight woman, married for 30 years to a wonderful man. If ever I make it to Columbus I”ll take you up on the dinner.
Comment by Leah — November 4, 2008 @ 2:08 pm - November 4, 2008