http://clararaubertas.net/blog/gender-and-politics-followup/ Miscellaneous thoughts from a Cantabridgian web developer. Fri, 18 May 2012 19:16:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 http://clararaubertas.net/blog/gender-and-politics-followup/#comment-25 Clara Mon, 26 May 2008 21:47:00 +0000 http://clararaubertas.net/blog/?p=44#comment-25 The way I read the quote (especially in the context of the rest of the article) made it seem like it was making the logical leap that I've seen a lot of people make: Clinton has gender-neutral problems (e.g. blatant lying), therefore sexism against her must be trivial -- but my argument is that it's important to acknowledge the considerable sexism she faces, even though it's easy to get distracted by her real (and perhaps larger) non-gendered problems. The way I read the quote (especially in the context of the rest of the article) made it seem like it was making the logical leap that I’ve seen a lot of people make: Clinton has gender-neutral problems (e.g. blatant lying), therefore sexism against her must be trivial — but my argument is that it’s important to acknowledge the considerable sexism she faces, even though it’s easy to get distracted by her real (and perhaps larger) non-gendered problems.

]]> http://clararaubertas.net/blog/gender-and-politics-followup/#comment-21 joaniechachi Sun, 25 May 2008 18:14:00 +0000 http://clararaubertas.net/blog/?p=44#comment-21 In general, I agree with you, but I think you're overreaching on the interpretation of that particular quotation. Yes, Hillary is dealing with sexism, and a lot of it in some places. However, her problems in the primary are largely influenced by her gender-neutral missteps (repeated blatant lying, for example). While there are people who didn't vote for her in the primary because she's a woman, the crucial segment of voters she needed was the segment who thought critically about the positions and actions of the candidates, and then chose Obama. If she'd won those people, she would have won the primary. It would be absurd to say Clinton hasn't faced sexism or had problems with it, but for a columnist to say that Hillary Clinton's problems come LESS from sexism than from her positions and actions is pretty much spot on. In general, I agree with you, but I think you’re overreaching on the interpretation of that particular quotation. Yes, Hillary is dealing with sexism, and a lot of it in some places. However, her problems in the primary are largely influenced by her gender-neutral missteps (repeated blatant lying, for example). While there are people who didn’t vote for her in the primary because she’s a woman, the crucial segment of voters she needed was the segment who thought critically about the positions and actions of the candidates, and then chose Obama. If she’d won those people, she would have won the primary. It would be absurd to say Clinton hasn’t faced sexism or had problems with it, but for a columnist to say that Hillary Clinton’s problems come LESS from sexism than from her positions and actions is pretty much spot on.

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