A Question
Posted by funkyacademic on January 10, 2008
Am I the only one who feels guilty about considering herself a feminist yet not wanting Hilary to win?
Posted by funkyacademic on January 10, 2008
Am I the only one who feels guilty about considering herself a feminist yet not wanting Hilary to win?
Michelle said
I’m on the fence about a few things.
But I don’t think that you should want Hillary to win just because she’s a woman and vote for that cause. (I did hear about people yelling “Iron my shirts,” and I was appalled that people exist who think that way and feel safe being so inappropriate.)
I think it’s interesting that people talk in terms of Obama being the first black president when he’s so not representative of the black experience in America. I think I blogged this, but I ordered some magazines through a fundraiser, and I ordered Details, which as it turns out is a magazine for men (and not anybody in my household, thanks so much, God, much of it was so offensive), but Michael Chabon had an entire article in it about how he would vote for Obama for the black representative. I just don’t get it. Not for that reason.
wolfa said
I guess it depends why you don’t want her to win. Because you don’t like her policies, don’t think she’d be effective, whatever? Fine. Because you don’t think she’d be the supreme best most amazing president ever, and therefore would set back the idea that women could ever be president by 20 years? Problematic, because at that standard, no woman (black/non-Christian/etc) could ever be president.
I do not actually have a preference between the candidates, though semi-watching the news is interesting.
funkyacademic said
My problem with Hilary is that I don’t know what she believes in. She says whatever is politically advantageous at the moment (some people might say that is the definition of a politician, but I would differ). She’s also way too much of a centrist for me.
I’m not concerned about what her failure would confirm for people who don’t believe a woman could be president. They’re assholes, IMHO
Michelle, while I would be thrilled to have a black man as president, it isn’t the *reason* I prefer Obama to Hilary, and I agree with you it is troubling that some support him for that reason alone (it reminds me of an argument the Sig Other and I had back when Lieberman ran with Kerry and he said he would vote for them because a Jew was running–I was outraged given that Lieberman’s politics don’t represent his). I like Obama because I think he is honest, young enough to be untainted by Washington, and very smart. I, in fact, prefer John Edwards to them both, but I certainly like Obama better than Hilary.
And yikes, notice I call her Hilary and him Obama????
wolfa said
I actually sort of understand voting for a minority just because they aren’t a Christian white dude, assuming they’re generally well-qualified and more or less on your side politically.
I only ever end up voting strategically, but that’s mostly because the elections in my riding aren’t disputed. If it were a close race, I don’t know what I would do.
joanna said
In order to be a feminist, you have to use your own mind and vote for the person whom you think will be the best president in the next four years.
desertdemocrat said
I agree with Joanna–you have to make up your own mind. For me, this election is all about who has the best shot at winning the general election. I just posted about this moments ago.
Sorry I haven’t checked in for awhile; I had your old url in my rss feeder so wasn’t getting notices when you posted.