2008 Woodie Awards
Gender awareness lacking in politics
This is the third of three commentaries from the PLF that will appear in The Pacific Index this spring.
Shoemaker, Jessi
Issue date: 5/9/08 Section: Opinion
This presidential election's October surprise came a year early. Okay, so it was technically a November surprise; and, really, maybe not so much of a surprise at all.
At a small South Carolina gathering of supporters for John McCain, Arizona senator and Republican presidential nominee, an audience member stood up and asked the smug question, "How do we beat the b----?" The crowd laughed and applauded. The clever, "I thought she was talking about my ex-wife!" set the room rolling again. (see for yourself-just type in that question on YouTube.) After a few guffaws himself, McCain composed himself and answered. "That's an excellent question."
Wait, excuse me sir-that's an excellent question?! What if the same smart aleck had stood up and asked the question aimed instead at attacking another Democratic candidate. "How are we going to stop the n-----?" Would that also be an excellent question? Something tells me that even in South Carolina that phrasing would have elicited a slightly different response.
You might be wondering why I'm talking about this now, seven months after the fact. The question was not posed by a party good old boy, but an affluent white woman. Pacific is lucky to have the Center for Gender Equity raising student awareness concerning gender issues facing America today.
The recent bake sale in observation of Equal Pay Day, where women paid 75 cents and men paid one dollar for cookies in respect to the wage disparities still present today, was one such event. Munching my discounted snack brought to mind this woman's comment and its reflection of a society so ingrained with gender discrimination that even a member of the same sex labels a woman willing to challenge a man a b----.
To be fair, McCain handled a completely tactless question in a somewhat redemptive manner, spinning it towards poll results and ending his response by stating that he respected Hillary Clinton.
While the race for the Democratic nomination has brought with it a refreshing burst of diversity, it's also revealed a surprising truth: America still struggles with its misogynistic problems. Many are asking, is the country ready for an African American president?
I for one am wondering, is America ready for a woman president? When questions such as that can be asked so nonchalantly and received in such an unflinching manner, especially in the public sphere, I'm just not so sure.
At a small South Carolina gathering of supporters for John McCain, Arizona senator and Republican presidential nominee, an audience member stood up and asked the smug question, "How do we beat the b----?" The crowd laughed and applauded. The clever, "I thought she was talking about my ex-wife!" set the room rolling again. (see for yourself-just type in that question on YouTube.) After a few guffaws himself, McCain composed himself and answered. "That's an excellent question."
Wait, excuse me sir-that's an excellent question?! What if the same smart aleck had stood up and asked the question aimed instead at attacking another Democratic candidate. "How are we going to stop the n-----?" Would that also be an excellent question? Something tells me that even in South Carolina that phrasing would have elicited a slightly different response.
You might be wondering why I'm talking about this now, seven months after the fact. The question was not posed by a party good old boy, but an affluent white woman. Pacific is lucky to have the Center for Gender Equity raising student awareness concerning gender issues facing America today.
The recent bake sale in observation of Equal Pay Day, where women paid 75 cents and men paid one dollar for cookies in respect to the wage disparities still present today, was one such event. Munching my discounted snack brought to mind this woman's comment and its reflection of a society so ingrained with gender discrimination that even a member of the same sex labels a woman willing to challenge a man a b----.
To be fair, McCain handled a completely tactless question in a somewhat redemptive manner, spinning it towards poll results and ending his response by stating that he respected Hillary Clinton.
While the race for the Democratic nomination has brought with it a refreshing burst of diversity, it's also revealed a surprising truth: America still struggles with its misogynistic problems. Many are asking, is the country ready for an African American president?
I for one am wondering, is America ready for a woman president? When questions such as that can be asked so nonchalantly and received in such an unflinching manner, especially in the public sphere, I'm just not so sure.
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