So our Homegirl broke her adorable right elbow seen so sweetly raised in a salute! What a Homegirl we have!
If we needed further evidence that our Homegirl was flesh, blood, and bone (I did not), last night’s Tweets put an end to that. Scads of Fangirls and Hillary’s Women reacted reflexively: “Poor Baby!”
Now I got into a brief, indirect, but for me perhaps elemental fray over those words some weeks ago. I defended their use by another. Many of us perceive Hillary as our little sister, daughter, aunt, mother, etc. No matter your age, if you feel that kind of bond with her, your reaction could easily be, “Poor Baby!”
When a buddy on a thread used that expression, she was met with a word-bomb by a poster with power. The words were deemed “sexist.” I stood in favor of the expression. The thread was taken down.
The thing that turned me away from “feminism” in the ’70s was the militancy, the group-think, the “rules.”
I don’t follow those rules. I am small, strong, very feminine, and I do shave. Sorry! I do not find dark hair on light skin especially attractive in some outside-the-bathing suit areas. That’s me! I never liked the “rules.”
Neither do I like rules about language. I am a linguist (via graduate studies). As such, I sit back and observe how language works – it’s a cool way to do research.
So! If women who love, support, and vow forever to be in the corner of one Hillary Rodham Clinton, react reflexively with “Poor Baby,” who am I or anyone to attack that reaction?
My friend Regency said it for 15 minutes (by her account) when she heard of Hillary’s injury. She is young, strong, a LEADER! I not only follow her on Twitter, I FOLLOW her! I turned my Twitter icon green because she led me. On Saturday night last, the icons became a green string – partially because of her leadership. I don’t know a stronger feminist than Regency. And she DID say, many times, “Poor Baby!”
It is NOT sexist!
I rest my case.
Okay, you so awesome. *hee* I got a shoutout. Great post. Hillary deserves out sympathy to the utmost and she’s got.
So funny. Of course, I agree with you. It’s all in the intent, really.
Right on, beh-beh! Can I say “beh-beh”? =:-D
LOL!! Yes! I am the last one to call in the word police!
I meant to mention that yesterday morning, when they reported the story on Today in New York, they showed a clip of her entering the White House press room. She flexed her knees a little and waved to someone in the front row (I am sure her new BF Helen Thomas). It was adorable. After the clip Darlene Rodgriguez and Megan Meany both went “Ahhhhhhhhhh!”
I think if people like her, they feel bad for her being hurt. It’s human. It’s called sympathy.
Still4Hill- I hope the person she was waving at really *was* Helen Thomas because I’m glad those two women have finally become friends- I think they both finally realized that they have more in common than not and not just the fact that they share the stage together getting honorary degrees- they both are feminists who live by example, they both have had to fight sexism and negative stereotypes in order to be taken seriously as they tried to break through the ‘boys club’ atmosphere of journalism, politics and anything having to do with the White House in general.
I don’t think it’s sexist to refer to Hillary as “cute”, to say “aaawwwww” or to remark on her appearance (and even to refer to her as “hot”) b/c we (Hillary fans) have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for her as a professional and as a person.
A problem only arises when people like Chris Mathews and Bay Buchanan reduce her to a cheap stereotype (for ex: casting her as a calculating, power-hungry bitch) . When Mathews spent a show (during the campaign) discussing her cleavage as a cynical political ploy, I wanted to put my foot through the television. And those of us who support women’s rights in all it’s forms have a responsibility, in my view, to call people on that type of blatant sexism.
And I agree with your frustration at having pro-Hillary folks being labeled “sexist” for referring to Hillary with terms of endearment- women who consider themselves feminists, pro-women’s rights (or whatever term one prefers to use) so little to advance the cause by self-righteously taking on the role of self-appointed word Nazi and looking for every opportunity to get offended in an attempt to enforce unwritten, subjective rules no one ever agreed to.
So, on that note (and in honor of standing up against the word nazis), I would like to leave you with this thought- Hillary is a totally awesome, sexy, adorable, inspirational, *HOT* Woman of Power that I could look at all day (and listen to all day, too)!
Beautifully said, Stacy – for all of us.
I also want to mention that when we comment on her appearance, we are appreciating her artfulness in putting herself together. All of us who work every day know what goes into that, and why shouldn’t we notice?
Still4Hill,
I just read this comment on another blog.
Quote:
“I wish I could remember the article, but just the other day I read a piece written by a woman about Hillary and she described what she was wearing! It wasn’t a negative piece by any measure but still, why must a woman’s appearance be part of the story?”
__________
I read that before I saw your comment here about commenting on Hillary’s appearance! So, I just went back over to the other blog to pull out that quote. And while I was over there doing that, I posted a reply which was along the lines of what you’ve said here.
I don’t have a problem with people discussing Hillary’s appearance if they are respectful. If they are *trashing* her appearance, or not taking her seriously as a world leader, then I am not in favor of those types of comments, obviously. But I don’t see the harm in expressing appreciation for her outfits, hairstyles, jewelry, etc. She has gone to some length to look good, and we should take notice, IMO!
Yes, and her role involves being in front of people.
You know, she’s so pretty, she could get away with very little fuss, but you can see that she is meticulous in her grooming and wardrobe. All of us whose role in life involves facing the public in any way know that care of one’s appearance takes some time and trouble and also truly does have an effect. I resent being told not to pay attention to her pantsuits.
For the record, of course I listen to her message! I am working on a project right now that she inspired. But I also appreciate the aesthetics involved in the framing of the message – that would include the appearance of the carrier. Hillary never disappoints in this respect, so I like to be sure she knows we’re looking and we like!
Honestly, I think only someone who is fascinated with her physically cares about what she’s wearing or how. Otherwise, they’d have no reason to remark on her kitten heels or what, if any, cleavage she’s showing. The very people who spend so much time vilifying her only reveal that they’re as taken with her as some of her supporters.
They spend the same paragraphs berating her that we spend praising her. In the end, we’ve all been thinking about her for quite a long time. The difference is that those who admire and adore her admit it. The others just talk loud and use big font because apparently it’s unpopular to be taken with brilliant women.
Who knew?
Regency,
You are right about the fascination with Hillary being the dominant force behind the criticism of her. If you really don’t like how she looks, you probably wouldn’t devote any time at all looking at her, let alone commenting endlessly about it. There are many people out there that I find unattractive. I cannot imagine why I would go out of my way to check them out and then comment on their appearance.
I am reminded of a critique I once heard about the music of legendary composer Richard Wagner. He was so influential that even the composers who hated the ground Wagner walked on were heavily influenced by him — because they spent so much time going out of their way to study and deconstruct his music in order to make sure that their music did not sound anything like his!
It seems like most of the people commenting negatively about Hillary’s appearance are people who feel threatened by her intellect, willingness to be outspoken about issues she cares about and yes, her insistence on shattering the last vestiges of the glass ceiling and her refusal, from the moment she set foot in the White House as First Lady, to sit quietly behind her husband and conform to their outdated view of how the First Lady should appear and act. Chris Mathews comes to mind.
In the 90s they criticized Hillary for not seeming hyper-obsessed with her appearance and applied the tried and true equation for sexism by trying to imply that her lack of overt femininity (as defined by who?) + her outspokenness+ her vocal support for women’s rights=lesbian. How very original. Then when Hillary did/does seem to show interest in fashion/her appearance those very same people then turned around and accused it of being some disingenuous, cynical political ploy. Again, Chris Mathews comes to mind. And Dick Morris.
In comparison, I don’t see very pro-Hillary fans using her appearance to belittle her or objectify her- quite the opposite, in fact. And can anyone honestly argue that our admiration and love of Hillary is for no other reason than her clothes, body type and overall appearance? Please. She could show up for work every day in a burlap bag and she’d still be the most beautiful woman around in my opinion..
With her broken elbow, she can start doing that right now, if she wants. I think she would look especially fetching that way.
Edited to add: If they want to play her as gay – we’ll take her. What those dirty minds behind less than hot MALE faces (Chris, Dick, Keith, Chuck) really are thinking is about getting their rocks off with the girl-on-girl thing. The ONLY time Matthews came anywhere NEAR her was THIS time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjsqDrdvIPw And I love how she pats him on the shoulder while turning her face to walk away. “Awwwww Chrissie!” BTW – If she ever came at ME like that “Chrissie” would get his “show.”
still4hill said ” If she ever came at ME like that “Chrissie” would get his “show.”
No, no, no. Don’t invite Chris to that one-He’s done nothing to deserve it. Instead, let him just go nuts wondering what he’s missing.