Why This Feminist Won't Vote for Clinton
8 Reasons Why I've Been Turned Off From the Clinton Campaign
As a feminist, here are just some of the reasons Hillary Clinton is not my candidate.
1. I am discomforted by the idea that Hillary Clinton's eight years as first lady somehow translates into "experience" for the presidency. It strikes me as a woman defining herself by her partner, and that's not a message I like.
2. The Monica Lewinsky scandal isn't doing anyone any favors. I don't think sex and sex scandals are reasons to vote or not vote for a candidate, but I do think how they are handled matters. And I don't like how Hillary Clinton has repeatedly used the Lewinsky affair as an example of her strength, as an excuse to talk about her faith, and as a veiled demand that I, as a woman, identify with her experience of an unfaithful mate. A powerful man getting sex from a woman not his wife isn't interesting, surprising or relevant to my life, and the notion that it is or should be offends me as a feminist.
3. Hillary Clinton talking about the glass ceiling seems a little silly. Yes, people in this country are still sexist in appalling ways and women have to combat all sorts of ridiculous notions to rise in the ranks in virtually any endeavor. However, Hillary Clinton comes from a background of privilege and her becoming president will not, actually, change any of those things. Additionally, with her education, economic background and access to power (really, how many women can just up and move to New York so they can be a senator?) I have to argue that Hillary Clinton's glass ceiling is a lot thinner than that of most women, and therefore, ultimately irrelevant to my own feminist existence.
4. The assumption that as a woman I should vote for a female candidate even if she isn't the right person for the job, insults my intelligence and the intelligence of women everywhere. We are informed, thinking people worried about the future of this country, not a herd of beauty magazine reading gazelles who will go vote as we're told.
5. Hillary Clinton seems to lack confidence in her identity as a woman and a leader. The constant change of tactics from yelling every line in every speech to tearing up all reads false and does a disservice to women everywhere who juggle roles sometimes as disparate as mother and soldier. If America's women can be confident in their multiple roles and identities, why can't Hillary Clinton?
6. Oratorical skills. I'm not talking about Hillary Clinton's skills vs. Obama's formidable speaking skills. Rather, I'm talking about Hillary Clinton's unfortunate tendency to pitch her voice up on the end of what should be firm statements such that they instead sound like questions. That bad habit of female speech (it's an attempt to be pleasing and gain reassurance) was drummed out of me giving book reports in fourth grade. If I can do it, why can't Hillary Clinton?
7. The 30-minute ad on the Hallmark channel. Do I even need to explain my objection to this one?
8. Iraq. War is not a feminist value. Going to war because you need to look tough or were peer-pressured into it does not speak to feminist confidence.
Published by Racheline Maltese
Racheline is an actor, writer and director with a journalism BA from GWU; she studied at the Atlantic Theater Company and NIDA. She lives in NYC with her partner and is the author of The Book of Harry Potte... View profile
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7 Comments
Post a CommentExcellent! I agree with everything you said, and I'm not even a feminist. I'm not happy with any of the choices, Democrat or Republican.
Also, BRAVO Racheline-you summed it up so, so well. I am so damn offended by Hillary supporters giving me that "you're setting the women's movement back 50 years by your vote" look when THEY see my Obama pin and start interrogating me about it. No, sweetie, YOU are setting the women's movement back by being SEXIST-as I woman I must vote for a women, even if I don't agree with her policies. I apologize for taking that whole equal rights thing so literally.
Also, I've NEVER seen an Obama supporter go up to someone with a Hillary button and interrogate them about their choice. But I've seen and been the victim of such harassment almost 15 times since Super Tuesday.
So, because two people are both young and charismatic, this means they vote the same way? How ridiculous a correlation is that? It's not even worth discussing any of your political rationales after such a pointless and irresponsible statement.
Great article. I too think Hillary is a step back for women. It pained me to not vote for a female candidate, but she is not the right person for the job.
The reason being Bill is selling a "buy one, get one free" and return to his idyllic "co-presidency" of the 1990s with him being a bonus "close personal adviser". That smacks of 3rd term to me. He was impeached and disbarred from practicing law. I have no respect for females who want him back in the White House as First Man. Horrid role model for our youth. It is people like Norman who are trying to give McCain a win in November by supporting known corruption in our highest office. Does he or Clinton know we are low on troops? Obama does. Obama has been quite active in helping our Viet Nam vets and also our Iraqi and Afghanistan homeless ones. Obama feels we need to be as careful pulling out as we careless going in. That is wisdom that has nothing to do with age. I do not find he has "charisma". Just very intelligent and excellent public speaking skills when it comes to speeches. Excellent article.
I especially like number 4, except I would not use the label (made me smile though, about the beauty magazines). Bill Clinton is scheduled to appear in court in Los Angeles on 4/25/08 in a lawsuit going on since 2003. Hillary got her name removed as a defendant, but will have to testify in court. She complains the press picks on her, but how many times have you seen a report on this trial? It is rather important for voters to know about because it stems from her prior FEC fraud and non-disclosure. Monica: Hillary portrayed Bills playmates as the aggressors. She said in her book something like "I gasped" when Bill admitted he lied under oath to the Grand Jury. They used to say "the wife is the last one to know". So either she is not able to discern liars (he was seeing Jennifer Flowers, for what 8 years?) or she is lying herself. Divorcing him if she wanted to be president would have been the way to go.
Oy vey to Norman's comment. She already voted yes to Iran. How could he trust her not to make the same mistakes again. First she was all for the invasion of Iraq. Next she told Code Pink that she gave the matter careful study, would like to agree, but could not. She said it was her proudest vote. Next she said "we acted on faulty intelligence" (see number 8) not taking personal responsibility for her own vote. Next she screeched: "this is George Bush's war...this was always George Bush's war". What will she say about her Iran yes vote? Oh, I already know: It is a non-issue, and her "enemies are spreading lies" about her vote. She said it is "make-up" and "fantasize" and wants to talk about "real issues". Hello, it is a real issue to me. Those people in Iran, like the babies and children in Iraq are not rubber dollies. So it is not just females who are unthinking in their vote.