Weirdest Nancy Pelosi headline yet
Dig it:
Big Tommy’s little girl now a feared grandmother gunning for Dubya
Aside from the mesmerizing infelicity of “feared grandmother,” what’s got my attention is the question of whether this is a case of unconscious sexism or a deliberately crafted insult. It’s so egregious that I wouldn’t be surprised at the latter. After all, one of the hallmarks of patriarchy is that women’s identities are completely subsumed under those of the men who own them. A woman is never herself; she’s always somebody’s daughter, somebody’s mother, somebody’s wife. This article is about the first female Speaker of the House in United States history, but the headline writer seems determined to let us and Nancy know that she’s still just somebody’s daughter or mother. He might as well have called her ofPaul.
Can you even imagine seeing a headline like, “Jack Hastert’s little boy now a feared grandfather gunning for Clinton“?
Is Denny Hastert a grandfather? Do you even know? I don’t. The man is a career politician and there’s no reason for him to be framed in public discourse as a cog in the reproductive machine. Unlike women, whose very existence under patriarchy is nothing but that of a cog in the reproductive machine.
The article itself hits all the usual shit-for-brains points: jokey sexual innuendo, references to Pelosi’s grooming (it’s perfect), descriptions of her as being “giddy” with power. And of course, the obligatory fashion paragraph.
However, the voting record of Washington’s “It” girl is of less interest to gossip columnists than her fashion sense. Unlike most female politicians, who are excoriated if they depart from the parameters of a stiff, boxy, angular look, she has been pronounced chic for flirting with such colours as sea foam, pale pink and red. And her pale yellow pant-suit was a knockout.
Years of this shit to look forward to. Years.
14 Responses to “Weirdest Nancy Pelosi headline yet”
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Kaitlyn says:
Ah, but fashion is ever-so-important in politics. Did you not see Legally Blonde 2?
Well, if we’re going to talk about Rep. Pelosi’s fashion sense, will we expand to the male politicians’?
“Most of the male politicians favor a formal suit, complete with cummerbund and pesky devil tail sticking out, but radical newcomer Bob Corker sticks to his ‘Tennessee Roots’ and goes with khakis and a polo shirt.”
I have no idea what I just said. But I do think we should expand to critiquing the guys for their fashion sense and hair (if they have any).
January 7th, 2007 at 11:57 pm EST -
Paul Tergeist says:
Denny Hastert is a grandfather, but he kept his grandkids well away from Mark Foley.
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Infidel says:
do they still wear wigs at the Supreme Court?
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B. Dagger Lee says:
Definitely years of this shit.
Here in NYC, the Times is going out of its mind with misogyny hysteria. Christine Quinn, an out lesbian and able politician is Council Speaker, and in a good position for a mayoral run after Mayor Mike’s term ends. Of course, there’s probably a male billionaire ready to step up to the plate. Anyway, a recent article on Quinn, had her tone as “steely,” a big tip-off word, I find. Steely women.
Then there’s Segolene Royal, also described recently as “steely,” in a really, really beyond the bounds article. Nancy and Hillary–a pair of Steelies. I think I’ll start calling myself Steely B. Dagger. I like it better than Ms.
I’m still working my way through a long conversation between you and Mandos on the origins of male dominance (May 7). A Too Big Question occurs to me—where and how is the incredible mortality rate of women in pregnancy accounted for in non-Judeo Christian societies? Do you have a post on this? I don’t know anything about anthropology.
-BDL
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Violet says:
where and how is the incredible mortality rate of women in pregnancy accounted for in non-Judeo Christian societies?
I think the general attitude in all patriarchal societies is along the lines of “them’s the breaks.” Women are the breeding stock, it’s their job to bear children for men, too bad that they drop like flies. Oops!
In non-patriarchal societies, that is, ones where women have control over their own reproductive lives and equal or near-equal social status with men, maternal mortality rates are much lower than in patriarchal societies (correcting for variations in technological and medical status, of course). Birth rates are also lower. When women control their own reproductive lives, they typically delay childbearing, space their children many years apart, terminate unwanted or seemingly dangerous pregnancies, and so forth.
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simply wondered says:
Years of this shit to look forward to. Years.
Well you were the ones who wanted women to do important things like whatever it is the speaker does.
Dagger - please don’t get Vi started on anthropology - the difference between you and the rest of us is that you don’t know about anthropology and we don’t want to. Only kidding, we have all benefitted from Vi’s great knowledge about err old stuff and if i could remember any of it i would definitely mention it here.
Now she’s going to write about ballet dancers again. Why do i do it to myself? -
simply wondered says:
Vi - i hadn’t read 5 above when i posted 6 - you know you’ll get shouted at again for implying there are non-patriarchal societies out there…. just saying
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manxome says:
Don’t slam the anthropology! I I had my way, it would be a required course (it can replace psychology). So, you know, watch it.
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foilwoman says:
Part of me reacts to the obvious sexism, but the other part of me thinks: they guys may not know it, but their own self-description is really pathetic. I wondered when Nancy Pelosi surrounded herself with her grandchildren, but I can’t imagine having such a huge career success and not surrounding myself with every child or other descendant or any other relative or friend who wanted to be there. Contrast that with Ronald Reagan, of whom, one reporter confessed that she always wanted to ask: (rather than his politics or other idiocy) “How many grandchildren do you have and what are their names and ages?” because she knew that was a question that would absolutely flummox him.
I don’t want the news media to write about Speaker Pelosi or Senator Clinton or Senator Feinstein as though their professional accomplishments are the be-all and end all. And anyone who writes about Bill Clinton and misses his weird and complex relationships with his wife and daughter and everyone other woman he’s ever met (and probably made a pass at) is missing a big key to who that man is.
The article is sexist as shit, but treating leaders of our nation as people who live in a context of other people actually seems like a rather good idea to me. Not their fashion sense though: who gives a crap.
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Kaitlyn says:
On the Colbert Report, he ran a clip during ‘The Word’ from CNN (I want to say) about Barack Obama’s fashion sense - and how it’s the same as the Iranian president.
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Paul Tergeist says:
Dubya is discussing with the Israelis who is going to nuke Iran, us or them.
On the home front, women still refuse to become armed and dangerous. It’s easier to assume the government can protect them. Buy a gun. Brinks can’t save you.
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Tanya says:
I can’t wait ’til Nancy gets in another cat fight!
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BAC says:
We will have years and years of this shit. And, notice in the headline that they never mention her name. In your example using the previous Speaker, you did mention his name and Clinton’s name — proving that unlike misogynists, it’s nearly impossible for someone who identifies as a feminist to be devious or mean spirited.
BAC
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Violet says:
True, BAC. And I should have used his mother’s birth name, but I don’t know what it is! Patriarchy strikes again!
