Ok, let's face it. Unless you've been
asleep for a week, even the busiest of working moms know that
there's a new face on the national political scene and that face
belongs to a pretty 44-year-old working mom who is the Governor of
Alaska and now Republican candidate for Vice President. She is
stirring up a lot of emotion in women across the nation. That's why
I posted this blog as everyone at work, at football games, at
the gym is talking about Sarah Palin and the discussions are
passionate. So who's stirred up? Well, all of us it seems, but
here are some examples:
1. She's stirring up my feminist friends
because they really want to see a woman at the top of a ticket, at
the top of our country, at the top of business, heck everywhere men
are. At 51 percent of the population and controlling the majority
of this country's wealth, it certainly is time to see our
government reflect us. The White House Project does
a better job of explaining why we need more women in government
than I can in this post, but it is a fact. We do. The world is
better and governed better when views are heard from both
sexes.
But "feminists" covers a wide range of
women who don't vote as a bloc any more than any other "group" of
Americans. Just because a woman is on the ticket, the Republicans
are still a party seen by many as the party that holds women's
rights back. And what's with the "I'm for the hot chick" buttons
worn by delegates the other night, my friend asked? So for all
of these reasons and more, feminists are stirred.
2. She's stirring up my work-at-home-mom
friends, the soccer moms, hockey moms and igniting the mommy wars. I'm shocked, actually, by the overt sexism displayed by folks who
question Palin's ability to be a good mom and work. Ergh. Most of
the ones doing the questioning at least on mainstream media seem to
be women. This, my friends, is where we all lose. Divided we
never will achieve equality and as all women know -- we can be
each other's best friends individually and the most fierce
combatants in groups. We need to knock it off. But until we do,
Palin and her choice of working while she has kids (oh, add the
words "special needs" and "baby" and she's really getting slammed)
will be a divisive pot stirrer. The choice -- if you can call it
that since most women can't -- to work or not stirs up a bunch
of emotions.
3. She's stirring viewers: 37
million viewers, to be exact, tuned in to hear her speech,
second only to Obama's acceptance speech numbers. Those numbers
equate to huge numbers of opinions, most of
them different than yours or mine but still stirred up, one
way or another. We're learning something about ourselves and our
friends through this debate.
The sad fact is that in every
election since 1980, women have voted in higher rates
than men but we have not seen ourselves reflected back at us as a
choice on the ballot. One woman cannot, should not, be
representative of all of us. Heck, imagine a day when we had a
choice of women, heading each major party ticket. That day
will come. But until then, when one woman is put forth as an answer
for all women, she cannot possibly measure upl. She will
galvanize the women who relate to her, the Republicans who believe
as she does, and some of the hockey/soccer/football/baseball moms
who feel like her message resonates.
And in the meantime, she's made waves and
put a new face on the national political stage and that's
always positive, no matter the outcome.
Kaira Sturdivant Rouda is the working
mom of four, who's first book Real You Incorporated: 8
Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs celebrates the power of
women in business and in the world.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Real You: Why the Sarah Palin nomination stirs something inside us all
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From the Community…
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Posted by Fri Sep 5, 2008 3:29pm PDT
Report AbuseI would consider my self a feminist and thats exactly why I am upset Mccain picked Sarah Palin. He is just using a woman to help get the votes because he needed to "make history" alongside Obama. I am not saying that Sarah Palin isn't a great governor in Alaska and she certainly is a great speaker but it bothers me because I know why he picked her and the only reason is is because she's female.
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Posted by Fri Sep 5, 2008 3:52pm PDT
Report AbuseYes, an interesting take on things. The idea that one female candidate will attract all female voters is highly unlikely. It still comes down to the issues that Palin represents, i.e. those with pro choice beliefs may not feel she represents their view point. She appears to be a smart woman capable of functioning within a political environment. Is she every woman's pick....doubtful.
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Posted by Fri Sep 5, 2008 4:21pm PDT
Report AbuseI wanted the best person to be our president. Woman or man makes no real difference to me. All things being equal I wauld be glad to see the best candidate be a woman...unfortunately Hillary is not in the race. When Mrs. Palin earns her stripes and can hold her own against the best we have to offer then she needs to try again!
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Posted by Fri Sep 5, 2008 4:38pm PDT
Report AbuseShe stirs up the heebie-jeebies in me. When I see her face and hear her grating little voice, I think of the devil. And that is hilarious because I don't believe in the devil.
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Posted by Fri Sep 5, 2008 5:14pm PDT
Report AbuseMcCain's pick of Palin is not just to pull the women's vote. This is nonsense. What is clearly obvious to those who can see is that she is a maverick like McCain and when faced with what is not right for the people, mothers as well as fathers and children she will not sit and be quiet or back down. McCain needed a maverick like him who understood the woman's view of political corruption and waste. She was the only logical pick of all possibilities just for that reason.
And not liking someone over their voice or the way they carry themselves is prejudicial and dumb.
Track records clearly laid out in history show who is experienced or not. That's why resume's are given out to get a job.
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Posted by Fri Sep 5, 2008 5:16pm PDT
Report AbuseThree times the exp of the others Pres cand....a maverick like McCain who can share the womens point of view....those two will change what is thought of when one thinks republican and have more experience than the other two times ten.
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Posted by Fri Sep 5, 2008 8:32pm PDT
Report AbuseShe is a backward rightwinger. She does nothing to support womens rights . This is a shame in this day and age . I'm very much in favor for women to finally having equal treatment but, not this one. She seems angry ,controlling and ignorant.She can smile and dance around the real issues all she wants but I see right through her. I would never vote for Mc Cain/Palin . She is scary and creepy. God help America if these two ever get in office.
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Posted by Fri Sep 5, 2008 9:24pm PDT
Report AbuseIt bugs me because I DON'T AGREE WITH HER POLITICS, period. Nothing else.
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Posted by Fri Sep 5, 2008 11:11pm PDT
Report Abuseit bothers me that a woman was chosen as a running mate just for the reason that she is a WOMAN...not for her qualifications, not for her beliefs. Listening and reading about her views it does not seem to be the same of any woman of this time and age.
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