Remember "The Total Woman"?
I was just a teenager at the time, but I remember the controversy created in the 1970's by Marabel Morgan's book The Total Woman. It was probably one of the most talked about books of the decade. The book encouraged women to spice up their marriages by meeting their husbands at the door, upon their arrival home from work, wrapped in Saran Wrap (just plastic wrap) and nothing else... a little fun gift for him to unwrap. The women's liberation movement was outraged. That was the time of Ms. magazine and Gloria Steinem, with slogans like: "A woman's place is in the house and in the senate."
Virginia Slims cigarettes tauted a similar slogan:
"You've Come A Long Way, Baby" to which the women's movement responded:
"We haven't come a long way, and we're not babies!"
In the Presidential election last year, it became very clear to me that the playing field is not level. Sarah Palin was immediately sexualized. Her statement that: "the only difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull is lipstick" was viewed as cute, but not so clever. Her wardrobe was dissected; they don't do that to men and she became a running joke on "Saturday Night Live." She took it all in stride; she's much tougher than a pit bull. I think she might actually be "the total woman."
Karen
RainyDayGirl
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
9 Comments:
I felt bad for Sarah, but she DID seem to handle it well. I'm sure men aren't judged on their clothes, because a suit, is pretty much a suit. Every once in a while, you hear a comment about 'that tie!'
By veronikkamarrz, Feb 04 09 6:27 PM
Palin is pretty resilient in the way she fields silly insults. Her hours are so taken up with real concerns that I doubt she has energy to think about stuff that doesn't matter.
Those red Naughty Monkey pumps were way cool, though. I had a pair similar to them in high school but mine were blue.
By ktstew, Feb 04 09 7:47 PM
Nice walk down memory lane there, Karen.
I think most of us [females] thought that Palin would be treated much the way she in fact was, I know I did. Unfortunate, but true, and I think she handled it well also. No matter what is said, I think men are still cowed by a strong woman, especially one in wicked shoes...
By jordandog, Feb 05 09 7:41 AM
It kind of depends, I've found. Men who have little to offer in themselves tend to shy away from strong women. On the other hand -the more interesting and accomplished the fellow is, the more he longs for somebody who is equally bright. Or different without trying to be. Or both.
What do you think?
By ktstew, Feb 05 09 11:28 AM
Agreed, people generally don't like to be shown up, and men run miles from women who may show them up.
Tell me, more interesting and accomplished fellow, where have you been all my life?
By lesley153, Feb 05 09 12:27 PM
My sixteen year old daughter who will be playing "homecoming Barbie" tomorrow night, recently had an interesting conversation with a male friend. He was telling her about a boy who likes her and said this boy might feel more comfortable talking to her if she weren't so smart. PLEASE!!!!!
She is a straight A student, has been a cheerleader for the past five years, runs track, and is a great artist and writer. By the way, cheerleading is a real sport these days. It is not just girls jumping up and down and clapping.
This is her second year to be in the basketball homecoming royalty. She is sweet and beautiful inside and out. The idea of someone telling her to 'play dumb' to attract a man makes me livid.
By RainyDayGirl, Feb 05 09 2:59 PM
Ladies, I have said somewhere else in this blog that as a general rule, most women are smarter than men, the thing that bothered me the most about the reaction to Ms. Palin was that the women I work with did their best to put her down, I am of the other party but I was impressed with this very smart lady who simply had not had the exposure to the rest of the world, she will get it and she will be back, and look for her to be very successful. If women will get behind her she could very well be the first female president. There are more women voters than men, someone should be able to parlay this into a win for women. Let me say it again, there will never be a world with free men until there is a world of free women. Refuse to take the back row, and if someone tries to make a place for you that is not at the table then walk out on them. Don't forget, the church, synagogue and mosque have for years tried to make women second class citizens and those are the very places you must speak out. Forgive me and I will get off my soap box.
By garrysouders, Feb 05 09 6:27 PM
Garry,
I say 'stay on your soap box.' I agree with you and what you describe has been my experience as well.
By RainyDayGirl, Feb 06 09 8:24 AM
I'm annoyed when I hear intelligent women say things like "I saw a doctor and the next time I went I saw a lady doctor."
The church, synagogue and mosque have gone all the way back to the story of Eve's temptation to justify their two-tier humanity. Garry, stay on your soap box please, and shove up so I can stand next to you.
By lesley153, Feb 07 09 5:18 PM