Feminist Icon

9 Comments

1. 

   sjct on March 1, 2010 at 3:13 pm

   I think Pelosi is a feminist icon but the media doesn’t make a big deal about her because she doesn’t fit the narrative they like to apply to successful women.

   1. She has a husband who doesn’t publicly embarrass her. The media prefer feminist icons who are unmarried.
   2. She has children and grandchildren. The media prefer feminist icons who are childless.
   3. She dresses-for-success with a feminine flare (The pastels, the pearls, the skirts, oh my!). The media prefer feminist icons in pantsuits or manly blue jeans.
   4. She’s pretty! Yes, Gloria Steinem is pretty, too, but she meets the other media requirements.

   The media narrative insists that women must lack some of the pleasures or advantages of being a woman in order to attain masculine definitions of power and success. Pelosi proves them wrong.

   • 

     Phil Perspective on March 1, 2010 at 7:25 pm

     Don’t forget that a lot of the TradMed, including the women, are misogynist.  Not only that, but remember when they were all over Pelosi because she had a little plastic surgery?  Also, look at the feminist icons on the right.  Sarah Palin and Carrie Prejean.  Enough said.

2. 

   Lodus on March 1, 2010 at 3:20 pm

   Don’t worry Booman, history will treat her very well. She is already a legend in her own time.

3. 

   rikyrah on March 1, 2010 at 3:29 pm

   1. she gets the job done.
   2. in designer clothes
   3. with nary a hair out of place
   4. she can shiv you without raising her voice

   all these things matter to me as  woman.

   I really respect Pelosi – because I know that beneath that San Francisco liberal label is the ethnic girl who learned politics the hard way.

   • 

     Lodus on March 1, 2010 at 4:52 pm

     I’m trying to find a good article about the way she operates, politically. I read one awhile back ago that discussed in part what she learned growing up as the daughter of an old-school pol. I don’t think it was this one, but it’s pretty interesting too:

     http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?articleId=7699

4. 

   Quentin on March 1, 2010 at 4:02 pm

   I have great respect for her. She is gutsy and elegant at the same time. smart too. Yes, she makes a lot of self-proclaimed feminists look like plain neurotics.

5. 

   northcountry on March 1, 2010 at 4:06 pm

   and doesn’t get the respect or props she deserves.  She drives the wingers crazy because she’s a very effective leader who just happens to be both a woman and a liberal. And as sjct notes a successful wife, mother and grandmother to boot.

   Oh the cognitive dissonance!  

6. 

   DaveW on March 1, 2010 at 5:29 pm

   Because she doesn’t try to set herself up as an icon. She just gets her job done and so transcends the genderist cliches.

   I more and more think she could be president one day. Or at least would be very credible as a possibility.

7. 

   cat on March 2, 2010 at 1:18 am

   I’m older and I am in awe of her.  She just always gets the votes somehow.  I don’t remember anyone this efficient in the past.  She’s definitely an icon, but I think she doesn’t want to make a lot of news. (Other than, she got the votes, again!)  If she wanted to, she would.