If I hear or see Nancy Pelosi referred to one more time as "a 66-year-old grandmother" I'm going to scream.
How many grandfathers are members of the House of Representatives? Can you recall ever — ever — hearing a member of congress described as a "grandfather?" And I'm not talking about the fill-in details at the end of a story. I'm talking about a sentence high up in the story, the woman's initial description, as in Bob Herbert's op-ed column in yesterday's New York Times:
"Also in Washington, Nancy Pelosi, the 66-year-old grandmother who had been portrayed as some kind of raving San Francisco radical in countless Republican campaign ads..."
In the past few days, I've seen references in the media to newly elected congresswomen as "working mothers." I'd like to know: Is there any other kind? And why aren't there any "working fathers?" We all know the answer is because fatherhood has not traditionally been considered a full-time job, the man's occupation. Motherhood is, of course, the main gig for us double-Xers. The rest we take on at our own peril.
Then, of course, there was the president's feeble attempt at humor during his press conference Wednesday afternoon, when he said he told Ms. Pelosi he'd give her the names of some good Republican interior decorators to help her with her new office.
Yep. I'm sure decorating her new office is her top priority, Mr. President, right up there on her agenda for the first 100 hours. Maybe that was just wishful thinking on W's part, but it was a sexist remark nonetheless.
It's 2006. Are you as aghast (and annoyed) as I am that things like this are still being said/printed/talked about?
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2 comments:
Lighten up, Denise. With regards to comments from the cons about Nancy Pelosi, you ain't seen nothin' yet!
I'm sure the last comments about drapes were a follow-up to Bush's comments before the election warning the Dems not to be "measuring the drapes" before they knew the election results. I think this was aimed at all the Dems, not just Pelosi. BTW, Check Charlie Rangel's comments about his new office, and the reactions to them.
As for the "grandmother" comments, I don't think Bob Herbert's description was meant as anything other than to soften some recent descriptions of Pelosi by the cons, who'd applied the "San Francisco ultra-liberal" epithet,along with lambasting her for marching in the Gay Pride parade, "along with those notorious
members of the North American Man-Boy Love Association," and crap like that. Herbert is obviously sympathetic to the Dems, after all.
Anyway, I'd rather see Pelosi referred to as a grandmother, certainly an honorable title, not carrying the "old fart" connotation you seem to be inferring, than whatever other outrageous slurs the nuts are preparing to throw her way!
Hi Denise - Very telling that labels are only attached to women.
Ms. Pelosi who I admire is a women who has the guts to stand up for what she believes in - despite the contemptuous name calling from the boys in power.
The Right is very threatend and running scared at this moment. However, I agree with Brad "you ain't seen nothin yet." The Administration was humiliated and they will come a chargin' with any
ammunition they can throw - even hanging the drapes stuff - ah Denise, consider the source of those words! The man is sexist stupid and incompetent.
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