Comments on: Finally we are Candidates and not just “women candidates” http://www.fem2pt0.com/2010/06/10/finally-we-are-candidates-and-not-just-women-candidates/ society’s issues + women’s voices Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:19:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Meg http://www.fem2pt0.com/2010/06/10/finally-we-are-candidates-and-not-just-women-candidates/comment-page-1/#comment-8061 Meg Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:46:13 +0000 http://www.fem2pt0.com/?p=1848#comment-8061 I'm truly hoping that the GOP women who won will work to reform their party rather than buying into the ugliness that some interest groups in that party embrace. Whether that actually happens remains to be seen. But the advancement of women like Nikki Haley and Carly Fiorina raises important questions about descriptive representation and whether we can expect a similar leadership style or approach to policy from women candidates because they were socialized differently from men, regardless of their specific issue positions. To what extent should female candidates emphasize the differences between male and female leadership versus issue positions and experience? How much do we expect women candidates to behave similarly? Are these expectations realistic? Can we define the political advancement of women whose views may be antithetical to feminism as progress for women? At this point I honestly don't have a definitive answer, though it is nice to finally quarrel over the policy views of female candidates rather than have to worry about defending them against blatant sexism. But I'm going to be following the midterm elections closely to see how things unfold on the gender politics front. Already the Fiorina-Boxer tiff over hairstyles is providing an interesting case study. I’m truly hoping that the GOP women who won will work to reform their party rather than buying into the ugliness that some interest groups in that party embrace. Whether that actually happens remains to be seen. But the advancement of women like Nikki Haley and Carly Fiorina raises important questions about descriptive representation and whether we can expect a similar leadership style or approach to policy from women candidates because they were socialized differently from men, regardless of their specific issue positions. To what extent should female candidates emphasize the differences between male and female leadership versus issue positions and experience? How much do we expect women candidates to behave similarly? Are these expectations realistic? Can we define the political advancement of women whose views may be antithetical to feminism as progress for women?

At this point I honestly don’t have a definitive answer, though it is nice to finally quarrel over the policy views of female candidates rather than have to worry about defending them against blatant sexism. But I’m going to be following the midterm elections closely to see how things unfold on the gender politics front. Already the Fiorina-Boxer tiff over hairstyles is providing an interesting case study.

]]> By: Tweets that mention Finally we are Candidates and not just “women candidates” at Fem2pt0 : society’s issues + women’s voices -- Topsy.com http://www.fem2pt0.com/2010/06/10/finally-we-are-candidates-and-not-just-women-candidates/comment-page-1/#comment-8021 Tweets that mention Finally we are Candidates and not just “women candidates” at Fem2pt0 : society’s issues + women’s voices -- Topsy.com Fri, 11 Jun 2010 17:41:27 +0000 http://www.fem2pt0.com/?p=1848#comment-8021 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Fem2pt0 and Fem2pt0, Cartney McCracken. Cartney McCracken said: Meg Massey : Finally we are Candidates and not just "women candidates" http://ow.ly/1XjTU (via @Fem2pt0) [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Fem2pt0 and Fem2pt0, Cartney McCracken. Cartney McCracken said: Meg Massey : Finally we are Candidates and not just "women candidates" http://ow.ly/1XjTU (via @Fem2pt0) [...]

]]> By: Gloria Pan http://www.fem2pt0.com/2010/06/10/finally-we-are-candidates-and-not-just-women-candidates/comment-page-1/#comment-8013 Gloria Pan Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:38:47 +0000 http://www.fem2pt0.com/?p=1848#comment-8013 I also applaud the strong showing of women during the recent primaries, though I must confess my disappointment that most of the action was happening on the other side of the aisle. I always rather felt that, generally, women in the political process are less cynical, more empathetic, more nobly motivated, more able to go beyond ambition to see the "Big Picture" than men - certainly not always but generally. That so many capable and talented women would want to take up the banner of the GOP rather shatters that illusion. Why? Because the GOP is the umbrella under which racists, anti-feminists and religious fanatics huddle. Of course many Republicans are not these things, and many individuals vote Republican over particular issues important to them without much thought to whose standing next to them in their voting. But if you ask racists, anti-feminists and religious fanatics how they vote, if they vote, they would say Republican, and their opinions matter to the GOP leadership. Why would smart women want to be part of that? I also applaud the strong showing of women during the recent primaries, though I must confess my disappointment that most of the action was happening on the other side of the aisle. I always rather felt that, generally, women in the political process are less cynical, more empathetic, more nobly motivated, more able to go beyond ambition to see the “Big Picture” than men – certainly not always but generally. That so many capable and talented women would want to take up the banner of the GOP rather shatters that illusion. Why? Because the GOP is the umbrella under which racists, anti-feminists and religious fanatics huddle. Of course many Republicans are not these things, and many individuals vote Republican over particular issues important to them without much thought to whose standing next to them in their voting. But if you ask racists, anti-feminists and religious fanatics how they vote, if they vote, they would say Republican, and their opinions matter to the GOP leadership. Why would smart women want to be part of that?

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