sexism: n. Prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex.
misogyny: n. Hatred or dislike of, or prejudice against, women.
When Hillary Clinton had to leave
a 9/11 memorial for “overheating,” the media was correct to report it. But when news
came that she was, in fact, suffering from pneumonia, a frenzy began. Not
surprisingly, Donald Trump seized on the news, raising questions about her
health and stamina. The media and pollsters took his lead, soon asking
respondents whether or not Hillary’s health and stamina should be considered factors—most said
yes. Consequently, she took her biggest hit in the polls this election. (Lost in the fervor: after quietly being diagnosed with pneumonia,
Hillary continued campaigning for days.) Later, when Trump partially released
his health records (on Dr. Oz, no
less), it was revealed he weighs over 230 lbs., which would make him obese at
his height. He also disclosed that he does not exercise regularly, takes
medication for high cholesterol, and consumes a steady diet of fast food. However,
unlike Clinton, there was little scrutiny of Trump’s overall health. Certainly,
his stamina was never really questioned. To Clinton supporters, this is another example of what they consider her biggest obstacle with voters: that she’s
a woman. Admittedly, Clinton comes with more baggage than the typical
presidential candidate, but she is also one of the most qualified to ever seek the
office. Nonetheless, Clinton has been the target of vitriol the likes of which
we’ve never seen in American politics. For example, a majority are content to label
her both a liar and untrustworthy, despite
political fact-checkers saying otherwise. Even from the left, Bernie Sander's supporters took to calling Clinton a "whore" and threw dollar bills at her cavalcade based on the misguided belief she was somehow beholden to Wall Street. From the right, she is also routinely disparaged as
“entitled”
and “smug”—both
charges rarely lobbed at male politicians. From Republican chants of “Lock her up!” (heard at
their national convention) to the “Trump
that bitch” refrain popular on pro-Trump signs and shirts, opposition to Clinton
goes far beyond disagreements over policy. For many who oppose Clinton, it‘s
not about her policies, anyway—it’s about her. The question is: how much of that opposition
is rooted in sexism and misogyny? And what does the Clinton’s treatment tell us about
America in 2016?
Choose at least two of the following for your analysis:
- "Why Would Anyone Call Hillary a Bitch?" (The BroadSide)
- "Why All the Hillary Haters?" (Sacramento Bee)
- "The Sexist Double Standards Hurting Hillary Clinton" (Washington Post)
- "For the Love of God, Let Hillary Have a Bit of Cake" (Jezebel)
- "A Boy at A Trump Rally Called Clinton A ‘Bitch.’ That’s Not An Accident." (Think Progress)
- "Does Hillary Clinton Face a Different Standard for Honesty?" (Washington Post)
Required:
- MLA Style
- 1.5 pages in length
- Works cited page
Due: We 10.5
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