Gloria Steinem: Young women support Sanders to attract men...

[Sunstone]

Feminist activist Gloria Steinem on Friday suggested that young women support Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders over rival Hillary Clinton because they want to meet boys.

On HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Maher asked Steinem why Clinton, who has campaigned on the historic nature of her candidacy, was losing the young female vote.

“I don’t mean to over-generalize … but men tend to get more conservative because they gain power as they age, and women get more radical because they lose power as they age,” Steinem responded.

“So it’s kind of not fair to measure most women by the standard of most men, because they’re going to get more activist as they get older,” she added.

“And when you’re young, you’re thinking, ‘Where are the boys?’ The boys are with Bernie.”

[Source]

Interesting perspective. What do you make of Steinem's comments? Do you think she's right about young women supporting Sanders in order to get in the good graces of young men? Why or why not?

 

[JRMcC]

[Source]

Interesting perspective. What do you make of Steinem's comments? Do you think she's right about young women supporting Sanders in order to get in the good graces of young men? Why or why not?

Wow. Unbelievable. Abusive to the name of feminism.

 

[Revoltingest]

I have no clue to the extent she's right or not.
But if it helps Bernie win the party's nomination, then I'm all for it.

 

[buddhist]

Do you think she's right about young women supporting Sanders in order to get in the good graces of young men?

What do you think about her making a "sexist" comment?

 

[Sunstone]

What do you think about her making a "sexist" comment?

Well, it might strike me as sexist if, perhaps among other things, it were substantially inaccurate. Whether it is or not is at this point a matter of speculation, but I'm guessing -- based on my limited circle of friends who are also young women -- that she is at the very least grossly underestimating and miss-characterizing such women. Perhaps she is doing so out of a sexist view of them, but I don't honestly know.

 

[buddhist]

Well, it might strike me as sexist if, perhaps among other things, it were substantially inaccurate. Whether it is or not is at this point a matter of speculation, but I'm guessing -- based on my limited circle of friends who are also young women -- that she is at the very least grossly underestimating and miss-characterizing such women. Perhaps she is doing so out of a sexist view of them, but I don't honestly know.

Well, I think it is a pretty ironic sexist statement from a feminist (who are often neo-liberals decrying sexism).

 

[freethinker44]

It's not surprising. It's group dynamics coming in to play. We see the same from every group. Members of the in-group believe choosing the in-group is a intelligent and well informed decision, so the decision to reject the group must not be intelligent and well informed.
In her defense, it kind of felt like she was trying to be light hearted in the interview, probably in the light hearted spirit of the show. She even brushed of Bill Maher's PC attempts to pander to her feminist icon status. Although, for someone who is basically the modern embodiment of feminism, displays of such casual sexism like this are probably rightfully frowned upon.

 

[Corthos]

So young women are favoring Sanders as a presidential candidate because they wanna hook up with dudes?... Huh. Ok...

I'd think it was because they felt Sanders would best represent their personal views, generally speaking. What do I know, though? =/

 

[Laika]

its an attack on radical politics; its saying that people are selfishly motivated by sex and power and that no-one really believes in the policies because that would imply something is actually wrong with America. it also implies that women cannot think rationally about politics and are just in it for the sex so its pretty reactionary. I'll be fair and ask whether it taken out of context but I don't think much of it honestly.

here's an eqivilent from the McCarthy era.

 

[Underhill]

Quick question. Is it actually true?

Second question. You guys do realize it's a comedy show right?

I have no doubt there are some young women (and probably more young men) involved in politics for the opposite sex. This doesn't negate the efforts of all young men and women, it's just human nature.

I also have no doubt she meant the comment to be tongue in cheek. A feminist making such a comment on a comedy news panel would make me laugh...

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Well, she did write a few decades ago that MtF transsexuals are a diversion from the issues of gender inequality. She retracted her own statement recently, and even apologized for it, but it still seems like she's on the nutty side.

 

[Revoltingest]

Quick question. Is it actually true?

Second question. You guys do realize it's a comedy show right?

I have no doubt there are some young women (and probably more young men) involved in politics for the opposite sex. This doesn't negate the efforts of all young men and women, it's just human nature.

I also have no doubt she meant the comment to be tongue in cheek. A feminist making such a comment on a comedy news panel would make me laugh...

For your viewing (& judging) pleasure.....

 

[Buttercup]

Gloria has since issued a flimsy apology using the infamous excuse that her words were "misinterpreted".

Unfortunately, between Gloria and Madeleine Albright's recent comments, feminism has taken a kick in the pants this week.

I'd like to smack both of those ladies upside the head.

 

[Revoltingest]

Gloria has since issued a flimsy apology using the infamous excuse that her words were "misinterpreted".
Unfortunately, between Gloria and Madeleine Albright's recent comments, feminism has taken a kick in the pants this week.
I'd like to smack both of those ladies upside the head.

I wouldn't confuse them with feminism, as a set of goals.
They're just unfortunate old lightning rods.

Did I just dis the aged?
Rats! You can slap me instead, if you wish.

 

[Revoltingest]

Well, she did write a few decades ago that MtF transsexuals are a diversion from the issues of gender inequality. She retracted her own statement recently, and even apologized for it, but it still seems like she's on the nutty side.

To me, it points out something interesting.
It appears that her orientation is towards the rights & status of women.
Identifying who is a woman would matter.
This differs from the rights & status of people in general.
With a broader focus, one would see trans folk as facing important fundamental issues.
A distraction?
No...they're a large part of the whole.
Moreover, they could be viewed as the canary in the mine.

 

[Buttercup]

I wouldn't confuse them with feminism, as a set of goals.
They're just unfortunate old lightning rods.

I'm not confused in the least.

Gloria's comment is not something you should ever hear from the mouth of a staunch feminist, especially one as well known and respected as she is.

Madeleine's comment, coming from the country's first female Secretary of State, is an equally damaging slap in the face for women because her comments were so juvenile, derisive and sexist.

Did I just dis the aged?
Rats! You can slap me instead, if you wish.

This is why I requested the slap smiley be reinstated.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

[Source]

Interesting perspective. What do you make of Steinem's comments? Do you think she's right about young women supporting Sanders in order to get in the good graces of young men? Why or why not?

I think insulting the intelligence of younger women doesn't erase the fact that Hillary doesn't have universal support among women because many women just don't like her.

I suspect that feminism has actually worked so well, that many younger women don't feel the need to support a candidate just because the candidate is a woman. In other words, despite the impression you would get from the high volume narcissists on YouTube, many younger women don't actually feel any real disempowerment in their lives, so feel no need to make everything about supporting women. I think that's a great testament to how successful feminism has been over the years.

 

[Revoltingest]

I think insulting the intelligence of younger women doesn't erase the fact that Hillary doesn't have universal support among women because many women just don't like her.

I suspect that feminism has actually worked so well, that many younger women don't feel the need to support a candidate just because the candidate is a woman. In other words, despite the impression you would get from the high volume narcissists on YouTube, many younger women don't actually feel any real disempowerment in their lives, so feel no need to make everything about supporting women. I think that's a great testament to how successful feminism has been over the years.

Here's the Albright clip....
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/08/u...ight-hillary-clinton-bernie-sanders.html?_r=0
It's pretty amazing to insult women who don't vote based upon gender.

 

[fantome profane]

Yes, I thought the comment was very disrespectful to young women. Maybe Hillary's supporters are getting a little frustrated at their failure to convince young people (of either gender really) and we are seeing that frustration here. But this is not the way win them over. And it comes of as not only disrespectful, but also hypocritical. She might as well say "you must supportive of women, you stupid little b******".


And it is also strange that uses this to support her idea that women become more radical as they age and men become more conservative. Now this might be true, I think there is some truth to this. But this particular story shows just the opposite. Younger women are choosing the more radical candidate and older women are supporting the more moderate conservative mainstream choice. And Bernie has certainly not shown any sign of getting more conservative as he aged.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

And it is also strange that uses this to support her idea that women become more radical as they age and men become more conservative. Now this might be true, I think there is some truth to this. But this particular story shows just the opposite. Younger women are choosing the more radical candidate and older women are supporting the more moderate conservative mainstream choice. And Bernie has certainly not shown any sign of getting more conservative as he aged.

I believe that "liberal when young, conservative when old" nonsense is used only to disparage each other, though I see the claim being aimed at "young liberals" far more frequently than "old conservatives." Even Steinem is using what is essentially the same argument, though in a very different form, to attack specifically young female voters.