Media’s Message to Women: “You Can Play, But It Won’t Be a Fair Fight”

Marie Wilson, a long-time women’s advocate, adds fresh insight in her piece at the Huffington Post to the ongoing post-primary discussion of sexism in the media. (You’ll have to Google it; I’m joining the boycott against linking to Huffington Post, a veritable cesspool of Hillary-bashing and misogyny despite an occasional pro-women’s rights post like Wilson's.)

Wilson offers a poignant anecdote:

“Back in the 1980's, I was on the NYC Human Rights Commission that held hearings on the pervasive problem of sexual harassment in the construction sector. The most moving story I heard during that period came from a male construction worker. He talked about what a typical day looked like, including the standard lunch breaks on the curb with his male co-workers, and the usual rounds of catcalling out to women as they walked by.

“He never questioned any of it -- not until the day came when the face that looked back at him was his daughter's.

“The young women those construction workers called out to were not being raped, physically threatened, or grabbed at. Catcalling is a relatively light offense compared to what happened to the women working in construction zones in those days -- the heavy objects "accidentally" falling nearby, the lewd pictures, feces and threatening objects women found in their lockers every day.

“Yet what each young woman received was an early lesson about their bodies and their place in the world. While boys’ bodies were growing into a source of strength and power, respect and pride, theirs were growing into a source of shame, vulnerability and possible danger. Lessons no decent father ever wants his daughter to have to learn.

Connecting the construction site incident with today, Wilson continues:

“But our daughters are still learning these degrading and discouraging lessons -- most recently through the media coverage of the 2008 election. No one -- not even Clinton herself -- is saying that she lost the race for president because of sexism in cable news or the blogosphere, and the degree to which sexist coverage played a part is debatable. Yet we lost something for our nation's daughters who were sent a strong message about fairness during the primary season -- you can play, but it won't be a fair fight.”

I’ll repeat that message: “You can play, but it won’t be a fair fight.” And that is exactly why so many Clinton supporters continue to simmer with outrage even after our candidate graciously endorsed Obama and urged all of her followers to fall in line behind him.

Plus: Our outrage continues to be fueled by the unrelenting vitriol spewed by Obama supporters. Yesterday, as I mentioned in a previous post, devoted followers of the haloed Obama demonstrated their lack of civility at the Al Gore endorsement event in Michigan. Anne Kornblut reports in the Washington Post:

“DETROIT -- Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm received a deafening chorus of boos Monday night at her mention of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the candidate Granholm once backed for the Democratic presidential nomination.

“The jeering from thousands of Obama supporters at Joe Louis Arena came after Granholm acknowledged her support of Clinton, and they seemed to take her aback. "Come on now," the governor pleaded before finally continuing, "I'm proud to say I'm standing with her and all of you" in supporting Obama.

‘“A few moments later the same fired-up crowd booed former vice president Al Gore when he urged Democrats to be respectful of the likely Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain. ‘In that case I'm glad I brought it up,’ Gore dryly responded.”’

Those of you who regularly scan the news sites on the Internet and even brave the readers’ comments on occasion can imagine the vicious retorts to Wilson and Kornblut posted by the ever- ready hordes of Obama supporters. From defensively arguing that women in minority groups have more important matters to worry about than gender discrimination to calling any Clinton supporter a racist who refuses to get onboard the Obama train, the abusive responses pile up as usual.

To those dismissive of gender discrimination in the lives of minorities, I’d like to ask an African-American woman how she feels about the sexist and violent language in the lyrics of hip-hop artists. And in response to the accusation of racism, I would point out that many Clinton supporters who can’t as yet bring themselves to sign on with Obama have been convinced from day one that he’s simply unqualified to be president. It’s not about Obama’s race; it’s about his skimpy resume, and his recent coronation by the Democratic party does not change that reality one iota.

Wilson’s post, titled Giving the "Daughter Test" to Mainstream Media, is well worth reading in its entirety even if you have to hold your nose at the Huffington Post.