The American political broadcast media is not known for its egalitarianism. There aren't enough female producers, there aren't enough female anchors, there aren't enough female reporters, there aren't enough female guests, et cetera. None of this is news. As frustrating as exclusion is, however, it's yet worse to witness the men filling a disproportionate number of these positions use their platform to remind the female politicians they cover that, no matter how much a woman may achieve, she can always be put in her place by a man.
This week produced a rather stunning trifecta of condescending diminishment, care of rightwing radio host Peter Boyles, the Fox comedy duo of Dennis Miller and Bill O'Reilly, and ye olde misogynist standby, MSNBC's Chris Matthews.
Boyles, a Coloradan radio personality whose show is carried by Clear Channel, was discussing President Obama's signing of the economic recovery bill at a ceremony in Denver, which was attended by Democratic representative Diana DeGette. Boyles repeatedly referred to DeGette (pronounced with a hard G) as "Vagina DeGette" or "Vagina DeJet."
Sure, she may be a member of the United States Congress, but, more importantly, she's a woman – and women aren't anything more than their vaginas, anyway.
Meanwhile, over at Fox News's Fair and Balanced Headquarters, Bill O'Reilly, covering the important political news of the day – a chimp mauling in Connecticut – asked his guest Dennis Miller to talk about his experience having worked with a chimp years earlier. (Hard to believe Fox viewers aren't well-informed about current events.) But Miller reversed back to a previous topic, Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit with the Pope, so he could make an uproarious crack about how the Pope thought she was "the Shroud of Turin."
Sure, she may be a powerful and trailblazing member of Congress, the first ever woman to hold the office of Speaker, but, more importantly, she's old and ugly (according to Miller) – and old and ugly women are of no value to Real Men.
Meanwhile, secretary of state Hillary Clinton was bestowed the coveted Hardball Award by Chris Matthews yesterday, who explained that Clinton "deserves and wins the award, our fifth, and the first to go to a woman, for displaying the arts and science of smart human behavior. They are, to remind you: personal moxie, savvy, basic street smarts, knowing the world you're in, knowing what you have to do, and doing it. That's what makes a Hardball Award winner."
What also seems to make a Hardball Award winner, at least if you're a woman, is your willingness to do the bidding of your party and your president – which, one suspects, is Matthews' default expectation for "knowing the world you're in, knowing what you have to do, and doing it."
It isn't Clinton's moxie that Matthews shows in his clips as he presents his ludicrous award, but a clip from her Democratic Convention speech last year, where she defied the (totally absurd) expectation that she'd break the party in two before endorsing Barack Obama. Following is a clip of a speech from her first trip abroad as secretary of state, speaking not on her personal bailiwick, human rights, but about how much Indonesia means to President Obama.
What a good little girl, Matthews seems to say, as he delivers her pat on the head while adding a new twist to the rationale for choosing Clinton – not just "for grace under fire, personal moxie, courage," but also "for a bit of timely humility. For most of all the willingness to serve our country over self. We salute you. And I salute you."
Sure, she may have achieved massive career success, come closer than any other woman to winning the American presidency, delivered an iconic speech on women's rights, attained admiration and respect from all over the world, raised a brilliant daughter, and inspired millions of women, but, more importantly, she can still defer to men with exemplary submissive obedience – or what would merely be called "doing your job" if Clinton were an equally powerful man whose ambition wouldn't have been used to miscast him as a voraciously self-interested egomaniac.
The clear message to female politicians is this: You are not equal. You will be judged based on the way you look. Your success will not insulate you from our patronising commentary. You will be demeaned as we see fit. You will not be allowed to forget for a moment that you are women. No matter who you are or what you achieve, you are still just a woman.