The XX Factor: What women really think.

Back to the Feminism Wars

Good point, Ann. I found Lafferty's take on Palin tiresome for a different reason—it read to me like a rehash of the worst of the days of women beating one another up over Hillary Clinton's candidacy. I'm perfectly happy to be told that Palin is smart, since at the moment, I've started worrying that if McCain loses we're going to have to listen to some of his supporters blame a woman and her campaign's dumb idea of a $150,000 shopping trip. But Lafferty then trots out all the old horses: Feminists reject Palin "for the sin of being a Christian personally opposed to abortion." They "have been silent as Palin has been skewered in the old ways that female public figures are skewered, as well as a host of sexualized new ways as well." And they say she's not a feminist, Lafferty accuses.

Whatever. There are plenty of feminist reasons to oppose Palin no matter what you think about abortion, if you define feminism as advocating social policies that help women and families. Feminists haven't been silent about Palin and sexism, but some of them have wisely separated valid criticisms—she knows little about big important matters!—from the problematic put-downs. And sure, Palin can call herself a "conservative feminist." (Though has she actually used that term?) But is any of this an argument for why women, or anyone, should support her? At this point of One Week and Counting, that's the only debate that really matters.