My special friend sent me the below TED talk link and said, “Since you are a feminist and have a whole section on your blog you may want to see and share this”.
It was such a timely message from her – because just earlier in the day I was called a sexist by couple of other ‘special friends’. It had me thinking and reflecting (and upset): Am I really a feminist ? Or Am I sexist?
I was forced to examine my beliefs and convictions, thoughts and ideas, and statements and feelings. I still believe that all human beings are equal and should not be discriminated against for gender, race , sexual orientation and economic status. So what made them call me a sexist?
My responses to their question , they said- and the vehemence in which I expressed my opinion, they said. Those questions and the essence of my responses :
Would you vote for Carly Fiorina or Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election (assuming ofcourse that they become their respective party candidates)?
I would not vote for Carly because her stance of abortion interferes with the fundamental freedom of a woman to decide on her healthcare choices with her doctor.
(Does this response make a feminist? Or a sexist? )
Do I support killing pain-capable foetus then?
My stance on abortion is this:
-If a foetus is capable of feeling pain then imagine how much more pain the born child would have to endure if it’s unwanted and ends up being uncared for. I would rather a foetus experience the one final pain rather than a lifetime of pains.
-Unless the society/government changes in such a way to ensure that every born child will have all their needs met , including love, 100% of the time , I believe society/government should not interfere in the choice of individuals.
-If a government believes in pro-life I expect the government never to go to war – to dismantle all nuclear weapons and Weapons of mass destruction . And to have all guns in the country melted to make cradles.
(Does this response make a feminist? Or a sexist? Or socialist? )
Question: who would you vote for: Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton – both are pro-choice ?
All things being equal between the two candidates, I would vote for Hillary Clinton because she is a woman.
(Does this statement make me a sexist? It might seem so…but No….because…)
Why?
Because the United states of America – a developed “super-power”- has not had a woman president or even a woman vice president since its founding. The percentage of women in US Congress is low (just touched 20%, see source below). There were more systemic roadblocks in place that prevented women like Hillary Clinton (women from that era) from progressing than today – while the men enjoyed more privilege…..so all things being equal , in 2016, I would vote for a woman president because
- I want to give her the advantage that she has lacked
- she had to work harder to be “equal” to a male who has had systemic advantage. Therefore she is a better candidate.
Am I still a sexist? Did I move towards the feminist midpoint? Do I care what my label is?
If the society changes to allow people of all genders (more than the binary version of genders) equal opportunity and gender inequality exists only in a museum display as an ancient artefact – with all things being truly truly equal between candidates like Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton and when women represent around 50% of the senate and house, who would I choose?
I would choose the one who looks good, as I had already written in an earlier post . Bernie Sanders , if you want my vote you better be a good looking dude 🙂
I don’t know what this response makes me: sexist or feminist or shallow? Do I look like I care?
So who would you vote for between a male and female candidate? Considering that the two candidates are equal in every respect ..who would you choose: a man or a woman? And what does that choice make you? A feminist or a sexist?
————–
P.S – Thank you special friend!
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives
Number of Women in Congress by House
Number of women in the United States Congress (1917–2013):[2]
| Congress | Years | in Congress | % | in House | % | in Senate | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65th | 1917–1919 | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 0 | 0% |
| 66th | 1919–1921 | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
| 67th | 1921–1923 | 4 | 0.7% | 3 | 0.7% | 1 | 1% |
| 68th | 1923–1925 | 1 | 0.2% | 1 | 0.2% | 0 | 0% |
| 69th | 1925–1927 | 3 | 0.6% | 3 | 0.7% | 0 | 0% |
| 70th | 1927–1929 | 5 | 0.9% | 5 | 1.1% | 0 | 0% |
| 71st | 1929–1931 | 9 | 1.7% | 9 | 2.1% | 0 | 0% |
| 72nd | 1931–1933 | 8 | 1.5% | 7 | 1.6% | 1 | 1% |
| 73rd | 1933–1935 | 8 | 1.5% | 7 | 1.6% | 1 | 1% |
| 74th | 1935–1937 | 8 | 1.5% | 6 | 1.4% | 2 | 2% |
| 75th | 1937–1939 | 9 | 1.7% | 6 | 1.4% | 3 | 3% |
| 76th | 1939–1941 | 9 | 1.7% | 8 | 1.8% | 1 | 1% |
| 77th | 1941–1943 | 10 | 1.9% | 9 | 2.1% | 1 | 1% |
| 78th | 1943–1945 | 9 | 1.7% | 8 | 1.8% | 1 | 1% |
| 79th | 1945–1947 | 11 | 2.1% | 11 | 2.5% | 0 | 0% |
| 80th | 1947–1949 | 8 | 1.5% | 7 | 1.6% | 1 | 1% |
| 81st | 1949–1951 | 10 | 1.9% | 9 | 2.1% | 1 | 1% |
| 82nd | 1951–1953 | 11 | 2.1% | 10 | 2.3% | 1 | 1% |
| 83rd | 1953–1955 | 15 | 2.8% | 12 | 2.8% | 3 | 3% |
| 84th | 1955–1957 | 18 | 3.4% | 17 | 3.9% | 1 | 1% |
| 85th | 1957–1959 | 16 | 3.0% | 15 | 3.4% | 1 | 1% |
| 86th | 1959–1961 | 19 | 3.5% | 17 | 3.9% | 2 | 2% |
| 87th | 1961–1963 | 20 | 3.7% | 18 | 4.1% | 2 | 2% |
| 88th | 1963–1965 | 14 | 2.6% | 12 | 2.8% | 2 | 2% |
| 89th | 1965–1967 | 13 | 2.4% | 11 | 2.5% | 2 | 2% |
| 90th | 1967–1969 | 12 | 2.2% | 11 | 2.5% | 1 | 1% |
| 91st | 1969–1971 | 11 | 2.1% | 10 | 2.3% | 1 | 1% |
| 92nd | 1971–1973 | 15 | 2.8% | 13 | 3.0% | 2 | 2% |
| 93rd | 1973–1975 | 16 | 3.0% | 16 | 3.7% | 0 | 0% |
| 94th | 1975–1977 | 19 | 3.6% | 19 | 4.4% | 0 | 0% |
| 95th | 1977–1979 | 20 | 3.7% | 18 | 4.1% | 2 | 2% |
| 96th | 1979–1981 | 17 | 3.2% | 16 | 3.7% | 1 | 1% |
| 97th | 1981–1983 | 23 | 4.3% | 21 | 4.8% | 2 | 2% |
| 98th | 1983–1985 | 24 | 4.5% | 22 | 5.0% | 2 | 2% |
| 99th | 1985–1987 | 25 | 4.7% | 23 | 5.3% | 2 | 2% |
| 100th | 1987–1989 | 26 | 4.9% | 24 | 5.5% | 2 | 2% |
| 101st | 1989–1991 | 31 | 5.8% | 29 | 6.7% | 2 | 2% |
| 102nd | 1991–1993 | 33 | 6.2% | 30 | 6.9% | 3 | 3% |
| 103rd | 1993–1995 | 55 | 10.3% | 48 | 11.0% | 7 | 7% |
| 104th | 1995–1997 | 59 | 11.0% | 50 | 11.5% | 9 | 9% |
| 105th | 1997–1999 | 66 | 12.3% | 57 | 13.1% | 9 | 9% |
| 106th | 1999–2001 | 67 | 12.5% | 58 | 13.3% | 9 | 9% |
| 107th | 2001–2003 | 75 | 14.0% | 62 | 14.3% | 13 | 13% |
| 108th | 2003–2005 | 77 | 14.4% | 63 | 14.5% | 14 | 14% |
| 109th | 2005–2007 | 85 | 15.9% | 71 | 16.3% | 14 | 14% |
| 110th | 2007–2009 | 94 | 17.6% | 78 | 17.9% | 16 | 16% |
| 111th | 2009–2011 | 96 | 17.9% | 79 | 18.2% | 17 | 17% |
| 112th | 2011–2013 | 96 | 17.9% | 79 | 18.2% | 17 | 17% |
| 113th | 2013–2015 | 102 | 19.1% | 82 | 18.9% | 20 | 20% |
| 114th | 2015–2017 | 104 | 19.4% | 84 | 19.3% | 20 | 20% |
Roots & Water 