By Nevis

Gloria Steinem captured the feminist opinion of vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin when she stated, “It seems that Sarah Palin is the classic Mean Girl—the unqualified woman the sexist boss hires to put down other women—and that’s the last thing we need in the White House.” A fellow feminist, Courtney Martin remarked, “…there’s a difference between a woman candidate and a woman’s candidate. I think Palin actually reinforces gender norms as opposed to challenging them. And I think her politics are completely anti-woman.” Steinem and Martin’s comments illustrate the typical response of American feminists to the candidacy of Palin, a working mother and wife.

Why do these so-called “feminists” call Palin “anti-woman?” The issue that galls most feminist detractors is Palin’s pro-life platform. The pro-abortion agenda of the leftist feminist movement demands unrestricted access to abortion services. With her pro-life stance, Palin threatens the feminist establishment.

Palin was also criticized for not challenging existing gender norms. Not only was she derided as anti-woman, but also called an unfit mother because of her career choice. This is surprising, considering that feminists have traditionally advocated for increased childcare and work-schedule flexibility for professional women. However, in the case of Sarah Palin, they demonized a working mother and her efforts to advance her career. This is wildly inconsistent.

Feminism is defined as: “the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.” Culturally, the term also refers to the movement created in order to advance women’s rights. Feminism in its purest form asks women to work together in an effort to advance their position in society. Feminism, untainted by political biases, should celebrate the advancement of women in the American political arena. Thus the candidacy of a wife and mother as vice president of the United States of America should be an event worthy of celebration among women.  As often happens in American political culture, however, a noble cause has been commandeered by its most radical elements.

The hatred women exhibited publicly toward Palin during and after the presidential campaign exhibits the most disturbing and flawed aspect of American feminism: If you are a woman of power and influence, and you are not pro-choice, then you are not deserving of respect.

Fortunately for, Palin, the American people are on her side. As Naomi Schaefer Riley writes for the Wall Street Journal, “Americans…have rejected the more radical elements of feminism,” including abortion on demand. In addition, a Gallup Poll conducted in May 2009 found that 75% of Americans favor abortion restrictions and 51% of Americans identify themselves as pro-life.

Different political views need not destroy female unity. If feminism truly had the best interests of women at heart, Palin’s candidacy would have been celebrated as a triumph for women. The exclusionary actions and malicious words of leftist feminists are divisive, and they have alienated young women from a noble cause. Our mothers’ generation fought for all young women to have greater rights and opportunities, and a woman who is pro-life should be able to call herself a feminist too.

For Your Deliberation:

1.    Feminism (noun) is defined as: “the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.”

2.    A Gallup Poll conducted in May 2009 found that 53% of Americans favor legalized abortion under certain circumstances, with 22% wanting abortion to be illegal and 23% wanting abortion to be legal in all cases. Additionally, 51% of Americans identify themselves as pro-life and 42% as pro-choice.