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Locker Room Politics

By Susan J. Douglas

Finally, a president with the guts to denounce that widespread, national scourge: Steroid use among professional athletes. Indeed, many of us wondered what exactly Bush was on as he delivered his testosterone-saturated, don’t-mess-with-Texas vision of the country’s role in the world. The New York Times headlines described Bush as “somber.” Somber? With his incessant smirking, he looked exactly like a guy… return to article

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    Page 1 of 1 pages

    Susan- You sound like you’re about to pop!

    “I am a defiant, unreconstructed, sexist pig”! Militant Feminists are, above all, just angry bitter people.

    Now lets all calm down, act like grownups, and avoid the locker Room name calling so we can get Kerry into that Oval office.

    United States Posted by KT on Feb 9, 2004 at 7:00 PM

    “Feminism has been so effectively demonized ...”

    What do you mean, and have you any examples?

    “Forty-three million Americans have no health insurance”

    That’s incredible!  Do you mean to say 3 out of every 4 Americans have health coverage?  This just helps prove what a wonderful country the USA is.  I bet this figure is growing every day.

    United States Posted by Nus on Feb 9, 2004 at 9:57 PM

    First of all, Nus, if you want an example of how feminism has been demonized, just read the comment above yours.  Also, KT, enough with your condescending comments so we can focus on getting that defiant, unreconstructed, sexist pig out of the oval office.

    United States Posted by S McKenzie on Feb 9, 2004 at 10:58 PM

    “Militant feminists are, above all, just angry bitter people.” Anyone who notices what’s going on is bound to angry and bitter at this administration’s performance (or lack thereof). This country is being transformed into something completely unrecognizable; I’m not happy about that, and neither is anyone I know.

    United States Posted by anita on Feb 10, 2004 at 12:35 AM

    For all you sexist pigs….most feminists are too busy working to be angry.

    United States Posted by Cheryl Rubenstein on Feb 10, 2004 at 12:51 AM

    Now lets all come down. We all know that there are no defiant, unreconstructed sexists pigs, just ignorant anachronisms. The reality is women’s influence is increasing and will continue to increase, because they are economicly more powerful than in the past and also because courageous women will stand up and make the world accept this new reality. We shouldn’t be afraid of new perspectives, there is plenty in the old ones to fear for everyone.

    Canada Posted by Doug on Feb 10, 2004 at 1:35 AM

    Continue to be angry!

    John Ashcroft can tap your phone for saying bad things about the President, but large companies like Viacom churn out soft-core pornagraphy and filth to our young girls 24 hours a day via MTV.

    Where is the stand on morality? Left at the door with the big campaign donors. That has been a hypocritical hallmark of this presidency since Day One.

    Who cares what names you use, Bush’s policies [such as loosening pollution controls and cutting veteran’s benefits] directly harm American families. It’s time to call him on it.

    United States Posted by Ed Mellon on Feb 10, 2004 at 2:06 AM

    Bush is corrupt and moronic and, yes, his presentation is full of Texas cowboy platitudes, but Susan Douglas is superimposing her notions of feminism on to Bush’s predictably bellicose speech. Feminism is not at issue here.

    United States Posted by Richard Ng. on Feb 10, 2004 at 3:01 AM

    oh disappointed again for again.

    bush is awful- dean i wish -kerry i hope it will be.

    susan you are brilliant as i judge from your past work. but this is disapointing to say the utmost least. What matters is substance, not facial expressions. Come on, attack on the intellectual front, you can do that, we can do that, stop with these lame attacks about smirks. we deserve and desire and hope for better.

    United States Posted by My Hope on Feb 10, 2004 at 3:25 AM

    Actually Richard, feminism IS an issue here.  I applaud Susan and her opinion.  She is right on.  We ALL have a right to be angry over what is happening in our nation. Even after Bush is out of office, it will take decades to recover.  I am one of those feminists that is very busy working and I am a mother to sons and a daughter.  I have a son in the Marines.  ALL of us are really angry.  What comes to mind at this moment is the “Golden Rule”.  Those with the gold, get to make the rules.  Maybe Robin Hood wa right.

    United States Posted by Joan Levine on Feb 10, 2004 at 3:58 AM

    luckily , susan makes feminism AN issue and not THE issue. Most people who care and get angry tend to forget the ‘big picture’. Nearly ALL problems (sexism,poverty,militarism,...) can get better or worse by choice of government. Don’t stop, susan, you’re attacking the right enemy.

    Belgium Posted by zen on Feb 10, 2004 at 7:14 AM

    “unreconstructed, sexist pig” is right on.  And, don’t lets hold our collective progressive breath for NHS or anything like it.  I’d bet the admin. has already cut a deal with the bin Laden family, with whom the Bushwhackers have been very cozy over the years, to turn over Osama not long before the fervor over the election appears - say late Aug. early Sept.  Another 4 years of unreconstructed sexist pigs in the White House.

    United States Posted by daigu on Feb 10, 2004 at 8:25 AM

    As a feminist I very much appreciate a feminist perspective.  I too see the frat boy antics of this president as being insulting and anti-family.  It has been my experience that a feminist perspective has been met with various degrees of patrionizing head patting.  I make reference to the comments of KT for instance.  I have escorted women into clinics where they were trying to make one of the most difficult decisions of their lives.  I have been hit with rocks, spat upon, and called names.  If I am angry or bitter it is about wanting all people included and in wanting all people to feel as though their lives are worth something.  I like to hear lots of different views, even yours.

    United States Posted by Michele Nichols on Feb 10, 2004 at 1:14 PM

    “Feminism has been so effectively demonized ...”

    What do you mean, and have you any examples?


    I ask again, because I would hope someone recognizes that pointing me to an internet comment by one individual is no illustration supporting the statement at issue.

    Merely because two people believe something to be true, does not make it so.

    Would anyone agree that if no support can be found for the statement than it is likely not true and mere hyperbole?

    United States Posted by Nus on Feb 10, 2004 at 9:48 PM

    Whether you want to call it feminism or not is not the point.

    The fact is that Bush has effectively set women’s and childrens intrests so far back into the past, it will take years to bring the US back to a civilized society that cares about EVERY man, woman and child;not just about machismo, testoterone filled rhetoric designed for one reason, votes and more power.

    Call it what you want, we need to get this moron out of office!

    United States Posted by Cheryl on Feb 16, 2004 at 1:30 PM
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