LOG IN   JOIN   BLOG SEARCH   ALL DIARIES

Website Blog
Blog
Issues
Take Action
Videos
Donate
About
Youth Resources
My Sistahs
Advocates For Youth
 
Blog - Amplify your voice

Monday, April 12, 2010 at 12:35:00 PM EDT

Conservative Feminist have ranted and raved about not having appropriate representation when it came to women's rights and health on the conservative end. Either they've had women who are not down-to-earth or non approachable, or they've had women that could not relate to the audience in either their politics or way of getting things done. But, have no fear, conservative women have gained two powerhouse speakers and advocates for both "Anti-Abortion" and "War"... Conservative Girls feel like they are back in the game!

According to the Politics Daily, "The earnest Minnesota governor brought his best zingers and one-liners to the Minneapolis Convention Center on Wednesday, but he got his biggest applause at the GOP fundraiser only when he introduced Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann. The two brightest stars of the conservative movement were headliners for the event to raise cash for Bachmann's re-election campaign. On the charisma scale, he was chalk to their napalm."

These women are front runners in the conservative movement. They both reach millions of conservative women and have re-defined conservative feminism with their whit and beauty. Sarah Palin won audiences over with her "down-to-earth Alaska personality" and Bachmann won audiences over with her "
take-charge attitude loving America spirit". Crazy, I know.

With Martina McBride's "This One's for the Girls" blaring in the background, Bachmann and Palin took the stage in a blur of waving hands, teased hair, floral prints and piled-on pearls. Far away from Michael Steele's sex-club scandal and John Boehner's "Hell No!" legislative strategy, Palin and Bachmann gave their mostly female audience of more than 11,000 a riled up hour of newfangled Republican girl power.

But the biggest thought that plagues the minds of millions of liberals is "why are these women so popular?" The answer is easy, they relate to their public and push the boundaries of their politics. They both have families and each of them stick strongly to their moral beliefs, many liberal feminists may hate them, but you have to admit, they are money making machines, not to mention, they shed a new light on what conservative feminism really is and how to market it to a majority of women.

"In politics, if you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman," Palin joked to the delight of the crowd, quoting Margaret Thatcher. "My own mantra is that behind every good, productive man stands a very surprised woman."

Sarah Palin has had a rough year. She was the Former Governor of Alaska, her daughter was pregnant during her VP Presidential Campaign (SCANDAL), and she decided not to abort her child who inevitably had down's syndrome. Her story is interesting, but many women feel she is the perfect role model, not only for their family, but for America. She is pro-life and she prides herself on making sure she "fights for the rights" of women, maybe not for their reproductive health, but for the right to a family and career. She makes conservative women believe, "they can have it all!"

On health care reform, Bachmann promised to push for repeal. "You better believe it, baby! Repeal is what this girl is going to be all about after November." On federal spending, she promised to shrink it. "We're going to start by starving the beast!" On the details of all this, she sort of fudged it (the government owns or controls 51 percent of the American economy?), but that's not the point right now.

Both of these women are nightmares when it comes to the newer feminist generation. They focus on old-school values and shy away from the new era of what feminism represents.

According to Politics Daily, "Along with their super-sized political influence, Palin and Bachmann are both prolific mothers (they have five children each) and pro-life activists. Bachmann has been a foster parent to 23 children with her husband and Palin was outspoken in her choice not to end her pregnancy upon learning that her fifth child would have Down syndrome."

Palin and Bachmann have been pegged as conservative women's "Hilary Clinton's". They are deemed pretty, smart, and represent what the conservative feminist "feel is their view on what women should look like."

"No matter how you look at it, it is just good to have strong, positive female role models in political life," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, chair of the conservative Susan B. Anthony List. "For only one model to have been represented, basically cutting out half of the female population in terms of mentorship, can never be a good thing."

So, if you are a conservative woman or maybe you are liberal what do you think? Does Palin and Bachmann represent the old-school conservative feminism or are they creating a new feminism for conservative young women?

I consider myself a liberal feminist, but I find the approach that Palin and Bachmann are taking very interesting. It is going to be interesting to watch their relationship grow, Does anyone smell a Palin and Bachmann Presidential Ticket? It's going to be interesting to watch...What are your thoughts?

Share this entry:  del.icio.us | Facebook |  MySpace | Digg It! | Tweet This
Comments
What I don't understand is how someone can call themselves a feminist, but not trust women enough to choose when to or not to have a baby. Just because they're females in positions of power and influence doesn't make them feminists.
# Posted By AFY_Samantha | 4/12/10 01:37 PM | Reply
I agree. That's why I was wondering what people were thinking when they coined them "the new Hilary Clinton's". What have they done to advance women? Nothing.
# Posted By  kirbygirl87 | 4/12/10 02:21 PM | Reply
Exactly!
I think I almost vomitted when I read that. The idea that they could possibly compare someone as smart and amazing as Hillary to a dimwit like Sarah Palin is completely ridiculous to me. And the Margaret Thatcher quote was utterly ridiculous; Sarah Palin isn't even in the same ball park as she.
How can you call yourself an advocate for females when you do not support the right of reproductive choice?
# Posted By  chloebeth13 | 4/13/10 07:23 PM | Reply
Maybe women like Palin and Bachmann believe that there is much power and liberation in delaying pleasure to preserve their bodies and self-esteem. I think it is stronger to say, "I'm not going to put myself in a position where a new life would be produced" rather than "If it happens, I will rid myself of it with no consequence."

Once again, more proof that Americans (and the world at large) are too much about instant pleasure without regard to consequences. Delayed gratification can be a beautiful thing.

# Posted By seriously1988 | 4/13/10 02:06 PM | Reply
Also, how dare anyone diminish these women; Palin chosing to take on the challenge of raising a child with Down syndrom, and Bachmann raising 5 children and fostering 23 others. I know if I accomplished half of what they have done, I would consider my life a success.
# Posted By seriously1988 | 4/13/10 02:12 PM | Reply
It sure can.  So good job doing just that.  Leave everyone else the hell alone, because no one's sex life is any of your business, ever, period. 
# Posted By Lirpa | 4/15/10 01:14 PM | Reply
 Regardless of a person's political beliefs, I am always quick to acknowledge it if I think they are intelligent, even if they disagree with me (that is, are socially conservative). This is not the case with Sarah Palin. I think she has a great deal of pep and energy (you would have to, to raise 5 kids and have a political career!) but that's about the only nice thing I can say about her. 
Both of these two have appropriated the word "feminism" in a way I find very strange. I don't see how they're making the world a better place for women, and although they've definitely addressed the issues that matter to conservatives (like health care and spending) and Christians (like abstinence and abortion) they haven't really addressed the issues that matter to women in general. What are they doing about equal pay? What are they doing about preventing assault or helping survivors? What are they doing about body image issues? 
Therefore it's not only the issues I disagree with them on that would cause me to vote against them, but also the issues they're ignoring... like much of the rest of the nation.
# Posted By allyouneedislove | 4/14/10 09:13 PM | Reply
Why do all women in positions of power have to follow or speak out on a certain set of issues (body image, rape/assault, the equal-pay myth, etc.)? Isn't that kind of pigeon-holing them and limiting them to the areas the "true feminists" want them to focus on? Are there not some more wide-reacing issues (the economy, national debt, national defense, etc.) that kind of trump the other issues?
# Posted By seriously1988 | 4/15/10 11:00 AM | Reply
 Feminism is about empowering women, and true equality between the genders.  Neither Palin nor Bachmann are in favor of actually doing that.  Therefore, they are absolutely not feminists and no one should refer to them as such.  That's actually really obvious.
# Posted By Lirpa | 4/15/10 01:13 PM | Reply
It's very strange, but I find myself wishing Palin and Bachmann were more liberal (and pro-choic, pro-lgbt) because I would love them if there were.

Alas, I simply cannot support these very conservative women.  Although I would love to see a women-women ticket, it would pain me to see them take over in government... 
# Posted By drs0043 | 4/16/10 11:04 PM | Reply
These women believe in personal responsibility, as do the majority of America. They believe that God, not the government, grants rights. They reflect the majority of America, and you're going to see that in November. It hurts for a while when we stop relying on the government and look to ourselves for self-regulation and thrift, but after a while it becomes liberating.

I am so proud to say I support myself, pay all my own bills, live on my own, fix my own house, etc. I don't have a high-paying job either, but I make it work. How many of you on this site can say the same thing?

# Posted By seriously1988 | 4/18/10 02:22 PM | Reply