MCCAIN MISSED THE MEMO: IT'S NO LONGER OK TO OBJECTIFY WOMEN, EVEN YOUR WIFE
Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 09:03PM 
When I was an adolescent growing up in wild West Texas back in the Stone Age 1950's, I matured early, as they used to say. It wasn't unusual for the boys to make public jokes about my physique. All in good humor of course. They probably thought it was a compliment. Commentary about breast size, what was under your skirt, or how you might fare in a wet t-shirt contest was just the way things were: that era's version of cowboy chic. A woman had to grin and bear it if a man objectified her this way or she'd risk losing her friends, her job, her popularity at school. The term "sexual harassment" hadn't been coined, let alone become the subject of laws to prevent the various abusive behaviors that fall into its rubric.
But, thanks to the courageous action of women and men who had the good sense to recognize such abuse of power for what it is, there are laws now to protect people from that kind of humiliation.
Laws that apparently don't faze one man running for president of the United States. John McCain's disrespect for women was captured by this video. I was in pain watching Cindy McCain. She looked like she'd swallowed a lemon when at a South Dakota biker rally, Senator(!) McCain suggested that Cindy enter the notoriously raunchy and frequently topless Miss Buffalo Chip contest. Instead of swallowing and laughing like I did in my pre-consciousness-raised youth, she should have called him on it and walked off the stage. I'll bet she would have been cheered.
That same fundamental disrespect for women shows in McCain's opposition to the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (verbally; he didn't show up to vote on it), 100% anti-choice ranking from NARAL, intent--if president--to appoint Supreme Court justices who will violate women's human rights to make their own childbearing decisions by overturning Roe v Wade, while voting against family planning programs that could prevent abortions, to point out just a few of the most obvious examples. (Update: see The New Republic piece by Sarah Blustain, "Life Sentence" for more documentation.)
McCain looks in this video like he thinks publicly offering up his wife to
participate in a sexist "beauty" contest was all in good humor, even
complimentary, just like those boys in my high school. And it's possible he's equally oblivious. But isn't that part of the problem: a man so out of touch he doesn't know social mores have changed since the 1950's and doesn't get that a man isn't entitled to run roughshod over a woman's bodily integrity any more, not even his wife's? Is anybody going to send him the memo and tell him to come into the 21st century?
Reader Comments (13)
This is incredible.He a joke!
This isn't the first sexist item I've seen recently highlighted about McCain. He keeps it up and he's not going to have much of the women's vote.
Debra and BGB-
Thanks for stopping by. Unfortunately, he's a bad joke on all of us and yes his sexism is well documented. I have known him since his first run for Congress, as I was living in AZ and running a Planned Parenthood affiliate that covered his district. It is extremely important to spread the word about him because too many people think he is a moderate. Nothing could be further from the truth.
This clip is like a slap in the face. The massive wave of catcalls in response to him offering up his wife was also pretty nasty. He clearly knew his audience. Thanks for highlighting these issues - the mainstream press certainly doesn't.
By the way, Gloria, I was unable to access the clip on your site for some reason, but just searched it out on YouTube.
McCain's ... intent--if president--to appoint Supreme Court justices who will violate women's human rights to make their own childbearing decisions by overturning Roe v Wade....
There's no evidence he'll need to bother. All he has to do is to wait for SCOTUS to pass a few more decisions a la the "partial-birth" abortion ban [intact deliveries banned; mandatory dismemberment for all. Sweet!] where SCOTUS gets to decree what the medical standard of care is.
That, coupled with, among other things, the absolute inability of pro-choice organizations to respond effectively to [let alone, counter] the forced-pregnancy propaganda, and the utter indifference of reproductive age women to being forced to become wards of the State, pretty much guarantees that a female patient's right to make her own Ob/Gyn medical decisions is soon to be a thing of the past.
Regardless of who's elected president or appointed Supreme Court justice.
Sue-
Thanks for your comment. I'm not very technologically ept, and I couldn't grab the photo with the video embedded so I just put in a link underneath it. Sorry about that.
Ema-
You're so right that the Court has already eviscerated Roe, and will continue to do so. That's why we must elect a president who will work to get the Freedom of Choice Act through Congress and why we must elect a pro-choice majority to Congress. Things are dire but there is definitely the possibility of building a new human rights based legal underpinning for reproductive rights.
utter indifference of reproductive age women to being forced to become wards of the State
You said a mouthful there, sister.
The sad thing is, Cindy certainly doesn't need him- if anything, it's the other way around- he found himself a rich trophy wife to help him play in the big leagues with the power-brokers. And once he had her he used her as a prop- he's made fun of her education, her brains, called her a c*** and all other sorts of nonsense- in PUBLIC. Can you imagine how he treats her privately? I have a feeling that famous temper isn't too amusing in private.
And what about those kids of theirs? If I saw my father treating my mother like that I'd read him the riot act.
John McCain's standard answer about Roe will be "let's let the States decide" which is code for "I want it overruled." And the media will let him get away with it because he's 'a Maverick.' And as it stands now, with all the de-funding, it's slowly getting to be that the only women who can really safely avail themselves of abortion and information on abortion, are wealthy women- and that's the way the radical right wants it- you know, so their wives and daughters can get them safely if need be.
Donna--What would wake women up?
Stacy--good point about Cindy not needing JMc as much as he needs her. But there she is, the good trophy wife. Does she love the power by association and it didn't occur to her that she has power herself? Is she so mired in the traditional role model that she thinks it is unseemly for a woman to use her own power?
Also, help get the word out that McCain doesn't just want the states to decide. Congress is now in the act and his voting record communicates loudly what his agenda would be.
This society has not stopped objectifying women, in way it has gotten worse. Just listen to boys' conversation at your local high school. Look at the multimillion dollar porn industry. Look at Janet Jackson's infamous wardrobe malfunction. Look at the hookup scene on college campuses. School girls feel pressured to perform sex acts just to keep a boyfriend. It seems men and boys will tolerate women's liberation only so long as it benefits the male sexual agenda.
Tenerife, society hasn't stopped objectifying women, but wouldn't you agree that at least it is becoming less politically correct?
That has not been my experience, unfortunately.