Letters to the Editor
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woman hating on the left part 1
The terrible, horrendous point that has become illuminated recently is the woman hating on the Left. There are progressive men and women who denigrate, decry, and hate women.
More importantly, they deny that sexism exists. They say it's no big deal, that it's only about white women, who don't count anyway...
I suggest that white women, like every other human being, do indeed count.
But misogyny and sexism impact greatly on women of color, too.
The highest incidence of sexual assault is against Indian women (perpetrated by Indian men and White men...national studies show that Indian women are the ONLY women who are not MOSTLY raped by men of their own race/ethnicity, but are disproportionately raped by white men). Women of color are less likely to be believed or validated when they report rape and battery because of racism. Many people believe that violence is normal in communities of color, and so that nothing should be done when a woman of color is raped, or assaulted (by a stranger or someone she knows). White women who are raped or physically assaulted by a man of color who they know are discounted and despised because they have lowered their status by being involved with a man of color.
We constantly see "left wing" and "progressive" men who secretly snicker at the idea that women could hold public office, and take every single miniscule excuse to put women down. They use the excuse of Sen. Clinton's "likeability" which is a code word for uppity, brash, nasty, and non-subservient to men. The recent trash stating that no real man would work for Sen. Clinton is indicative of the crap on the left. No REAL man would polish his nails. Can no one on the left hear not just the horrible sexism, but the blatant and disgusting homophobia in these words? The disregard for trans people? Our youth on the left are demolishing ideas of gender stereotyping -- it might behoove some progressive men to spend some time with them.
More importantly, too many on the left will NOT acknowledge that sexism is oppression or that women are oppressed.
If one is truly a progressive, one will dedicate one's life to the eradication of racism, sexism, homophobia, and ALL other forms of oppression (too numerous to list here). If you are a man, you will actively be working to stop sexism and to acknowledge male privilege. If you are european-american, you will be actinve working to stop racism and colonization, and to eradicate white privilege. Etc. Etc. Etc.
A progressive who does not acknowledge the oppression of women is not really a progressive. A progressive who does not acknowledge the oppression of people of color is not a progressive. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Women and girls are raped and sexually assaulted constantly by men. There is an international trafficking of women and girls.
Women make less money than men. Etc. Etc. Etc. (No, this doesn't mean that there are not boys who are the victims of male predators, too..and it doesn't mean that there aren't some women who are predators.)