I say YES. YOU say NO....Numero Tre! Enjoy!

illinoislady · July 26

illinoislady · July 26

Cat ladies and feminism

Liza Donnelly

Jul 26

I have not yet written about the horrible comments that the GOP Vice Presidential nominee J.D. Vance has made. In 2021, he spoke about (I am paraphrasing) how single, childless women are "cat ladies” who have miserable lives that cause them so much unhappiness, they want to impose their misery on the rest of the country. He asked, do we want these people— and he mentioned “radical leftists like” Kamala Harris, AOC and Pete Buttigieg— running our country?

This kind of comment harkens back to debates I recall in the 1980’s, statements about how feminists were angry women who could not find men because they were ugly, they didn’t shave their legs and hated men. The late 80’s were a period of serious backlash after the second wave of feminism through the 1990’s. Feminism was a dirty word, and women would not admit to being a feminist, even if they believed in women’s equality. I imagine the word is still looked at with suspicion (i.e. a form of man hating) in some circles still. In J.D. Vance circles.

I drew this in the mid-1990’s for The New Yorker. The little girl thinks “feminist” is an insult, she doesn’t understand it yet. But she was standing up for her mother which in a way is to me a feminist attitude. Although I don’t advocate violence!

I wonder if J.D. Vance’s wife considers herself a feminist. She has a Yale law degree, clerked for Supreme Court Justices and practiced for a while before she married Vance. I just don’t understand who she is—but then I don’t suppose I need to understand; it is not helpful to try to pigeon hole people into categories. But the morphing, the evolution of misogyny and feminism over the course of my lifetime is so confusing. Perhaps that’s the point: it keeps people (womnen) confused, while those that espouse those views take or continue to have control. This whole tone of returning to “traditional” family structure is so outrageous to me. It smacks of religious extreme conservatism and Handmaids Tale stuff. It is fabricated to perpetuate male power and the patriarchy.

Some think Vance won’t last as Trump’s VP pick. Is it less damaging to get rid of him, with all the press that would create, than to keep him? He is doing the GOP campaign a lot of damange, his comments are putting a bright spotlight on women’s concerns as well as the right to choose.

Kamala Harris will keep up the pressure.

illinoislady · July 26

I put this in my mail to clean it up and there was basically the words, a picture and a cartoon, but I see I am left with a bunch of things that reappeared. I mainly wanted to use this for the fact that she talks about the Reps. and the possibility they may have made a mistake on the VP pick they made.

I have been having many of the ideas and feelings she seems to. I have thought no matter how smart their VP pick seems, he is not so bright when it comes to politics. He has said a lot of things in the past that don't play well at all, and I don't think he is doing a lot better right now.

What may or may not happen (though Trump has no qualms about who he dumps it seems) who knows for sure, but I do think if the VP pick is kept it may end up a nice on-going bonus for us the 100 days. If they do get rid of said person, I actually think things can be made of that as well. Interesting to see that all the angst all of us felt has done a major evaporation as the chaos of the other party eats them alive. Since in reality they never did have anything much going for them (but it did leave us fearful and upset and we had a right to be) but it did seem they had a lot of hail fellow well met enthusiasm going and could have possibly stimulated some other interest. I do think any of that is gone with the wind and I think not to be 'found' again though I've learned not to put all my eggs in one basket and count chickens too soon. None of us (thank you again Pres. Biden for your marvelous timing) realized what was waiting right around the corner and for once I'm thrilled to be gob smacked. I was all set to cheer Pres. Biden till my throat gave up and then keep right on going, but I admit there was something of a sense of desperation I no longer feel. We hopefully will see soon enough — stay or go. Either way sounds a mite dangerous to me.

I suppose I'm really being catty now, but since I think the VP pick might be enjoying a swelled head just a tad, I do find myself wondering what he might think if some of his cronies take him way far back in the corner and tell him to seriously cool it. He is after all on the road to introducing himself to the world at large and then to be told he doesn't know what he's doing could have a small sting to it. Hard to say.

illinoislady · July 26

illinoislady · July 26

exbrnxgrl · July 26

It’s pretty mind boggling to think that in 2024 people are questioning whether a woman is electable in the US. So many, many countries have had female heads of state, from western countries (think Angela Merkel) to very conservative Muslim countries (think Benazir Bhutto), to name a few. Our misogyny runs deeper than I thought.

I also wonder what Usha’s mother, a highly accomplished scientist and academic, thinks of this?

illinoislady · July 26

ruthbru · July 27

Interesting that Vance doesn't seem to think being a step-parent 'counts'; in that case, George Washington get tossed out along with Kamala Harris. The 'Father of our Country' had no biological children, but was a very good step-father to Martha's two children & and a wonderful grandfather to her grandchildren.

illinoislady · July 27

It's all a matter of paying attention, being awake in the present moment, and not expecting a huge payoff. The magic in this world seems to work in whispers and small kindnesses.

Charles de Lint

ruthbru · July 27

ruthbru · July 27

ruthbru · July 27

illinoislady · July 27

Sometimes (thinking here of all of Ruth's great memes) I wonder what someone like Vance or even his wife really think when certain things start hitting the fan. I might not have, but I just got done reading an article about Mrs. Vance — who registered to vote as a Democrat twice although the then said the last time was a mistake - whatever. She had in fact at one time seem to feel as disparaging toward Trump as her husband did.

Obviously, depending, sometimes we can just turn around and go the other way. So — I did start to wonder if a person could be totally alone with their thoughts — what might they be. It would seem right now you can't logically turn back. Why anyone would choose to respect Trump who has only gotten worse with time, not better, and it is just my opinion must be because you feel he can do and or be something for you that you can't be or do for yourself. It is also just my opinion, but I do think Vance is just like his benefactor Trump. They are using each other, but they just don't call it that. Then Mrs. Vance steps in to I guess you could say be the co-user. Interesting to know just what brought some of these changes.