Wednesday, January 09, 2008

The New Hampshire Primaries

I'm just finishing up a peanut butter and honey sammich, which has always reminded me of my first girlfriend Keri Huddleston who turned me on to them some mumble something years ago. The SB is still working on her laptop mere feet away from me, and I am satisfied to say I've launched a website to promote my photography work at Love and Light Images ! So, after years of a) being not so inspired about my own work and b) not making any dough off prints because I just can't stand the administrative tedium that goes with it, I don't have to worry about either anymore. I'd have never thought to continue to pursue photography again, but Marsha of The Marshalogues encouraged me to pursue said work again. So here I am.

I set the website up last night whilst tuning in now and again to the results of the New Hampshire primaries.

Ok, so, what is Hillary Clinton supposed to be? Tough or soft? If she's tough she's unapproachable if she's soft she's incapable? A woman in this country can't win for losing the stereotypical battle that, given it's the 21st century now, shouldn't even be considered. But it is.

From my perspective here's how emotion reads on the genders in politics:

Woman:
Crying = weakness
Decisive = bitchy
Moderate = Undecided

Man:
Crying = vulnerable
Decisive = Tough
Moderate = Moderate

And I realized last night, through my own glee of Hillary's win, even though I wish she had made different choices and voted different ways in the past, I still am gender biased. I take great delight in knowing I could be part of history by being alive at a time when America not only voted a woman into the office of President, but to have lived during the Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton era. LOL! Oh, and the fun I could have as a reporter just calling out "President Clinton" and hearing both of them answer.

And finally, maybe, just maybe, the country could use a little mothering instead of fathering? A healing sort of energy that comes with the intimate knowledge of maternal parenting. Caring for and raising an entity that doesn't belong to you and you don't "own." Working to put it back on course when it goes off course? Making sure it's healthy for years to come? Maybe, at least from my sexist point of view, that would be good for this country.

If I think of it that way, I wonder... is Hillary Clinton not just "man enough" but "woman enough" to do the job?

1 comment:

Julie H. said...

The new site is FAB-ulous, and those photos of KY are *awesome!* I love your work. :)