Comments on: First Female Speaker Grasps The Gavel - CNN.com http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/ The Interests of a Childfree Brit Living in Toronto Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:24:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Jessica http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-727 Jessica Tue, 09 Jan 2007 16:54:48 +0000 http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-727 I've already seen reference to the power pantsuit when discussing her. I’ve already seen reference to the power pantsuit when discussing her.

]]> By: mercurior http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-708 mercurior Sat, 06 Jan 2007 11:30:02 +0000 http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-708 yes, i agree, but a lot of men will feel uncomfortable seeing her brood, its a sort of subconcious thing, if she is so pro family then something will have to be left behind, usually mens rights etc.. it may be totally wrong idea, but thats the feeling of some men.. and you are right as well how men are treated differently in the bio, the job shouldnt be about kids, it should be about the job.. i was just stating, that i have no problem with the sex of a person doing a job, incase some people call me a sexist.. which has happened.. yes, i agree, but a lot of men will feel uncomfortable seeing her brood, its a sort of subconcious thing, if she is so pro family then something will have to be left behind, usually mens rights etc.. it may be totally wrong idea, but thats the feeling of some men.. and you are right as well how men are treated differently in the bio, the job shouldnt be about kids, it should be about the job..

i was just stating, that i have no problem with the sex of a person doing a job, incase some people call me a sexist.. which has happened..

]]> By: Britgirl http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-707 Britgirl Sat, 06 Jan 2007 01:36:10 +0000 http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-707 @mercurior - I have no doubt she can do the job. But my point is - or rather my points are 1 - that Ms Pelosi, in my opinion, did not need to drag along her brood of kids and grandkids for this occasion. Her doing so sent completely the wrong message to both men and women. You would never see a man doing that. 2 - The media, when announcing a woman appointee to a position of power ALWAYS finds a way to focus on aspects that have nothing to do with the job. Her clothes, her legs, her heels how many kids she has (or, disparagingly, how many she doesn't have), her makeup whether she's a single mother etc, etc. Ms Pelosi helped them plenty by making the fact she's a mother and a grandmother front and centre. @ Carisa - I could not agree more. When I read of any woman politician, or indeed any woman appointed to power, I don't have to look far for the usual media descriptors - none of which have anything to do with how well she can do the job. Fashion, children she's produced and other FEMALE things. It was worse with Katie Kouric. I too felt my blood pressure rising when I read Ms Pelosi's writeup and then saw her surrounded by her brood. In my eyes it did zip to help her cause and nothing to underline the power she'd achieved. Unless you count her power to reproduce. And, of course, make the men feel comfortable and safe. And you are spot on - read any male appointee bio, and as far as the media is concerned what's important is what he's achieved to get to the appointment... Kids? Limited to six words at the end:Mr- X -is-married-with-x-children. @mercurior - I have no doubt she can do the job. But my point is - or rather my points are 1 - that Ms Pelosi, in my opinion, did not need to drag along her brood of kids and grandkids for this occasion. Her doing so sent completely the wrong message to both men and women. You would never see a man doing that.

2 - The media, when announcing a woman appointee to a position of power ALWAYS finds a way to focus on aspects that have nothing to do with the job. Her clothes, her legs, her heels how many kids she has (or, disparagingly, how many she doesn’t have), her makeup whether she’s a single mother etc, etc. Ms Pelosi helped them plenty by making the fact she’s a mother and a grandmother front and centre.

@ Carisa - I could not agree more. When I read of any woman politician, or indeed any woman appointed to power, I don’t have to look far for the usual media descriptors - none of which have anything to do with how well she can do the job. Fashion, children she’s produced and other FEMALE things. It was worse with Katie Kouric. I too felt my blood pressure rising when I read Ms Pelosi’s writeup and then saw her surrounded by her brood. In my eyes it did zip to help her cause and nothing to underline the power she’d achieved. Unless you count her power to reproduce. And, of course, make the men feel comfortable and safe.

And you are spot on - read any male appointee bio, and as far as the media is concerned what’s important is what he’s achieved to get to the appointment… Kids? Limited to six words at the end:Mr- X -is-married-with-x-children.

]]> By: mercurior http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-706 mercurior Fri, 05 Jan 2007 20:16:47 +0000 http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-706 i am all for people who actually do the job, i dont care if they are gay or straight, married or single, parents or non parents, male or female. So long as they do the job they are employed for.. but yes carisa its more and more a spin on how people are, most mothers vote so aim your market at the group that votes most.. to say i am a mother too, and i know what your feeling.. and you will get more money... when it shouldnt be about looks, or any other ephemera, it should be about how well they do the job, if a hermaphrodite from alpha centauri can do the same job, i would vote for them.. not this artificial claptrap.. but if she does the job well, then good on her.. if she doesnt then i am all for people who actually do the job, i dont care if they are gay or straight, married or single, parents or non parents, male or female. So long as they do the job they are employed for.. but yes carisa its more and more a spin on how people are, most mothers vote so aim your market at the group that votes most.. to say i am a mother too, and i know what your feeling.. and you will get more money…

when it shouldnt be about looks, or any other ephemera, it should be about how well they do the job, if a hermaphrodite from alpha centauri can do the same job, i would vote for them.. not this artificial claptrap..

but if she does the job well, then good on her.. if she doesnt then

]]> By: Carisa http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-705 Carisa Fri, 05 Jan 2007 19:20:34 +0000 http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-705 Thanks for posting this, Britgirl. Watching the news last night I was almost taken aback at how this ground-breaking moment for women was softened by the image of all her kids/grandkids surrounding her on the podium. In fact, I found my blood pressure rising. I highly doubt that would have happened if she was a man. What I got from the scene was a not-so-subtle message of: "Don't worry about being emasculated boys, after all, she's a MOTHER and GRANDMOTHER and loves fashion and babies just like every other woman". I think it should also be noted that her choice of suits and accessories is also frequently mentioned when her name pops up in the news (ok, usually these newscasts aren't of the highest quality, but...). I do hope in my lifetime we will see more female politicians in high positions who don't feel the need to make others more comfortable by touting their children. Thanks for posting this, Britgirl. Watching the news last night I was almost taken aback at how this ground-breaking moment for women was softened by the image of all her kids/grandkids surrounding her on the podium. In fact, I found my blood pressure rising. I highly doubt that would have happened if she was a man. What I got from the scene was a not-so-subtle message of: “Don’t worry about being emasculated boys, after all, she’s a MOTHER and GRANDMOTHER and loves fashion and babies just like every other woman”. I think it should also be noted that her choice of suits and accessories is also frequently mentioned when her name pops up in the news (ok, usually these newscasts aren’t of the highest quality, but…). I do hope in my lifetime we will see more female politicians in high positions who don’t feel the need to make others more comfortable by touting their children.

]]> By: mercurior http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-704 mercurior Fri, 05 Jan 2007 10:49:47 +0000 http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-704 and before you claim i am sexist, i come from the UK whos head of state is a woman, we had a female prime minister, all my bosses have been women. if a woman wants to do the job, and can, then i say go for it.. i dont really care if its a man or a woman or a little green hermaphrodite from alpha centauri. so long as the job gets done.. i try to be equal for everyone, i fight against some men who see all women as users, i fight against women who see men as walking wallets.. i try to be fair and equal to everyone, but people will read into what i say i am anti woman, (wrong) that i am anti male (wrong) i am pro-equality. if 2 gay men want to get married thats fine by me, if 2 women, thats ok too.. its only fair.. so i am trying to be fair, i am stating in the last post, all the negatives that have happened to men, something thats rarely mentioned. not that i am saying i want women to get less funding.. i want men to get more.. i want true equality.. same for everyone.. so if you think i am sexist, or racist or whatever i state now i am not.. and before you claim i am sexist, i come from the UK whos head of state is a woman, we had a female prime minister, all my bosses have been women.

if a woman wants to do the job, and can, then i say go for it.. i dont really care if its a man or a woman or a little green hermaphrodite from alpha centauri. so long as the job gets done..

i try to be equal for everyone, i fight against some men who see all women as users, i fight against women who see men as walking wallets..

i try to be fair and equal to everyone, but people will read into what i say i am anti woman, (wrong) that i am anti male (wrong) i am pro-equality. if 2 gay men want to get married thats fine by me, if 2 women, thats ok too.. its only fair.. so i am trying to be fair, i am stating in the last post, all the negatives that have happened to men, something thats rarely mentioned. not that i am saying i want women to get less funding.. i want men to get more.. i want true equality.. same for everyone.. so if you think i am sexist, or racist or whatever i state now i am not..

]]> By: mercurior http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-703 mercurior Fri, 05 Jan 2007 10:22:18 +0000 http://thebritgirl.com/2007/01/04/first-female-speaker-grasps-the-gavel-cnncom/#comment-703 i just have to ask, if so many women voters, how come they havent voted for women before.. isnt it curious, that so many men are still in power, when its woman voters who vote for them. its almost as if the women voters dont vote for women.. i would say the country is male dominated, but the women have the most power, they have violence against women act.. no violence against men act. they spend about 7 times more of womens health than mens.. more men commit suide 75% of all suicides are men, yet womens suicide is more in the press, more men are killed with violence than women walking down the street. domestic violence, about the same amount is done to males.. but you hear nothing about them.. yes politicians are male, but who voted them in.. women.. men generally dont vote anymore.. so.. who is really to blame about lack of female politicians (in the UK we have female only shortlists for Political parties, is that right.. no.. thats equally as sexist..but that form is applauded) i just have to ask, if so many women voters, how come they havent voted for women before.. isnt it curious, that so many men are still in power, when its woman voters who vote for them. its almost as if the women voters dont vote for women..

i would say the country is male dominated, but the women have the most power, they have violence against women act.. no violence against men act. they spend about 7 times more of womens health than mens..

more men commit suide 75% of all suicides are men, yet womens suicide is more in the press, more men are killed with violence than women walking down the street. domestic violence, about the same amount is done to males.. but you hear nothing about them..

yes politicians are male, but who voted them in.. women.. men generally dont vote anymore.. so.. who is really to blame about lack of female politicians (in the UK we have female only shortlists for Political parties, is that right.. no.. thats equally as sexist..but that form is applauded)

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