Ironic isn't it. The hound from hell is about to be unleashed on HRC. Bernie was too "nice" for her. Get your popcorn for the UFC fight for all times. Karma is about to pay HRC a visit... sweet.
25
The man card is the only one Trump has in his hand. Hillary will crush him with women's, Hispanics' ,African-Americans' and educated peoples' votes. His man card is limited to white men who share his misogynistic, racist sentiments. Women who like him should take note that this is a man who favors criminal charges against those who terminate their pregnancies.
104
Anyone who watches "Confirmation", the hearings re Clarence Thomas' supreme court nomination, and the not so subtle abuse of Anita Hill, sees that Sexism, Racism and the less talked about Power of the Powerful was then and is now alive and well in the USA. Sad...
101
Hillary says all the time that she should be elected BECAUSE she is a woman. So does Madeline Albright, Nick Kristof, the NYT, everyone in Hollywood, and many others say that being a woman is the main reason we should elect her. Pointing to your gender as a qualification is playing the woman card
37
You entirely miss the point. Trump is quite correct - Clinton routinely alludes to the fact she is a woman as a plus and reason to vote for her. If that isn't using her gender, what is?
Why do you discuss incomes (and par to the nytimes - you continue to misuse the cents on a dollar figure) or number of female representatives? That has no relevance to what trump is saying.
Why do you discuss incomes (and par to the nytimes - you continue to misuse the cents on a dollar figure) or number of female representatives? That has no relevance to what trump is saying.
32
Amen, brother. I wish every woman in this country could/would read this article. Bias is built-in through our culture.
I have a dream that women are ascendent and are a trajectory to overtake men as rulers of the world. It wouldn't be perfect, but, hey. How's it working for us so far? Burning up the planet. Rapes uninvestigated. Closing down Planned Parenthood. Underpaid. The list goes on and on.
Get out and vote. Our revolution is waiting.
I have a dream that women are ascendent and are a trajectory to overtake men as rulers of the world. It wouldn't be perfect, but, hey. How's it working for us so far? Burning up the planet. Rapes uninvestigated. Closing down Planned Parenthood. Underpaid. The list goes on and on.
Get out and vote. Our revolution is waiting.
136
Politics, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. My opinion supporting Hillary as the best choice and most qualified woman or man to be president in this or any other election means nothing to those who dislike her with a vengeance. What will finally mercifully be accomplished is breaking the glass ceiling of gender discrimination. As it was with President Obama it will be for Hillary, yet another barrier broken.
The sky won't fall, the heavens will not burst open, atlas will not shrug nor shudder. Nothing will be different the day Hillary takes the oath of office as it was the day before. But thy will be done. It will be another historic milestone we will have passed in our long struggle to make America even greater than it already is. It will fortify and enforce the power of the people of the United States to take this gloriously evolving nation to higher ground. Another marker met, many more mile markers to follow.
What's next? A Hispanic, a Jew, a Muslim, an atheist, a gay, lesbian, transgender, an infinitive series of hurdles which will be set forth and jumped over. They will all come and be surpassed in due time. It is just a matter of time and space and the ever-changing nature of America. May God Bless Her.
DD
Manhattan
The sky won't fall, the heavens will not burst open, atlas will not shrug nor shudder. Nothing will be different the day Hillary takes the oath of office as it was the day before. But thy will be done. It will be another historic milestone we will have passed in our long struggle to make America even greater than it already is. It will fortify and enforce the power of the people of the United States to take this gloriously evolving nation to higher ground. Another marker met, many more mile markers to follow.
What's next? A Hispanic, a Jew, a Muslim, an atheist, a gay, lesbian, transgender, an infinitive series of hurdles which will be set forth and jumped over. They will all come and be surpassed in due time. It is just a matter of time and space and the ever-changing nature of America. May God Bless Her.
DD
Manhattan
99
People often ask about Trump and, what they find the most odd, is that my wife, a naturalized US immigrant, strongly supports him. Some assume I talked her into supporting Trump but that isn't the case at all. She's a tough and independent. If anything she's more influential on me than the other way. My Facebook friends tend to be liberal but the only Trump supporters I know are all women: every single one of them.
We're expats living in France. Our French friends tend to be conservative, ranging from what the French call the right to their definition of far-right. But they're all extremely worried about Trump; we're asked about him all the time. My answer is that what people focus on the most is Trump's pledge, that seems sincere, to renegotiate better trade deals with low-wage countries. That, at least, is something that resonates with Europeans, or at least the one's we know.
We're expats living in France. Our French friends tend to be conservative, ranging from what the French call the right to their definition of far-right. But they're all extremely worried about Trump; we're asked about him all the time. My answer is that what people focus on the most is Trump's pledge, that seems sincere, to renegotiate better trade deals with low-wage countries. That, at least, is something that resonates with Europeans, or at least the one's we know.
11
It is natural I think to assess a person on "Maleness" or "Femaleness" traits rather than their actual sex. What does the common sense saying, "He seems to act like a woman." or "She seems to act like a man." These statements are not PC but I expect that it may they may be unspoken thoughts more than we might imagine. It is a gut reaction kind of thing. It is not going away anytime soon.
I am an 84 year old, white male that will gladly vote for Hillary Clinton just as I did two times for President Obama. I admire their thinking capacity and I trust their judgement. I voted for Ike, Ronald, Gerald, and George I, but have gone to the Democrat side since. I have not been sorry for the change. The Republican Party has lost its way. I long for an Ike.
I am an 84 year old, white male that will gladly vote for Hillary Clinton just as I did two times for President Obama. I admire their thinking capacity and I trust their judgement. I voted for Ike, Ronald, Gerald, and George I, but have gone to the Democrat side since. I have not been sorry for the change. The Republican Party has lost its way. I long for an Ike.
80
Apparently Kristof touched a nerve in many male commenters to no one's surprise. I am at a loss to properly explain the enduring hatred and fear of women. The world would be a much happier and peaceful place if there wasn't this senseless gender war. Men, it is time to stand up and take the lead in changing this mentality if we are truly as great as we think we are.
120
Since the majority of the comments, and most of the defensiveness and sputtering anger, are from women, I would say that the problem lies on the distaff side. And possibly north of the border.
11
Trump is wildly unqualified to be President, and I would never vote for him. That doesn't mean, however, that everything he says is untrue. He is correct about this point, and like usual, Kristof tries to use sarcasm to cover up his lazy and flawed logic. He cites the two studies that support the idea of gender bias, and ignores the many others that suggest there is no gender bias (or that women actually are given an advantage). The first thing I hear when I tell someone I don't like Hillary Clinton is "why, because she's a women?" Her email scandal would have ended her run if she were a man. There wouldn't have been people like Kristof giving her second (and third) chances. In the end, she is such a superior choice to Trump that it would be unconscionable not to vote for her. But it's still true that if she wasn't female, she wouldn't be close to getting the nomination.
10
If there was a man in the race with her qualifications on either side he would be a shoo in for the election.
89
The fact of Trump's shortcomings does not respond to, or negate, the fact that Hillary is playing the woman card. I think that what most enrages commenters is that The Donald is not playing the role he is expected to play, which is to accept abuse from the liberal chattering class. He gives as good as he gets, and then some.
Hillary is a mediocre politician who, were it not for her marriage, would still be practicing law at the Rose Law Firm. Wait: she got that job while her husband was governor, so she'd probably be managing a large urban Legal Aid office. When it comes time, as it will, for a female president, it would be better that she get there on her own.
Hillary is a mediocre politician who, were it not for her marriage, would still be practicing law at the Rose Law Firm. Wait: she got that job while her husband was governor, so she'd probably be managing a large urban Legal Aid office. When it comes time, as it will, for a female president, it would be better that she get there on her own.
23
The whole idea of a "woman's card" is simply ludicrous. Women are over one-half of America and the world's population. How can they have a "card". The real problem is that organized religions - all of them - have been trying to suppress women for centuries. Mother Nature has been in existence billions of years before any of them. Maybe that's the problem? Whatever their problem it is time to put the minority population in the world - men - back in their place. Vote only for qualified women in every election before and after November 8 and we will see a complete turnaround to civility, common sense and socially conscious representation. NOW is the time.
98
Trump ought to play the dummy card. Clinton is a woman. Whatever she says is going to come from that basic fact. It will be tempered by her experiences in life but she can't stop being a woman any more than Trump can stop being a man. This election is not about the sexes. It's about who will best serve the country. I thought we were long past the point of looking at a person's gender for how suited they are to a job. I guess not if this column is present. Clinton has more experience than anyone running right now. She was a senator, the Secretary of State, First Lady, a lawyer in her own right, and she's got the necessary experience. The others don't no matter how much they try to attack Clinton.
84
I predict that playing the woman card will be even messier than playing the race card. That's because the prejudice against women goes even deeper, in each of us, than the prejudice based on racism. We all have learned from the beginning in our personal lives how a woman should/must behave. This is, i believe, the rock bottom bigotry on which all the others rest.
Unfortunately, this is not a game and has nothing to do with "playing" anything. We are who we really are, and have to stand up for that. If not Hillary Clinton, who else will ever be elected to be the first and only woman president? I will be more than proud to say I vote for her not just because she deserves that respect but also very much because she is a woman. It's certainly about time!
Unfortunately, this is not a game and has nothing to do with "playing" anything. We are who we really are, and have to stand up for that. If not Hillary Clinton, who else will ever be elected to be the first and only woman president? I will be more than proud to say I vote for her not just because she deserves that respect but also very much because she is a woman. It's certainly about time!
69
BIOLOGY IS DESTINY, as Freud said. A bit of brain science provides elucidation of the discussion. Everyone is born after being carried in a woman's body. So we all have different attachments to females than to males. To characterize peoples' reactions to women without mentioning biology and neuroscience results in incomplete descriptions. Limiting the descriptions of responses to gender differences as a social construct is insufficient. The fact that we're all here on Earth due to women bearing us during pregnancy places females in the most powerful position there is. But for them, there would be no human race. Also, for that reason, we all experience a very powerful response to nurturance from females. In her campaigning and debates, Hillary must of needs take a position that often places emphasis on her intellectual strength and powers of persuasion. Unconsciously, then, we look for the nurturance in everything she does Leading a country effectively is, on balance, an act of nurturance that requires elements of power; not vice versa. So Trump's claim that Hillary is playing the woman card places him at a profound disadvantage. Because as a man he's a colossal failure; and as a woman he's far worse than that. Tragically, Trump fails in his ability to display basic decency and civility. Also, I feel sorry for his microphones that are subjected to the constant sprays of sputum he generates. Not to mention the hot air. Having dementia, he's unfit for office.
41
After Douthat and Dowd, here's an example of the NYT I love! Whether I agree with this article not at all, in part or in whole is besides the point; it is intelligent and coherent; and after reading it I feel these minutes of the Sunday morning have been well-spent.
Thank you!
Thank you!
44
The fact is that Hillary does play the woman card and that without it, she'd be in enormous trouble. She is a mediocre politician who would be nowhere on the national radar if she were not the wife of a far more talented, two term President. With all of the connections and access to money that that implies.
20
People keep saying this and yet it was Hilary Clinton not Bill who first appeared in the National Press. (In Life Magazine for her Valedictory speech, and before she met him). He did not get her into the very good schools she wen to. She earned that. So the likelihood is that if she were a man, she'd have been tapped as a rising star by the party and promoted. Instead his career overshadowed and subsumed hers. Only now can she reclaim it.
92
Beyond the mere fact that you're trying to wave away her actual record--Wikipedia's there for a reason, you know--you're waving to defend a mediocre businessman who has a serious habit of exaggerating little things like how much money he has, not to mention that he's really never done anything except saw up neighborhoods and sell the chunks as well as scream at people onna TV.
Sorry, not impressed at Donald's playing the rich white guy card.
Sorry, not impressed at Donald's playing the rich white guy card.
58
Those of us who entered all male professions decades ago know what Trump is doing. What always amazed me as a young good looking woman was that men wanted to sleep with me but did not want me in their profession. And a lot of women did everything they could to undermine my success, although I did not compete with them for all of those bigoted men.
Hillary came along just after me. I know what she faced. I succeeded and was deemed "an honorary man" in my profession, meaning to men that I was as good as the best trial lawyers in my office. But women who were not as beautiful were treated poorly. So I totally support Hillary to be president because she has the battle scars to prove she's been successful under fire from men and women who don't want women to succeed. Being called a bitch just means you are as good as a man, since girl dogs are smarter than boy dogs, as a general rule.
Hillary came along just after me. I know what she faced. I succeeded and was deemed "an honorary man" in my profession, meaning to men that I was as good as the best trial lawyers in my office. But women who were not as beautiful were treated poorly. So I totally support Hillary to be president because she has the battle scars to prove she's been successful under fire from men and women who don't want women to succeed. Being called a bitch just means you are as good as a man, since girl dogs are smarter than boy dogs, as a general rule.
61
That means you're supporting Hilary because she's a women. So Trump is correct. You make a very strong argument. Do you realize you made it?
9
So you are going to vote for her because she's a woman! No a word about her policies.
8
With women flying Fighter Jets & fighting along side of men in battle, CEOs in business, respected & quoted Professors,,Physicians & Engineers.They have demonstrated they can do anything that men can do and do it better.What is never spoken about is their honesty, & character.unlike men they cannot be bought especially, as politicians ,& Purchasing Agents in business.
Overall, their gender has nothing to do with their capability. I will not vote for Hillary not because she;s a women, I will vote for her because she;s a progressive thinker, & has been in the Political trenches.Yes she has made mistakes, as everyone does when they have the courage to make decisions, The unknown is at best 50/50.Trump & Cruz who have never had to make life & death decisions, & criticize Clinton for hers, have a lot of Chutzpah,
Overall, their gender has nothing to do with their capability. I will not vote for Hillary not because she;s a women, I will vote for her because she;s a progressive thinker, & has been in the Political trenches.Yes she has made mistakes, as everyone does when they have the courage to make decisions, The unknown is at best 50/50.Trump & Cruz who have never had to make life & death decisions, & criticize Clinton for hers, have a lot of Chutzpah,
47
"The scientists ... were more willing to mentor John than Jennifer,..."
Surprising. With all of the PhD and Post-Doc sexual harassment and assault cases that are now coming to light, I would have expected the male scientists to be much more eager to bring in a fresh crop of victims.
Surprising. With all of the PhD and Post-Doc sexual harassment and assault cases that are now coming to light, I would have expected the male scientists to be much more eager to bring in a fresh crop of victims.
8
Nicholas, it appears that you've been a tad or two too esoteric, wry, or roundabout in your thought piece. People seem to be confused, judging from the mixed bag of comments. Is Hillary's gender helping or hurting her or both, they seem to be asking. And as for The Donald playing the so-called man's card, remember what Sollozzo said to Michael Corleone when they were dining at Louis' restaurant? "I'm not that clever." Well, neither is Trump. There is no strategy. There is no card. There's only what nonsense and narcissism springs from the ego and spews through the lips.
While this election certainly does comprise elements of gender bias, xenophobia, economic Darwinism, and the unflagging assault on a woman's right to choose, it's boiled down to one of sanity. Just look at Trump and Cruz. And the foaming at the mouth über-liberal Sanders. If Hillary doesn't win the semi and the final, then America will have gone well and truly bonkers.
While this election certainly does comprise elements of gender bias, xenophobia, economic Darwinism, and the unflagging assault on a woman's right to choose, it's boiled down to one of sanity. Just look at Trump and Cruz. And the foaming at the mouth über-liberal Sanders. If Hillary doesn't win the semi and the final, then America will have gone well and truly bonkers.
30
Trump is bashing Hillary with the woman's card. Perhaps he doubts his own manhood. His umpteen marriages seem to point towards this fact. He feels a constant need to prove to himself and others of his manhood because of his own insecurity.
52
You nailed it! Great article. One thing though: 92% of what a male earns. ?? Really? I've read studies that put it at 76%! Wondering where you got your figure.
50
Both Kristoff and many of those commenting seem to be blind to a couple of realities.The first is a US specific issues,the stridency of women in this country.Starting off with very reasonable demands for equal opportunity and recognition,we now live in a culture where women see the shadow of misogyny everywhere,use it as an excuse for failings in the face of equality whilst creating difficult environments in the work place and other settings leading to resentment,not misogyny by men.Self righteous self objectification just adds fuel to the fire.In many corporate environments,for example,such behavior makes men appropriately wary.
The second issue pertains specifically to HRC.The facts are that she has ridden her husbands coattails,used his name recognition to get elected,showed steely lack of self respect in her personal relationship and worst of all,has little in the way of success she can show for her time in the public eye.She may be smart,stubborn and able but so far she isn't entitled to any of the credit and respect given to Meir,Merkel or Thatcher.Sadder still she can't even hold a candle to Warren.
The second issue pertains specifically to HRC.The facts are that she has ridden her husbands coattails,used his name recognition to get elected,showed steely lack of self respect in her personal relationship and worst of all,has little in the way of success she can show for her time in the public eye.She may be smart,stubborn and able but so far she isn't entitled to any of the credit and respect given to Meir,Merkel or Thatcher.Sadder still she can't even hold a candle to Warren.
12
Hillary was pressured to change her name to Clinton during the cookie baker era. She appeased men who found it threatening to their world view for a woman to keep her maiden name. I've always thought it was Bill who benefitted more from her intellect, but Hillary will show that to the world... Soon.
31
You are obviously male. Warren is a one trick pony. She doesn't have the breadth of experience Clinton has. And she would never have the fortitude to handle diplomacy with the likes of Putin, or a Republican vetting for that matter.
9
The political party that lives by identity politics will die by identity politics.
16
Donald Trump's "man" card is counterfeit. He's a grown-up Draco Malfoy with a wallet instead of a wand. (Apologies to Tom Felton, a fine young actor).
Think of Presidents with TRUE "man cards":
Gen. George Washington, totally unafraid of bullets flying as if he KNOWS they won't hit him.
President Andrew Jackson beating a would-be assassin nearly to death.
Teddy Roosevelt, after being shot, finishing his speech in 1912.
President Harry Truman, when Puerto Rican separatists tried to assassinate him sticking his head out to see what's going on to the chagrin of the Secret Service.
Contrast that with someone simply getting too close to Donald Trump at a rally and he immediately ducks amid his 4 Secret Service body guards.
No, Donald Trump confuses his "Rich Bully Card" for a "Man Card".
Think of Presidents with TRUE "man cards":
Gen. George Washington, totally unafraid of bullets flying as if he KNOWS they won't hit him.
President Andrew Jackson beating a would-be assassin nearly to death.
Teddy Roosevelt, after being shot, finishing his speech in 1912.
President Harry Truman, when Puerto Rican separatists tried to assassinate him sticking his head out to see what's going on to the chagrin of the Secret Service.
Contrast that with someone simply getting too close to Donald Trump at a rally and he immediately ducks amid his 4 Secret Service body guards.
No, Donald Trump confuses his "Rich Bully Card" for a "Man Card".
33
Trump is not a good choice for President. However, how does ridiculing him have any bearing on whether what he said about Hilary's support is correct or not? There seems to be this idea that it is not permissible to admit anything about your side that might not be positive. That's how the Tea Party works, and that's how the Hilary supporters appear to work. I think she definitely gets a boost from being a women, and I will vote for her rather than Trump. Admitting she has an advantage because she is a women does not mean she isn't a better choice than Trump.
3
Double standards? Nah. Oh by the way the dishwasher was having issues the other day and I looked in the owner's manual and online and went downstairs to ask the building manager if he happened to have a Torx screwdriver because our dishwasher had a problem. He looked impressed and said "Oh your husband knows how to fix dishwashers?"
39
If you need to scrounge a Torx driver to fix your dishwasher, you should tell your husband to be more careful with the machine when he uses it.
2
And that proves what exactly? That Trump was wrong about Hilary's support?
4
Spot on. There's a wide range of what's viewed as "normal" for men, whereas both men and women have a much narrower definition of "normal" for women, and thus judge them much more critically and unrealistically. I would also add that, in addition to catcalls and condescension, women live with a low-level but ever-present fear of sexual violence that requires our public life to be conducted with vigilance at all times. This is no small thing.
36
I'm seriously concerned about the common sense of many NYT readers. Why? Because Hillary has consistently played the woman's card! Just because the Donald says it doesn't make it untrue.
We are lectured daily that we have to vote for her because she's a woman. It's time. We have to make history, asking us to draw the inference that we've had a black president now it's time for a woman. Her proxies have opined that women who do not vote for her deserve a special part of hell. One suggested that young women who are supporting Bernie are just looking for boys! Talk about sexist!
It's made very clear that they know her policies are not Democratic but look she's a woman and by the way she lost in 2008 soo vote for her.
I'll agree if Hillary were a man she would have already been a candidate for President on the Republican ticket and she probably would have won. So she paid a price for being a woman. But my point is she's really a republican, a corporatist. The fact thst she is a woman doesn't make her attractive as a Democratic candidate although I am told it should!
I'm not saying they haven't also suggested that you need to vote for her because she'll have a muscular foreign policy or because she knows single payer health care is a fantasy or free college can't be done. But really guys we all know what he meant and he was right!
Just because the Donald says it doesn't make it untrue!
We are lectured daily that we have to vote for her because she's a woman. It's time. We have to make history, asking us to draw the inference that we've had a black president now it's time for a woman. Her proxies have opined that women who do not vote for her deserve a special part of hell. One suggested that young women who are supporting Bernie are just looking for boys! Talk about sexist!
It's made very clear that they know her policies are not Democratic but look she's a woman and by the way she lost in 2008 soo vote for her.
I'll agree if Hillary were a man she would have already been a candidate for President on the Republican ticket and she probably would have won. So she paid a price for being a woman. But my point is she's really a republican, a corporatist. The fact thst she is a woman doesn't make her attractive as a Democratic candidate although I am told it should!
I'm not saying they haven't also suggested that you need to vote for her because she'll have a muscular foreign policy or because she knows single payer health care is a fantasy or free college can't be done. But really guys we all know what he meant and he was right!
Just because the Donald says it doesn't make it untrue!
12
Hillary walks the talk in supporting women's rights. In this aspect she is most definitely not a Republican, and why she will get my vote.
42
I don't know - Donald saying anything would make me look at it p.retty closely
8
But of course, you do know that the woman card comment had nothing to do with women's rights or her "support" of women's rights. I use "" because women also have a right to jobs thst TPP will steel and NFATA have already stolen. They also have a right to a stable economy which her friends the bankers crashed in their run for the billions! Woman and men can have all the rights in world but if they don't have a job or a place to live they aren't in a position to enforce or protect them. It's time we had a change and that isn't Hillary. (It's not the Donald either.)
3
You support Hillary because she IS a woman? How wrong is that? Lets just on character and morals....................she is being investigated by the FBI for cheating. She lied to protect her hubby from his girlfriends. She charges huge fees to yack...she would be a nobody if not for Bill's political skills........Benghazi ring a bell? WHAT successes has she had?
9
I doubt if bill would have made it without Hillary to manage his campaign. She is not being investigated by the FBI for chrating, whatever you think that means.
12
Well, she's been wonderfully successful at driving you lot to spit-spraying unintelligible fury, which I call an achievement right there.
20
Blaise Adams:
"He is saying she is bad because she isn't qualified, and that her status as a woman got her favored treatment."
I find it utterly crazy and frustrating--and predictable-- that someone who has been a Senator and Secretary of State can be called unqualified. Whether you agree with her or like her or not, just patently untrue. Period.
"He is saying she is bad because she isn't qualified, and that her status as a woman got her favored treatment."
I find it utterly crazy and frustrating--and predictable-- that someone who has been a Senator and Secretary of State can be called unqualified. Whether you agree with her or like her or not, just patently untrue. Period.
49
Trump is being unloved and resented in the higher sheres of American punditship for the simple reason of having challenged the ESTABLISHMENT and all those pundits pundits being paid by it it one way or another.
With the striking unmistakeable massive popularity he has proved pundits should consfider that in a way what they say reflects their stand re the masses of Americans who showed their relentless support to this courageous , and many other things, man
With the striking unmistakeable massive popularity he has proved pundits should consfider that in a way what they say reflects their stand re the masses of Americans who showed their relentless support to this courageous , and many other things, man
9
If poking your middle finger into the eye of the establishment is the same as “challenged” then yes. But if one requires some substance in the middle finger, then we are truly looking at a very tiny finger indeed.
16
I find this so perplexing. As an admittedly rather sooky boy, given the choice I preferred to play with girls. As a teenager, I preferred the company of my male friends' mothers to my friends themselves. As a young man and now not so young man, I prefer the company of women. I like women – of all ages, appearances, social classes and ethnic groups.
As a kid, it used to infuriate me that girls and women were told they couldn't do this or they couldn't do that, couldn't join the army, couldn't fight, weld, or do mathematics or physics as well as most guys. I also hated the attitude of so many of my male teenage peers (and older) to girls and women of their own age.
This is not to say, of course, that I think that women are perfection incarnate. Not to say that, necessarily, the very best females will always be quite as good as the very best males in a given intellectual or physical discipline although they may be even better.
Women make plenty of mistakes. Females of all ages can be very cruel to other women and to girls, as well as to the vulnerable children in their charge. As I grow old and wonder on the horrors we humans perform, frequently I see that the worst men and boys are all too often the proxies of revenge, especially on women and girls, for their insanely ferocious and embittered mothers.
Nonetheless, the evil that we humans do, and we do so much evil, is done overwhelmingly by boys and men. In that important respect, women and girls are the best of us.
As a kid, it used to infuriate me that girls and women were told they couldn't do this or they couldn't do that, couldn't join the army, couldn't fight, weld, or do mathematics or physics as well as most guys. I also hated the attitude of so many of my male teenage peers (and older) to girls and women of their own age.
This is not to say, of course, that I think that women are perfection incarnate. Not to say that, necessarily, the very best females will always be quite as good as the very best males in a given intellectual or physical discipline although they may be even better.
Women make plenty of mistakes. Females of all ages can be very cruel to other women and to girls, as well as to the vulnerable children in their charge. As I grow old and wonder on the horrors we humans perform, frequently I see that the worst men and boys are all too often the proxies of revenge, especially on women and girls, for their insanely ferocious and embittered mothers.
Nonetheless, the evil that we humans do, and we do so much evil, is done overwhelmingly by boys and men. In that important respect, women and girls are the best of us.
27
I find this perplexing as well. What does it have to do with the topic at hand !?
2
Ginger Rogers was a very good dancer, but Fred Astaire was one of the greatest dancers of all time, male or female. So that silly quip does Fred Astaire a considerable injustice. Ok I guess since he was a white male.
11
You appreciate that comment--every he did backward in heels--has been around for decades, yes?
3
It was Ginger Rogers who said it. She just might know.
10
Perhaps we allow trump to dictate the subject when we continue to focus on his sexism? Let's talk the issues, stick to those questions that Hillary has mastered (both foreign and domestic policies) and will answer in depth. Ask Donald the same and it will be clear he is incompetent to be even considered for the Presidency. When she is elected it will be an affirmation for all women, based on brains, commitment and hard work.
40
The so-called woman's card is nothing more than the "soft misogyny of low expectations" for a group that since the dawn of civilization society was labeled as the "weaker sex" based on what are now demonstrably erroneous assumptions.
28
Great article as alaways Mr. Kristof
I really am not surprised at these findings. Since the inception of agriculture about 10 or 11 thousand years ago when the primary jobs of men -- bringing home the bacon as hunters; protecting the tribe from the beasts of the wild, and especially from men from other tribes, and barking at the moon -- were increasingly from those days to modern times taken away from them and so they insinuated themselves -- using their extra strength and aggressiveness -- into domestic life to the point that by the dark ages and since, they have run the show -- a very bloody show.
There is very good evidence that before the inception of agriculture, women pretty much ran all aspects of life at home and presided over the governance as well.
It is time for us to go back to this model as woman are much more suited to lead then men.
It does not surprise me at all that this massive 10,000 year hostage situation has produced woman who denigrate themselves -- experience the Stockholm Syndrome as did Patty Hearst when she was taken hostage by the Simbianese Liberation Army and then, until she was later deprogrammed, became an avid follower and member of the group.
I
I really am not surprised at these findings. Since the inception of agriculture about 10 or 11 thousand years ago when the primary jobs of men -- bringing home the bacon as hunters; protecting the tribe from the beasts of the wild, and especially from men from other tribes, and barking at the moon -- were increasingly from those days to modern times taken away from them and so they insinuated themselves -- using their extra strength and aggressiveness -- into domestic life to the point that by the dark ages and since, they have run the show -- a very bloody show.
There is very good evidence that before the inception of agriculture, women pretty much ran all aspects of life at home and presided over the governance as well.
It is time for us to go back to this model as woman are much more suited to lead then men.
It does not surprise me at all that this massive 10,000 year hostage situation has produced woman who denigrate themselves -- experience the Stockholm Syndrome as did Patty Hearst when she was taken hostage by the Simbianese Liberation Army and then, until she was later deprogrammed, became an avid follower and member of the group.
I
20
As an older woman who has pretty much given up on the human race, I do want to thank you for your comment (and the other men making similar comments, as well). I think men are afraid that if women attained equality they would do to men what men have done to women. This is not the case. All women want is for everyone to join in equally, have opportunities to realize their full potential, and be respected and loved. I think that's really what men want for themselves, and many want it for their children. When women lead, and when women fully participate, and when men participate equally in domestic life, society prospers. All the data show this. So really, why should anyone give Trump anything but a stern admonishment for his misogyny (and his other isms).
56
Very well put.
Thank you for that.
Thank you for that.
10
Poor Ginger Rogers. I doubt that, apart from anything else, she complained about being teamed with Fred Astaire and becoming an ageless icon. Nicholas Kristof cannot have spent much time watching their movies as the majority of their routines have them doing the same steps side-by-side, faces front. Dancers are fully coordinated athletes, capable of moving forwards, backwards, sideways and, in Fred's case, on the ceiling and the walls.
8
Ms. Rogers doesn't need pity. The point is she did what Fred Astaire did but while handicapped by wearing high heels. Like most women, she had to do what she did better than the men in order to get recognition. I wonder what she was paid compared to Fred. What do you do for a living Ronald? Ever try doing it in high heels? You know, Prince liked them. So did Louis XIV.
16
I don't see how being "better" than a man helps a female dancer as they're not in competition with men. I don't think of Fred being "better" than Ginger or vice versa,. High heels, according to Wikipedia seem to date back to 3500 BC so I don't see why I should take responsibility for that fashion or its persistence.
2
Most of the comments miss the point entirely. They are an attempt to divert attention from the truth of what Trump said to his manner, his own failings and his wealth. HRC is playing the woman card; Trump is not playing any man card, which in this PC-obsessed atmosphere would carry no weight in any event.
This is not a discussion of "gender inequality", nor of Trump's company's bankruptcy in the early 90s, nor of whether men have "driven the planet off the cliff". It's about election tactics. Get real and stop sputtering.
This is not a discussion of "gender inequality", nor of Trump's company's bankruptcy in the early 90s, nor of whether men have "driven the planet off the cliff". It's about election tactics. Get real and stop sputtering.
9
Not so. Hillary merely responds when someone points to her gender as a disqualification. It is Donald who is actually playing the woman card and doing so while holding the man card.
Ask any of the people paupered by Trump if he is honest. His four bankruptcies, and the debt forgiveness they provided him, left victims in his wake. How do you think they rate his honesty? We're he honest, would he not pay his debts? He is fond of referring to his wealth...is there no responsibility, ethical if not legal, to make his victims whole?
No, Donald thinks integrity is a foreign word, probably French. Donald thinks paying debts is for losers. And truth? It's relative.
Ask any of the people paupered by Trump if he is honest. His four bankruptcies, and the debt forgiveness they provided him, left victims in his wake. How do you think they rate his honesty? We're he honest, would he not pay his debts? He is fond of referring to his wealth...is there no responsibility, ethical if not legal, to make his victims whole?
No, Donald thinks integrity is a foreign word, probably French. Donald thinks paying debts is for losers. And truth? It's relative.
20
Being a woman does not automatically mean one is "playing the woman card." I think HRC is playing the skill card, the experience card, the diplomatic card, the listening card, the cheerfulness card, the hard work card, and the laugh at human folly card. DT, on the other hand, is relying upon the bully card, the hairhat card, the narcissist card. No comparison, really.
36
How ironic that many think that Hillary plays the so called woman card because she is married to Bill Clinton and that this accounts for her success in politics. And yet I don't hear anybody saying that Donald's ultimate man card is his birth certificate . Where would Donald be If he were not the son of New York millionaire real estate developer, Fred Trump? The double standard that we apply to Hillary Clinton is mind numbing.
59
Good point , think of what the scheming , conniving HRC could have done backed up by a wealthy father.
4
RJS,
He'd be a shoe store salesman.
He'd be a shoe store salesman.
14
Paradox. A man had to write this to give these hard-wired notions about gender inequality any credibility. If a woman had written it, it would be picked apart like the scavengers on the Savannah. So now that we know it, how do we change our behavior to account for the inherent bias? Yeah, right.
26
Hillary has ridden her husband's coat tails to gain high office, resorting to savagely attacking the numerous single women who said her husband sexually assaulted them as he dragged her upward and onward. Now she and strident so called feminists brazenly demand females vote for Hillary because she's a woman. That whole reeking mess is what people mean when saying she's playing the woman card. And now she's selling an actual 'woman's card'. Cute. Maybe Trump should offer a deck of 'women's cards', with each card picturing one of Bill Clinton's sex crime victims and what contemptible names Hillary's thugs called them.
8
I'm sorry. What "sex crimes" was Mr. Clinton convicted of?
Really?
Really?
16
People keep saying feminists demand people vote for her because she's a woman but the only people who make this claim I see are those who oppose her whether they are republicans or Bernie supporters.
It makes no sense really because what power or force do we have to make that demand. Are there feminists with guns coming up to people at gunpoint? Are there terrorists cells blowing things up? Are there even non-violent sit-ins?
No, some women have mentioned that would be a good thing to have a woman president for a change (albeit only one who is smart, qualified with woman's issues on her agenda, feminists couldn't run far enough from Sarah Palin). And some people translate that as a "demand". I mean c'mon people, just because you feel threatened by the idea of a female president doesn't mean we are actually threatening you.
It makes no sense really because what power or force do we have to make that demand. Are there feminists with guns coming up to people at gunpoint? Are there terrorists cells blowing things up? Are there even non-violent sit-ins?
No, some women have mentioned that would be a good thing to have a woman president for a change (albeit only one who is smart, qualified with woman's issues on her agenda, feminists couldn't run far enough from Sarah Palin). And some people translate that as a "demand". I mean c'mon people, just because you feel threatened by the idea of a female president doesn't mean we are actually threatening you.
20
Baloney, the women's card is being played by your gal. Obama's biggest mistake was appointing her as s.o.s. I am guessing it was some sort of quid pro quo when he appointed her. She has ridden on the coattails of her philandering, sexual predator husband, and is using her appointed position of s.o.s. as a springboard to the white house. She will win mainly because many think "it's time for a woman". I think it's time for the right woman. Not hillary.
10
For Mr. Trump and many on the right the "women's" card is dog-whistle language for the "black's" card (read President Obama); the "latino's" card (exempt Cubans); the "lesbian/gay" card (rabid recruiters of our children); the "atheist's" card (destroyers of "OUR" Anglo-Saxon "Juedeo-Christian" national identity; now the "transgender" card (Mississippi and North Carolina); the "'Enlightenment'" card versus the darkness...
Mr. Trump is appealing to the prejudices of his base. In this. he is merely more duplicitous than previous Republican politicians.
Mr. Trump is appealing to the prejudices of his base. In this. he is merely more duplicitous than previous Republican politicians.
11
You must have missed hearing Hillary's "southern accent" in an appeal to Blacks
4
52 percent of voters in the US are women. I guess Mr. Trump isn't a numbers guy.
11
"It has been said that Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did — just backward and in high heels. Now that’s the woman’s card."
I've said that at least twice this year. I truly believe that a woman needs to be twice as good as a man to get this job. But I really don't see a problem.
On one hand you have this person, much of their life has been dedicated to service. Twice elected as Senator, Secretary of State, a hard worker who learns every detail of the job they need to know.
On the other hand you have this person, born rich and privileged, exclusive schools, their life dedicated to getting their own way no matter who got hurt. A person who lies openly and continually. A person not in the least qualified for the job they want.
Hmmm, now which resume are you going to pick? Not hard for me.
Hillary walks right into the job, knowing the problems, what works, what doesn't.
Trump walks in not only knowing nothing, but having ideas not connected to reality. He would have to hire people that knew something. He would soon be a figurehead, a puppet manipulated by his hires. Hey, maybe he can get Dick Cheney to run things. That worked so well before.
I've said that at least twice this year. I truly believe that a woman needs to be twice as good as a man to get this job. But I really don't see a problem.
On one hand you have this person, much of their life has been dedicated to service. Twice elected as Senator, Secretary of State, a hard worker who learns every detail of the job they need to know.
On the other hand you have this person, born rich and privileged, exclusive schools, their life dedicated to getting their own way no matter who got hurt. A person who lies openly and continually. A person not in the least qualified for the job they want.
Hmmm, now which resume are you going to pick? Not hard for me.
Hillary walks right into the job, knowing the problems, what works, what doesn't.
Trump walks in not only knowing nothing, but having ideas not connected to reality. He would have to hire people that knew something. He would soon be a figurehead, a puppet manipulated by his hires. Hey, maybe he can get Dick Cheney to run things. That worked so well before.
31
A life dedicated to public service? SHE GOT PAID by the taxpayers for those jobs....................she also used those jobs and Bill to gain power and money
6
Not for first lady she didn't.
7
Making money IS EVIL? Hate her if you want. But Trump is a walking disaster.
Which politicians do you know who don't want to get paid, or gain power. Are you a Saint Bernie follower? Just imagine him trying to get all those D.C. Republicans to join his revolution. He would get nothing accomplished.
Which politicians do you know who don't want to get paid, or gain power. Are you a Saint Bernie follower? Just imagine him trying to get all those D.C. Republicans to join his revolution. He would get nothing accomplished.
14
Both Hillary and Donald have played their respective "man card".
Donald John Trump is not Hillary Clinton's philandering immoral degenerate serial adulterer cowardly draft dodging money grubbing husband Mr. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton.
And Hillary aka Mrs. William Jefferson Clinton is no Margaret Chase Smith nor Shirley Chisolm nor Barbara Jordan nor Nancy Pelosi nor Carol Mosely Braun nor Fannie Lou Hamer nor Ella Baker without a public mister to create, cultivate and continue her career.
A life time with Arkansas Elvis aka Bubba has given Hillary some really big ovaries a steely backbone and stony heart. Standing by her man has gotten her to this space and time.
I dare Hillary to wilt and cry before the barking bloviating the Donald. I doubt that Miss Hillary is a teary shuddering wimpering Edmund Muskie.
Donald John Trump is not Hillary Clinton's philandering immoral degenerate serial adulterer cowardly draft dodging money grubbing husband Mr. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton.
And Hillary aka Mrs. William Jefferson Clinton is no Margaret Chase Smith nor Shirley Chisolm nor Barbara Jordan nor Nancy Pelosi nor Carol Mosely Braun nor Fannie Lou Hamer nor Ella Baker without a public mister to create, cultivate and continue her career.
A life time with Arkansas Elvis aka Bubba has given Hillary some really big ovaries a steely backbone and stony heart. Standing by her man has gotten her to this space and time.
I dare Hillary to wilt and cry before the barking bloviating the Donald. I doubt that Miss Hillary is a teary shuddering wimpering Edmund Muskie.
4
"Donald John Trump is not Hillary Clinton's philandering immoral (sic) degenerate serial adulterer cowardly draft dodging money grubbing husband Mr. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton."
Right you are, blackmamba. Trump is his own man, a philandering moral degenerate, serial adulterer cowardly draft dodging money grubbing and inheriting serial token wife marrying Mr. Donald Trump who has no moral compass in "winning."
Bill Clinton was honest about avoiding the draft. Amd ive never heard such a ridiculous notion as referring to him as Mr. Hillary, though knowing Bill, he won't mind. Real men don't find their masculinity in the perceptions of strangers. Bill didn't hide behind his ridiculous tiny feet to match his childlike hands for an exemption on physical grounds like Trump did. I prefer an honest conscientious objector to a liar like Trump any day. His wins are never win-win because without a loser, Donald can't seem to see himself as a winner. This does not bode well for the planet should he prevail in the election.
Right you are, blackmamba. Trump is his own man, a philandering moral degenerate, serial adulterer cowardly draft dodging money grubbing and inheriting serial token wife marrying Mr. Donald Trump who has no moral compass in "winning."
Bill Clinton was honest about avoiding the draft. Amd ive never heard such a ridiculous notion as referring to him as Mr. Hillary, though knowing Bill, he won't mind. Real men don't find their masculinity in the perceptions of strangers. Bill didn't hide behind his ridiculous tiny feet to match his childlike hands for an exemption on physical grounds like Trump did. I prefer an honest conscientious objector to a liar like Trump any day. His wins are never win-win because without a loser, Donald can't seem to see himself as a winner. This does not bode well for the planet should he prevail in the election.
18
Mr. and Mrs. William Jefferson Clinton never had any empathy or compassion for Sister Souljah or Monica Lewinsky or Gennifer Flowers.
Nor do they have any compassion for the black American victims of their mass incarceration and welfare deformation.
Bill Clinton was dishonest about dodging the draft and smoking marijuana. The Donald and the Bill are both cowardly punks from my streetwise black urban perspective.
I much prefer the streetwise Brooklyn born and bred baby daddy Bernard Sanders to either Scheme Clinton or Scheme Trump.
Nor do they have any compassion for the black American victims of their mass incarceration and welfare deformation.
Bill Clinton was dishonest about dodging the draft and smoking marijuana. The Donald and the Bill are both cowardly punks from my streetwise black urban perspective.
I much prefer the streetwise Brooklyn born and bred baby daddy Bernard Sanders to either Scheme Clinton or Scheme Trump.
5
My wife is much harder on women than I am. She can't stand Hillary. But she also thinks Trump is a buffoon. And would never vote for him. Like me she has resigned herself to the fact the best way to stop Trump/Cruz is to vote for Hillary.
19
• A twice-elected senator ....
A "twice-elected" power-mongering, carpetbagging arriviste profiting from celebrititis!
Too bad, "America". You do owe yourself the three most despicable apparent finalists in any leadership contest ever anywhere: a loud-mouthed megalomaniacal ignoramus, a fanatical, messianic, religious freak and a miscreant, mendacious, duplicitous celebutante. You dealt the hand you're holding and now need to play, wherever the cards may fall.
"Every country has the government it deserves." ~ Joseph de Maistre
Some hand, some card to play! A"Dead Man's Hand", if ever there was one, with Kasich playing the fourth black card and a face-down, unknown, wild "hole" card in the GOP offing.
[See "Wild Bill Hickock" online for the end result.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_man's_hand]
Back to the wild, wild west!
Did the Illustration pass you over?
"America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between." ~ Oscar WILDE
A "twice-elected" power-mongering, carpetbagging arriviste profiting from celebrititis!
Too bad, "America". You do owe yourself the three most despicable apparent finalists in any leadership contest ever anywhere: a loud-mouthed megalomaniacal ignoramus, a fanatical, messianic, religious freak and a miscreant, mendacious, duplicitous celebutante. You dealt the hand you're holding and now need to play, wherever the cards may fall.
"Every country has the government it deserves." ~ Joseph de Maistre
Some hand, some card to play! A"Dead Man's Hand", if ever there was one, with Kasich playing the fourth black card and a face-down, unknown, wild "hole" card in the GOP offing.
[See "Wild Bill Hickock" online for the end result.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_man's_hand]
Back to the wild, wild west!
Did the Illustration pass you over?
"America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between." ~ Oscar WILDE
11
To get to that top position, a woman has to be especially tough, not for the nice, sweet part of our sex. Women see right through Trump's insecurities about our tougher sisters. We will stand with Hillary over any of the misogynist republicans who feel that they can control what goes on in our bodies. Trump is just showing off his ultimate wimp card-himself!
28
I'm not standing with any woman who lets her husband play around and then attacks his girlfriends
1
What's weird is that DT doesn't seem to have the slightest awareness that women see through him and his aggression, his hatred, and his ridiculous insecurity. I'm with her.
17
"Lets" him play around, as it if is her fault? The only person culpable is him.
And also she's supposed to be nice to these woman? That is an inhuman and unloving standard you are imposing on her.
You have sex with someone else's spouse be prepared for harsh words spoken to you by that person. Period. If you can't cope with that idea, then choose unmarried partners. It is that simple. She's not your splinter denomination mormon sister wife. She's your rival.
And also she's supposed to be nice to these woman? That is an inhuman and unloving standard you are imposing on her.
You have sex with someone else's spouse be prepared for harsh words spoken to you by that person. Period. If you can't cope with that idea, then choose unmarried partners. It is that simple. She's not your splinter denomination mormon sister wife. She's your rival.
18
Tell that to the millenials who believe "2nd wave feminism" is outdated and old fashioned and that discrimination is a thing of the past.
13
Sadly, half of those millenials will learn it isn't outdated in about 10 years when they are no longer in the first flush of youth. The other half are men and wouldn't listen to me anyway.
12
Fair or not this "Woman's Card" rhetoric highlights Clinton's perceived weakness, namely that she lacks any passionate agenda for the country other than her own personal ambition to be the first woman president. Liberals would be well-served to not ignore that danger when reaching out to the independent voters they are going to need in November.
4
Where do you come up with the 92 cents to the men's dollar? Younger women are in the category in some fields, but women as a whole in the United States are perhaps approaching 80 cents on the dollar. The AAUW has done a serious study on the pay gender gap, so I would be delighted if the 92 cents held true for women in general. I think that it is more complicated than ever. Women in the fifties, by the way, according to a recent report in the NYT have a very difficult time even getting a job.
13
I realize that when it comes to voting, Americans seem to be in a delusional fog because very often, they vote against their own best interests!
But who, in their right mind, Would vote for a buffoonish, carnival huckster, like Trump, who looks like the love child of Howdy Doody and Raggedy Andy and who shares a hairstylist with Hulk Hogan!
But who, in their right mind, Would vote for a buffoonish, carnival huckster, like Trump, who looks like the love child of Howdy Doody and Raggedy Andy and who shares a hairstylist with Hulk Hogan!
13
Backwards and in high heels indeed! Give it up Donald Trump, you are out classed, and out performed.
6
Thanks so much for this very informative and enlightened article. Hopefully gender will become irrelevant, like race, ethnicity and religion are becoming, in this century.
3
I agree that the woman card endows little gain to Hillary Clinton's prospects for POTUS just as little as the race card redounded to the electability of Barak Obama - contrary to Geraldine Ferraro's assertion that the country wouldn't give Obama a second thought as presidential material if he hadn't the exotic appeal of being Black or Bill Clinton's contention that the upstart Obama candidacy would be an absurd fantasy if he didn't have the well-known and distinct advantage of being.....Black.
3
When it comes to cards, The Donald has been playing many cards in his effort to trump the opposition. He’s played the “misogynist card,” “racist card,” “religious bigot card,” “obscene card,” “anti-immigrant card,” “bully card,” and “pandering card” constantly. He’s certainly a “wild card.” And “Joker” comes to mind. He’s played so many “cards” it seems he no longer has a full deck, although I don’t know that he started with one.
If this weren’t so serious it would be quite amusing. Watching the Republican establishment and the political punditry going apoplectic is a grand show. “How did we go wrong?” “We should have stopped him months ago. It’s too late now.” “Our party will be in ruins.” They act as though Donald Trump crashed their otherwise civilized party, brought in a gang of rowdies with a couple of cases of Coors Lite, and now they can’t get back to the finger sandwiches and Chardonnay.
If this weren’t so serious it would be quite amusing. Watching the Republican establishment and the political punditry going apoplectic is a grand show. “How did we go wrong?” “We should have stopped him months ago. It’s too late now.” “Our party will be in ruins.” They act as though Donald Trump crashed their otherwise civilized party, brought in a gang of rowdies with a couple of cases of Coors Lite, and now they can’t get back to the finger sandwiches and Chardonnay.
15
Yes,
And whenever I hear one of his supporters say something like(cringe!) "I like what he says", I can only think that their deck is at least a few cards short.
And whenever I hear one of his supporters say something like(cringe!) "I like what he says", I can only think that their deck is at least a few cards short.
6
Academic "researchers" are 95% politically "progressives".
Citing "research" findings conducted by a committed "progressive" researcher as fact without acknowledging the inherent bias of the researcher is misleading.
Citing "research" findings conducted by a committed "progressive" researcher as fact without acknowledging the inherent bias of the researcher is misleading.
5
By all means, let's rely on anecdotal evidence rather than academic research; that's the right wing creed.
11
Could you cite that statistic, please?
2
"jck nj 35 minutes ago
Academic "researchers" are 95% politically "progressives".
Citing "research" findings conducted by a committed "progressive" researcher as fact without acknowledging the inherent bias of the researcher is misleading."
Sources, please? Citing alternative "research" whithout citing your source is inherently misleading. Or were you citing your own opinion of "progressives?" If so, say so.
We can't tolerate dishonesty, now can we?
Academic "researchers" are 95% politically "progressives".
Citing "research" findings conducted by a committed "progressive" researcher as fact without acknowledging the inherent bias of the researcher is misleading."
Sources, please? Citing alternative "research" whithout citing your source is inherently misleading. Or were you citing your own opinion of "progressives?" If so, say so.
We can't tolerate dishonesty, now can we?
4
“Women aren’t particularly nice to women,” notes Esther Duflo, an economist at M.I.T. who has studied gender issues.
It is a well known fact that in sexual assault cases, defense lawyers try and get as many women, preferably middle aged, on the juries because they know women are hard on each other. Sadly, many times a woman is a woman's worst enemy.
It is a well known fact that in sexual assault cases, defense lawyers try and get as many women, preferably middle aged, on the juries because they know women are hard on each other. Sadly, many times a woman is a woman's worst enemy.
4
Yes and that is spelled S-t-o-c-k-h-o-l-m S-y-n-d-r-o-m-e.
10
No, it's called e-x-p-e-r-i-e-n-c-e.
1
If you are a woman who is thinking of voting for Mr. Trump, should he be the republican nominee, ask yourself this question: Do you think you are where you are in life because you are a woman? If yes, then go ahead and vote for him, because I would venture there are women, albeit a small percentage, who would agree that being a woman is the only reason they are where they are in life. But if the answer is no, then you can't cast that vote because Mr.Trump isn't just talking about Mrs. Clinton, he's talking about you. He's talking about every woman who has had to work twice as hard as a man to get the same pay.
25
Thanks to Mr. Kristof for this column, pointing out the gross double-standard that our culture applies to men and women. Imagine for a minute a woman behaving as Donald Trump has behaved - self-importantly descending from his tower to declare his candidacy, waging crass verbal warfare on religious and ethnic minorities, vulgarly and personally attacking anyone who criticizes him or questions his unimpeachable perfection, bragging about his sexual prowess, and blabbering at every turn about the greatness of his brain and all of his manifold peerless qualities.
A woman who behaved like that would, to borrow Trump's phrase, win about five percent of the vote. Kristof correctly points out that Trump, by his blowhard bigoted buffoonery, plays the man card.
politicsbyeccehomo.wordpress.com
A woman who behaved like that would, to borrow Trump's phrase, win about five percent of the vote. Kristof correctly points out that Trump, by his blowhard bigoted buffoonery, plays the man card.
politicsbyeccehomo.wordpress.com
36
Only in America does a woman go to Yale, become a first lady, a Senator, a secretary of state, and still try to play the woman card! I doubt Hillary is that foolish, but she's a politician! Politicians might do almost anything! When her surrogates tried it early in the primary, it just seemed to backfire. Why her, many women, especially younger ones, asked. It's way better to concentrate on other issues, I think. Hillary, I think, has little clue about poor women's issues, not just as a well-off woman, but as a caucasian woman, too! She can hardly use a subway card! Perhaps, she knows wealthier caucasian women's issues!
On the other side, Trump of course is not smart enough to see his own Caucasian Male card!
On the other side, Trump of course is not smart enough to see his own Caucasian Male card!
2
This whole topic shows how far we haven't come as a society. When we see a white male nobody even notices, if anybody else shows up it's the race card, the women's card etc.
14
So, no one wants to say that Clinton hides behind that card? If anyone dares bring up her questionable behavior or obvious failures, they are immediately barraged with accusations that they are bringing these attacks against her "because she's a woman".
No, it's because she's in the arena and her actual acts really are being brought up against her. Equality means taking the same heat for failures and maybe criminality as everyone else.
No, it's because she's in the arena and her actual acts really are being brought up against her. Equality means taking the same heat for failures and maybe criminality as everyone else.
8
Trump's sole evaluation for women seems to be their beauty and their cup size. He is just an old fashioned guy. When they meet his criteria he showers them with clothes and jewelry. Trump likes to tell hard truths about people. Here is one about him. Based on his age and personality his current model wife would not have come within 20 feet of him were it not for his bankroll. As for self hating women, there are plenty around. The fact that the biggest male chauvinist to run for President will get 40% or over of their vote (especially in the South) tells you all you need to know about our put down and unequal culture.
19
When I moved here from Canada many years ago I noted the relatively low rate of breast-feeding. My mothers told me that there was no point starting to nurse their babies because they had to go back to work in 6 weeks anyway (in Canada women were getting at least 6 months). I brought this up during a quiet time in the ER talking to the staff there, mostly female. I was lamenting the short family leave time here in the U.S. when one of the nurses (female) stood up, got right in my face and said,"Hey. Are you working or are you having babies?".
Mr. Kristoff is right about the fact that women often are the harshest critics of other women and even less likely to get behind causes that one might think they would have supported, causes that would appear to help meet the needs of women. I think, though, that this phenomenon is similar to the Stockholm syndrome; it is learned behavior and not innate. We all need to work hard to unlearn it.
Mr. Kristoff is right about the fact that women often are the harshest critics of other women and even less likely to get behind causes that one might think they would have supported, causes that would appear to help meet the needs of women. I think, though, that this phenomenon is similar to the Stockholm syndrome; it is learned behavior and not innate. We all need to work hard to unlearn it.
14
Kristof gets it--almost! It may not always be "a clear-cut case of men oppressing women," but that is the heart of the matter: men do oppress women. It doesn’t have to be as extreme as the epidemic of rape on college campuses or in the military. It doesn’t have to be as extreme as the exclusion of women from the Catholic priesthood. The conduct of women who acquiesce, and they abound in the GOP and in Trump City, is like that behind the question: why do so many poor people vote against their economic interests? Or why do gay people support the GOP? Or why do some blacks support the GOP? And one answer must be that such "collaborationists" don't feel the discrimination that so many others experience in America.
Maybe it’s admirable, on some level, that so many can get on with their lives without noticing the bias against them. But they are enablers, for example, in the undoubted campaign against women by the GOP. And that is not over the top.
The push in the GOP to repeal Roe V Wade is palpable all across that party. So too is the abuse of power in Red states, abuse aimed at curtailing legal and constitutional rights in women’s reproductive lives. In this, the Red states mark time until the GOP wins the White House in November. That will give them the opportunity to put Roe V Wade in the history books—with the further subversion of the Supreme Court.
Maybe it’s admirable, on some level, that so many can get on with their lives without noticing the bias against them. But they are enablers, for example, in the undoubted campaign against women by the GOP. And that is not over the top.
The push in the GOP to repeal Roe V Wade is palpable all across that party. So too is the abuse of power in Red states, abuse aimed at curtailing legal and constitutional rights in women’s reproductive lives. In this, the Red states mark time until the GOP wins the White House in November. That will give them the opportunity to put Roe V Wade in the history books—with the further subversion of the Supreme Court.
15
Dear Mr. Kristof,
A whole essay telling us "women are people also" meaning that they can be just as venal, duplicitous and contrary as men if given the chance.
We all can be "angels or devils" with the ability to attain either goal only limited by "power" which has resided in male hands since the first caveman clocked his neighbor over the head with a rock in order to steal his land and his wife.
The "tools" of power have changed but I don't really think the "gender" of the person wielding that power has a thing to do with it. Power corrupts and absolute power will corrupt absolutely (Lord Acton) whatever sexual organs the power wielder possesses.
True equality will occur when and if the word "gender", much like gay, lesbian or transgender, disappears from the vocabulary.
And to paraphrase an old television ad, "We've got a long way to go, baby"!
A whole essay telling us "women are people also" meaning that they can be just as venal, duplicitous and contrary as men if given the chance.
We all can be "angels or devils" with the ability to attain either goal only limited by "power" which has resided in male hands since the first caveman clocked his neighbor over the head with a rock in order to steal his land and his wife.
The "tools" of power have changed but I don't really think the "gender" of the person wielding that power has a thing to do with it. Power corrupts and absolute power will corrupt absolutely (Lord Acton) whatever sexual organs the power wielder possesses.
True equality will occur when and if the word "gender", much like gay, lesbian or transgender, disappears from the vocabulary.
And to paraphrase an old television ad, "We've got a long way to go, baby"!
4
I agree with that. We all have doses of both progesterone and testosterone within us. The only reason that there are issues associated with these hormones is that one set of hormones has insinuated itself over the other.
I think you go too far back with the cavemen though. Women were running that show.
I think you go too far back with the cavemen though. Women were running that show.
4
Such strong reactions - across the board - from the Grey Lady's apologists to the idea of a Woman's card.
You know you have hit an chord when the intelligentsia rise up - like a solemn chorus from the Oreseteia - and tell you why you can't possibly be right.
Femsplaining?
You know you have hit an chord when the intelligentsia rise up - like a solemn chorus from the Oreseteia - and tell you why you can't possibly be right.
Femsplaining?
5
Steverr, that orchestra looks more and more like America. Know why? Blind auditions. Otherwise, it would still be super majority white male. Somehow, female and minority applicants don't sound as good when the conductor, usually white and male, can see them.
10
What card did Steinem and Albright play three months ago? No one can argue that that wasn't something.
As a Sanders supporter I am subject now, nearly every time I open the New York Times, to an onslaught of insults and innuendo attempting to cast my refusal to vote for Hillary as some kind of anti-feminist death wish exposing my secret longing to see Donald Trump elected. All this when the real candidate I had hoped to be able to support this year was Elizabeth Warren, with maybe Bernie as VP.
In any case, Clinton is playing lots of cards, and most of them off the bottom of the deck. Not a single member of my Democrat family nor a single Democrat friend of mine feels they can bring themselves to vote for her, though some will, over Trump, when it comes down to it. I can't say I will do that. I think I'll stay home, not that it will make any difference in Kansas anyway, where any vote for a Democrat is at best a statement rather than an act.
Hillary won't get the entire women's vote, but she'll get most of it. In spite of Iraq, in spite of her record in the 90s, in spite of the legacy of scandal and mud and entitlement and arrogance she will probably be our next president unless the Republicans can pull off their email hearings in conjunction with Trump's laser light show.
That's the nightmare that I keep having-- waking up the day after the election to the realization that Trump really did pull the thing out and there's Senator Sanders on the bench just because.
As a Sanders supporter I am subject now, nearly every time I open the New York Times, to an onslaught of insults and innuendo attempting to cast my refusal to vote for Hillary as some kind of anti-feminist death wish exposing my secret longing to see Donald Trump elected. All this when the real candidate I had hoped to be able to support this year was Elizabeth Warren, with maybe Bernie as VP.
In any case, Clinton is playing lots of cards, and most of them off the bottom of the deck. Not a single member of my Democrat family nor a single Democrat friend of mine feels they can bring themselves to vote for her, though some will, over Trump, when it comes down to it. I can't say I will do that. I think I'll stay home, not that it will make any difference in Kansas anyway, where any vote for a Democrat is at best a statement rather than an act.
Hillary won't get the entire women's vote, but she'll get most of it. In spite of Iraq, in spite of her record in the 90s, in spite of the legacy of scandal and mud and entitlement and arrogance she will probably be our next president unless the Republicans can pull off their email hearings in conjunction with Trump's laser light show.
That's the nightmare that I keep having-- waking up the day after the election to the realization that Trump really did pull the thing out and there's Senator Sanders on the bench just because.
5
If Hillary wins the nomination, please don't stay home. In my many decades of voting, I've almost always voted for the lesser of two evils. That's just how politics is. And no president has done all the things I'd hoped for. It's an imperfect world and we need to know that. It's good to have high standards but to act realistically. No vote for a progressive helps put the conservative in office. If Bernie stays in the Senate, that could be a very good thing. And Warren wasn't running, remember? Her choice.
14
If it happens that the trump beats Hillary, it will be because Bernie supporters make that happen.
14
I see absolutely nothing wrong in voting for a woman just because she's a woman, so long as she's down with women's causes. It's understandable why women wouldn't want to vote for someone like the "fully formed fetus" Carly Fiorina, who is against reproductive freedom for her gender. But Hillary Clinton has been a feminist her whole life, and she will fight for issues affecting women. Italian Americans vote for Italian American candidates, Irish Americans vote for Irish American candidates, Jews vote for Jews, and so on. We've had 44 male presidents and 0 females, 227 years of male leadership.
But sad to say, if Hillary loses it will because of her lack of votes from the women in this country who have internalized the message that they're inferior. They're psychologically damaged by sexism, but either they don't know it or can't admit it.
But sad to say, if Hillary loses it will because of her lack of votes from the women in this country who have internalized the message that they're inferior. They're psychologically damaged by sexism, but either they don't know it or can't admit it.
21
More aptly, Trump plays the capitalist bully card. His offensive and bellicose comments don't have much traction because he is "telling it like it is". He is wavy and successful because he has plastered his name everywhere and rides around in aging aircraft as well. So, he must be qualified to hold the highest office in the land!
4
"A central challenge is that it’s difficult for women to be perceived as both competent and likable: If they’re seen as competent, they’re grating nags, while if they’re perceived as nice, they’re airheads."
Exactly what decade are you living in Nicholas?? And where have you ever had to work with women?
I like, many women, am extremely competent in my field, IT consultant, designing and building large scale, efficient data bases for companies around the world.This is it is a strongly male field. (Still do some even though I'm 74 and mostly retired.) I have only ever been percieved as grating by men who are less competent or extremely insecure. I have made friends wherever I worked since a large part of any IT consultant's job is to convince, not nag.
You need to get out more in a third world nation before making/writing such archaic claptrap.
Exactly what decade are you living in Nicholas?? And where have you ever had to work with women?
I like, many women, am extremely competent in my field, IT consultant, designing and building large scale, efficient data bases for companies around the world.This is it is a strongly male field. (Still do some even though I'm 74 and mostly retired.) I have only ever been percieved as grating by men who are less competent or extremely insecure. I have made friends wherever I worked since a large part of any IT consultant's job is to convince, not nag.
You need to get out more in a third world nation before making/writing such archaic claptrap.
5
Correction - get out more in a FIRST world nation
1
Mr. Kristof is right. YOU many have succeeded in your field, but many, many women have constantly faced what he's talking about. Nick has been to numerous "third world" countries and reports regularly on conditions in those places, for men, for women, and for children. Read him more often before commenting.
11
great column. How many months did we hear nothing but about the emails and Benghazi? My husband joked that she should just say she went over there and killed them herself. But the media is to blame. They follow Fox. Why didn't the media point out that the state dept. wanted more money to pay for things like security and was shot down. The media is greatly at fault. They hound things. Why isn't more talked about the Supreme court? Congress? Clinton took all that smear campaign and is still standing. Sadly too many brainwashed woman hate her for reasons that aren't even correct. Very sad. I will proudly vote for her. We cannot afford a Republican president and another Iraq and ISIS.
16
If the Dem superdelegates stay bought and CA primary polls can be rigged like MA and Bklyn polls, Bomber HRC can ride back to the White House. But if somehow honesty prevails, we may see a contested Dem convention, a conversion of enough superdelegates with consciences (tall order, perhaps) … and then Bernie trouncing the Don in Nov in a genuine contest of opposites, a real choice, much to the distress of billionaires all over the place.
3
Trump is playing the orangutan card.
With my apologies to orangutans.
With my apologies to orangutans.
18
Like other writers at the TIMES, Mr. Kristof ia always ready to jump on the anti TRUMP bandwagon, which is what his editors and their shareholders want and expect him to do. But in penning such a biased, thoughtless screed,Mr. Kristof is speaking only to the converted, but not persuading anyone who has a more balanced view to come over to his side. What Trump meant is that Clinton has such a dubious, spotty record on a number of issues, the war in Iraq, her proximity to Wall Street, her trashing of women who were victims of her husband's predatory actions,and support of overseas trade deals, the scourge of our suffering middle classes, that the only card left to play is "Vote for me; I'm a woman!"As I have indicated, I was a volunteer in the Clinton campaign in Durham in 1991, met the Clintons, neither of whom was particularly nice, but HRC was reputed to have a bad temper, "un mauvais caractere." a sentiment shared by others involved in the campaign.A more thoughtful and objective writer would have brought this out. Virtually Impossible for Biden, at this point, to jump into the race,but if he were to do so, he would have overwhelming support from voters in both parties.Nk needs to learn the meaning of "fair and balanced."As an op ed writer, predictability is not a virtue, another lesson that NK has yet to learn.
6
Trumps view of women is hormonal, synthetic anabolic steroid inspired. He suffers "The Trophy Bride Syndrome", classically because he is on his third, younger bride. Older men in New York City typicall supliment their "drive" and energy with testosterone freely prescribed in Gotham City. The problem is overdose that creates distorted personality with a persona of certainty and feelings that women serve men. You can see the juice due to his doughy flesh and expanding girth. Ask any endocrinologist about too much testosterone and they'll describe Donald Trump. Use power recklessly while using women personally.
9
Two points: 1) NOTHING reveals the truth and wisdom of this column than one simple fact. If men became pregnant, there would not be an abortion law in the country. 2) Such a pity that Ms. Clinton has always found the need to emulate Thatcher. Many other Democratic Women with national profiles (some, hopefully, with a possible White House residency in their future), including Senators Warren, Murray and Stabenow, do not find it necessary to be war hawks. As Senator Kennedy said, "The last thing this country needs is two Republican parties.”
7
What willful mis-understanding by Kristof. Trump's point is that Clinton would not be where she is today if she hadn't been married to Bill.
8
More likely though is that Bill wouldn't be where HE is had he not been married to Hillary.
22
Spot, on, Nicholas! However, to offer a more specific title, Trump is playing the Rich Man's card.
If it were not for his legacy from his father, he would most likely have remained in obscurity. As it is, Trump's relentless narcissism and parade of perfidies, are seen through the prism of his bank account.
"Plate sin with gold,
And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks".
If it were not for his legacy from his father, he would most likely have remained in obscurity. As it is, Trump's relentless narcissism and parade of perfidies, are seen through the prism of his bank account.
"Plate sin with gold,
And the strong lance of justice hurtless breaks".
10
I can't believe I'm about to partially defend something Trump said, but I think people are wilfully missing the point regarding his 'woman card' statement. Let's imagine that Hillary chose not to run, and instead Kerry, Biden or even Gore chose to run instead.....does anyone think that these men would have ran away with it? The country is deeply upset with the establishment right now. One of the great benefits Hillary has is her gender and the fact that she will be the first female president.
How many people here or elsewhere have explicitly stated their excitement about voting for a female candidate for president? Countless! You cannot claim that her gender has had no effect (nor can you claim that that affect has been all, or even mostly, negative).
Lastly, has she 'played the woman card'? At times, absolutely. Does no one remember when she explicitly said that she would be different from Obama because she is a woman? Could you even in a million years imagine Barack Obama having said something similar back in 2008? How many times did she overtly reference the fact that she'd be the first woman president and pull at the heart strings by mentioning little girls and their dream for the White House? Countless.
I am not suggesting that Hillary was 'wrong' to say any of this (it's hard to argue with victory!), but you cannot try to claim that she never tried to use her gender to her advantage. It is simply undeniable.
How many people here or elsewhere have explicitly stated their excitement about voting for a female candidate for president? Countless! You cannot claim that her gender has had no effect (nor can you claim that that affect has been all, or even mostly, negative).
Lastly, has she 'played the woman card'? At times, absolutely. Does no one remember when she explicitly said that she would be different from Obama because she is a woman? Could you even in a million years imagine Barack Obama having said something similar back in 2008? How many times did she overtly reference the fact that she'd be the first woman president and pull at the heart strings by mentioning little girls and their dream for the White House? Countless.
I am not suggesting that Hillary was 'wrong' to say any of this (it's hard to argue with victory!), but you cannot try to claim that she never tried to use her gender to her advantage. It is simply undeniable.
7
Perhaps more correctly, Trump is playing the rich white male card.
13
Would Mr. Kristof seriously tell us that there aren't voters who support her because they're enticed by the idea of a female president?
6
And I'm sure there are voters who choose candidates because they are male. Think about it.
5
Yes. During my entire life, I have been subject to a neverending barrage of comments by male relatives and now colleagues that since I am a woman I simply CAN'T. That my intelligence, judgement, and capabilities are less. With every project I iniatiate, every comment I post online, I know there will be a man somewhere to tear it down. No, this has never stopped me, and it won't in the future either. But it's draining. Not to mention the fear of physical assault which never really leaves one. You're always looking over your shoulder.
If Hillary were a man, there is no way she'd be pulling in this amount of hate. I've come to think there's only one thing America hates more than a black as president, and that's the idea of a female as president.
If Hillary were a man, there is no way she'd be pulling in this amount of hate. I've come to think there's only one thing America hates more than a black as president, and that's the idea of a female as president.
25
Seven out of ten women despise Trump. He is working overtime to
get the remaining 30 percent. He has played the jerk card.
Trump was born on third base and thought he hit a triple.
Hillary Clinton like her husband are self=made through hard
work and talent.
Word
get the remaining 30 percent. He has played the jerk card.
Trump was born on third base and thought he hit a triple.
Hillary Clinton like her husband are self=made through hard
work and talent.
Word
13
Nicholas Kristof is being too coy. As Madeleine Albright might put it, "there's a special place in hell for editorialists who ignore the obvious."
1
I totally agree with Mr. Kristof. Most societies advantage men over women in most fields. It is pure discrimination. It is wrong.
"the first women as leaders in democratic systems — people like Golda Meir, Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel — have often been tough, hawkish figures.... Hillary Clinton also fits into that hard-bitten, hawkish archetype."
This is one of Hillary's problems. She is a military interventionist. She also supports *free trade* and is a fiscal conservative, and she opposes single-payer health care. I could never vote for her as President, not because she is a woman, but because she is wrong on the most important issues.
5/1 @ 5:38 am
"the first women as leaders in democratic systems — people like Golda Meir, Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel — have often been tough, hawkish figures.... Hillary Clinton also fits into that hard-bitten, hawkish archetype."
This is one of Hillary's problems. She is a military interventionist. She also supports *free trade* and is a fiscal conservative, and she opposes single-payer health care. I could never vote for her as President, not because she is a woman, but because she is wrong on the most important issues.
5/1 @ 5:38 am
3
@ Timothy—You make many inaccurate assertions here but perhaps the most glaring is when you wrote that Clinton is against a single payer healthcare system. That is simply false. She is against Bernie Sanders plan because it won't work. She has advocated for putting a single payer option into Obama Care for one. And when she ran against Obama in 2007 she was the one for a single payer system. When she is president she will get us a single payer option. Watch and see.
10
I feel I must step in here to defend Richard M. Nixon from being unjustly maligned. His administration brought 200 qualified women into his government. That was 4x the number of any prior administration, Democratic or Republican. He gets little credit because of his quirkiness, but he was our last president who really understood foreign policy and was a great friend to the Woman's Movement and the Environment Movement. Read the truth before you castigate him. for example of his achievements in more detail, see: http://www.weeklystandard.com/nixons-women/article/637004
4
I disagree. I think having a woman in the White House would be huge! It would be a constant encouragement to both women and men to rise up in the workplace and in society. I hope that Hillary does not back down on this.
I suggest that she form a "W" sign, by bring both hands together with "V" signs for woman. Then, she can invert it to form an "M" for man.
W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W
I believe it may take time, but the next tend may be toward equality for woman. I think it would stimulate the economy, with signs of hope, for some time.
If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we put a woman in the White House?
I suggest that she form a "W" sign, by bring both hands together with "V" signs for woman. Then, she can invert it to form an "M" for man.
W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W W
I believe it may take time, but the next tend may be toward equality for woman. I think it would stimulate the economy, with signs of hope, for some time.
If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we put a woman in the White House?
5
Perhaps you should be more concerned about Cruz than Trump. Cruz has been given a free ride as the virtuous have been obsessing about a Trump nomination and possible presidency, but beware of the real viilain of the piece.
3
This was a good commentary on gender, but it eluded the WAR ON WOMEN. You play it a bit safe when you come at it from the jobs/economic/gender role angle. Oh, well. Republicans want control over women's bodies! At the last debate Hillary Clinton was right in basically saying that there has been radio silence on this issue from the media. One of the biggest reasons I couldn't take Bernie seriously was that he didn't respond to Trump's comment about women needing to be punished if they had abortion until asked about it during an interview. His response was feeble. Even men who are on the right side of the issue can be somewhat dismissive. Men like Donald Trump don't get it at all. DT tried to make this about gender to buy time, but it will not work. We are past that point. He better hit the books because the most qualified candidate is going to smack him down, and gender won't be an issue then. He won't be able to hide behind Hillary's "woman card".
9
The following bears repeating:> Trump is an anti-feminist boor as is proven by his own words. This is indisputable and no self-respecting woman could ever vote for him. Trump tells us who he is in the following direct quotes:
“Ariana Huffington is unattractive, both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man – he made a good decision.”
“You know, it really doesn’t matter what the media write as long as you’ve got a young, and beautiful, piece of (fill in the blank).” .
“All women hate prenups, because they are gold diggers.”
“ Bette Midler’s 'ugly face and body' are offensive.”
He said: 'Cher is ‘lonely’ and ‘a loser’, because she doesn’t support him.
“Women find my power almost as much of a turn-on as my money.”
“If I were running ‘The View’, I’d fire Rosie O’Donnell. I mean, I’d look at her right in that fat, ugly face of hers, I’d say ‘Rosie, you’re fired.’”
“All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me – consciously or unconsciously. That’s to be expected.”
“I’ve said if Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her.”
About sexual assault in the military: “Because what else could possibly happen when you put men and women together? “
What more does one need to know about Trump's attitude toward women?
“Ariana Huffington is unattractive, both inside and out. I fully understand why her former husband left her for a man – he made a good decision.”
“You know, it really doesn’t matter what the media write as long as you’ve got a young, and beautiful, piece of (fill in the blank).” .
“All women hate prenups, because they are gold diggers.”
“ Bette Midler’s 'ugly face and body' are offensive.”
He said: 'Cher is ‘lonely’ and ‘a loser’, because she doesn’t support him.
“Women find my power almost as much of a turn-on as my money.”
“If I were running ‘The View’, I’d fire Rosie O’Donnell. I mean, I’d look at her right in that fat, ugly face of hers, I’d say ‘Rosie, you’re fired.’”
“All of the women on The Apprentice flirted with me – consciously or unconsciously. That’s to be expected.”
“I’ve said if Ivanka weren’t my daughter, perhaps I’d be dating her.”
About sexual assault in the military: “Because what else could possibly happen when you put men and women together? “
What more does one need to know about Trump's attitude toward women?
20
"Women aren’t particularly nice to women,” notes Esther Duflo, an economist at M.I.T. who has studied gender issues.
Indeed, just ask Susan Sarandon.
Indeed, just ask Susan Sarandon.
9
Hillary now offers a "woman's card". Donald offers a "Make America Great Again" card. Which one will resonate with the voters?
5
Gee, considering that women are more than half the population, which do you think?
5
Another passionate defense of The Queen, by a sell out, of a once respectable paper.
Careful Nicholas Kristof, no one likes a rabbid fanboi
Careful Nicholas Kristof, no one likes a rabbid fanboi
4
Some have wondered why Trump uses such "risky" sexist language to describe Hillary and demean her. I think it is because he is betting that all men disrespect women as much as he does. It is the only explanation that makes sense.
21
RE: In a more recent experiment, more than 120 scientists around the United States were asked to evaluate an application for a job as laboratory manager. In half the cases, the name on the application was Jennifer, in the other half it was John, but everything else was identical.
The scientists recommended John more highly than Jennifer, were more willing to mentor John than Jennifer, and on average suggested a salary for John that was 14 percent higher than the one they suggested for Jennifer. It didn’t seem to matter whether the scientists were male or female.
THE REASON for liking John better is because Jennifer will in a couple of years decide to have a baby and play mom for a few for a few more years. John is a much safer business decision. And men and women like working with men more because they are not so emotional. Can anyone reading this honestly say they never had a bad experience with a woman (sister, friend, mother, co-worker) who was having her period?
The scientists recommended John more highly than Jennifer, were more willing to mentor John than Jennifer, and on average suggested a salary for John that was 14 percent higher than the one they suggested for Jennifer. It didn’t seem to matter whether the scientists were male or female.
THE REASON for liking John better is because Jennifer will in a couple of years decide to have a baby and play mom for a few for a few more years. John is a much safer business decision. And men and women like working with men more because they are not so emotional. Can anyone reading this honestly say they never had a bad experience with a woman (sister, friend, mother, co-worker) who was having her period?
3
Holy mackeral. Are you kidding? I worked in the corporate world for 20+ years and I had to put up with the most emotional males you've seen -- Vindictive, angry, territorial. In short, there were a bunch of crazies. The only difference is that we couldn't accuse them of "having their period." They were jerks all month long.
27
Crawl back into your cave. Women "PLAY" mom for a few years?! It is the most difficult and rewarding job in the world. No job you have ever done could require more skill, intelligence, patience, longer hours, harder work, and, oh yes, emotion.
Not even worth addressing your comment about women's menstrual cycle…You make the point of Kristof's column.
Not even worth addressing your comment about women's menstrual cycle…You make the point of Kristof's column.
19
Some studies have shown that women when angry are like men are all the time. And in case you hadn't noticed, fathers also have children, and also need to be excused from work sometimes to take those kids to the doctor, to school, and various other things. In fact, we like John better when he does participate in his children's upbringing and care.
10
As long as elected women don't feel compelled to play the warrior card, I'm ready to trade every male office holder in the country for a woman and her card. Time's up, guys. Males have driven the planet off a cliff. Get our of the way. Find a seat, sit and shut up.
15
I agree ( as a Man) - Woman have driven this planet to the brink of destruction. It's time to let women see what they can do. Too bad you'd see so many "Man Men" in tears if they weren't in charge.
1
That Trump gets to play the "Man's Card" is easily ascertained. Can you imagine a woman with Trump's resume (no political office or experience, wealthy but with a checkered history including lawsuits & bankruptcies) and Trump's manner (boorish, rude and insulting) as a serious candidate, let alone a front runner, for being nominated to run for president? Neither can I.
20
No comment other than it's probably the best column I've read anywhere this whole election cycle.
12
Oh, this is painful to read. And, thank you.
Every night I fall asleep wondering "how could any experienced, thoughtful American woman vote for Donald Trump, a thug who imports young wives from other countries ... as if they were cheese?" And often wake up at 2 am, still confused.
Don't get me started on Ted Cruz. His attacks on Planned Parenthood.
Oh yeah. And there's Carly Fiorina. Must remember her. A conservative woman-bashing woman.
Simple fact: both men and women perceive Females as weird beasts. Almost human, but a little leaky. In need of control. And responsible for every sexual act that takes place among unmarried partners in the wide world. Because they didn't say NO loudly enough.
What can be done? Recall history. Recall the courage and patience of women. Take time to remember. Eleanor Roosevelt. Harriet Tubman. Jane Austen. Alice Munro. American Suffragettes. (My short list. It could be revised.)
And then choose a job applicant or presidential candidate or musician or lab assistant based on her or his accomplishments, not hair, voice, and shoes.
Whenever possible. Despite our shared, ingrained instincts.
Every night I fall asleep wondering "how could any experienced, thoughtful American woman vote for Donald Trump, a thug who imports young wives from other countries ... as if they were cheese?" And often wake up at 2 am, still confused.
Don't get me started on Ted Cruz. His attacks on Planned Parenthood.
Oh yeah. And there's Carly Fiorina. Must remember her. A conservative woman-bashing woman.
Simple fact: both men and women perceive Females as weird beasts. Almost human, but a little leaky. In need of control. And responsible for every sexual act that takes place among unmarried partners in the wide world. Because they didn't say NO loudly enough.
What can be done? Recall history. Recall the courage and patience of women. Take time to remember. Eleanor Roosevelt. Harriet Tubman. Jane Austen. Alice Munro. American Suffragettes. (My short list. It could be revised.)
And then choose a job applicant or presidential candidate or musician or lab assistant based on her or his accomplishments, not hair, voice, and shoes.
Whenever possible. Despite our shared, ingrained instincts.
14
Trump uses the man's card? No, he's chiding Hilary for using the woman card, the black card, the illegal alien card. Trump has insulted men as often as he's insulted women - he's an "equal opportunity insulter". What's most important about the Trump campaign is "America First", not, as Mr. Kristoff would like, Sudan first or women first, or all the other causes on which he would like to spend our taxpayer dollars.
4
It is always surprising to note the difficulty conservatives have, Chris, in chewing gum and walking at the same time. Accepting the fact that today’s self-styled conservatives have no sense of moral outrage when innocent people are ravaged by bullies in other lands, it would seem that these right-wing Americans would recognize the marketable value of our moral code to people around the world looking for leadership. Those foreigners may look even more favorably on the products we sell. It would also seem that the voices on the right could understand that avoiding a war before it is in full bloom is far cheaper than spending taxpayer funds on armaments and troops.
2
Roughly 60% of a presidential electorate is female; if she gets a majority of this vote, election over! There are insufficient weak or self perceived male failures in the country both in number and discipline to come out to vote for a Buffon who called a former president a war criminal and advocates killing families of terrorists. GOP male leaders who call Tump unfit for the office only in private demonstrate which sex is the weaker.
5
Between women, trans-genders, Hispanics, blacks, orientals, natives, gays and dwarfs, normal-sized white married men are a minority.
Mr. Trump has shown great restraint in not playing this minority card.
The NY Times should be proud to support someone who has overcome his minority status - instead of criticizing him constantly.
Mr. Trump has shown great restraint in not playing this minority card.
The NY Times should be proud to support someone who has overcome his minority status - instead of criticizing him constantly.
4
Men like you have a nerve. If you're going to get involved in our politics learn some facts: Women are being assailed here. They are being stripped of their right to reproductive healthcare in this country. Tell me, would you be OK with a politician saying you had to keep a dying fetus in your body until sepsis set in?
5
"Trump seems to be trying a strategy of what Ted Cruz would call “carpet bombing,” insulting Carly Fiorina’s face, Megyn Kelly’s menstrual cycle, Heidi Cruz’s looks and now Hillary Clinton’s “woman’s card.”"
Actually Trump already insulted Clinton earlier when he said, in reference to her being "late" in getting back from a bathroom break, it was "disgusting".
Actually Trump already insulted Clinton earlier when he said, in reference to her being "late" in getting back from a bathroom break, it was "disgusting".
5
I'd trade my woman card for a trump card any day!
5
If Trump was a woman and uttering the same insults and foul language-what he would called?
11
I normally quite pleased with Nicholas Kristof columns and was ecstatic with hios mention of Oxfam America's paper Broken at the Top.
Sometimes however writing for the American Newspaper of record requires integrity that no longer exists at the NYT. I should not have to read the Guardian to know that the NYT and its CEO are being sued for ageism, sexism and racism
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/apr/28/new-york-times-ceo-sued-dis...
I should not have to read the Guardian to read a story by one of the complainants of why she is suing the NYT
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/apr/29/new-york-times-laws...
Donald Trump is a New York Real Estate developer and every thing that comes with that job description if he was a mensch that would be news.
Hillary Clinton is a politician if she was a mensch that would also be news.
Can Donald Trump be the kind of President the USA needs in 2017 ?
I have more than a few doubts.
Can Hillary Rodham Clinton be a competent President after her sorry sojourn at State?
Can we get John Kerry to run again?
We cannot. Pity.
Can we keep Obama in office?
No! Mores the pity.
Sometimes however writing for the American Newspaper of record requires integrity that no longer exists at the NYT. I should not have to read the Guardian to know that the NYT and its CEO are being sued for ageism, sexism and racism
http://www.theguardian.com/media/2016/apr/28/new-york-times-ceo-sued-dis...
I should not have to read the Guardian to read a story by one of the complainants of why she is suing the NYT
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/apr/29/new-york-times-laws...
Donald Trump is a New York Real Estate developer and every thing that comes with that job description if he was a mensch that would be news.
Hillary Clinton is a politician if she was a mensch that would also be news.
Can Donald Trump be the kind of President the USA needs in 2017 ?
I have more than a few doubts.
Can Hillary Rodham Clinton be a competent President after her sorry sojourn at State?
Can we get John Kerry to run again?
We cannot. Pity.
Can we keep Obama in office?
No! Mores the pity.
3
As a woman who is "relaunching" my career after a few years at home with small children, I am continually surprised and saddened by how judgmental and harshly I am judged by other women in interviews. If I were a man returning to the workplace , I'm sure they would all be cooing over what a great dad I was to take time out for my kids. It's truly disappointing to my feminist self. I wish I had some secret platinum woman's card!
13
Trump decries the woman's card as he embodies the double standard that women move by. Calling Ms Clinton an enabler for husbands transgressions while he is beyond reproach for having numerous affairs. He has had numerous failed business ventures yet is never made to answer for it. And last but most annoying - when pressed for any sorts of details he gives a cavalier - trust me - it will be the best (fill in the blank) ever. Only a man could get away with that! Clinton is hounded for every single detail and being the brilliant woman that she is - she delivers.
20
HRC should openly welcome the forthcoming "fight for the House" with Trump; she must be to those who know her, but smile and relish the thrashing that it will be. Let the country know you are not in the least daunted.
As for all the hand-wringing about Trump's candidacy, unless you are a part of the sinking-ship Republican Party, let it go...it's political theater circa 2016 in America. His division of the party will only bring positive results, for that party and the country.
As for all the hand-wringing about Trump's candidacy, unless you are a part of the sinking-ship Republican Party, let it go...it's political theater circa 2016 in America. His division of the party will only bring positive results, for that party and the country.
2
She would not be where she is today she had not married Bill.
6
Bill most likely would not have become President if he had not married Hillary.
18
Thank you Nicholas Kristof for your very sane column! And thank you, Hillary Clinton, for being tough.
13
What I'm waiting for is an op-ed that tells me what the writer really thinks about Donald Trump.
2
To your crucial point about the sexist bias among females, I would only add that there is sexist bias among liberals too. My outrageously Republican grandfather is often far more respectful of Hillary Clinton than some of my Bern-feeling friends.
18
Trump uses the man's card much like Hillary uses the woman's card. What about a gay running mate to complete the gender card, never mind the real issues that people face. It is sad that the two leading candidates, who claim experience and qualification over others, are blind to this truth.
1
Not the Ginger Rogers canard again. Ginger didn't choreograph and Astaire danced with many partners who were superior to her as dancers. I like Ginger. I just don't think that's a fitting comparison to what we're seeing in this political contest. I doubt that Hillary wants to be seen as someone who can follow well; who can take cues from men to make them look their best. (And I say that as someone who prefers Bernie Sanders.)
21
Nick,
Being a columnist at the NY Times doesn’t necessarily make you worldly.
Just what do you think quotas and affirmative action is all about if not race and gender? (the woman card)
You seem to be unaware that the delegate selection process for the Democratic National Committee convention, requires that a set aside of at least 50% female delegates for districts be made. Where there is an odd number the majority must tilt to the female. If for example, 7 delegates are selected at least 4 of those 7 must be female. This is designed to give women a leg up. Given the privileges afforded political parties and the fact that one person one vote is at stake, this seems improper if not illegal.
You justify it because of discrimination but if you are looking for reasons for differences in outcome maybe it has something to do with it being tough to carry children, give birth, menstruate and carry on a career. When it comes to sports it may be simply that men are stronger, when it comes to math and science it may be that men are more interested in it then women. Does that bother you?
Neither women or men are so innocent or so wicked as you make out. They are different and it is only when you insist there are no differences that it becomes a non productive conflict. I’m glad Trump is calling her on her playing the woman card.
Being a columnist at the NY Times doesn’t necessarily make you worldly.
Just what do you think quotas and affirmative action is all about if not race and gender? (the woman card)
You seem to be unaware that the delegate selection process for the Democratic National Committee convention, requires that a set aside of at least 50% female delegates for districts be made. Where there is an odd number the majority must tilt to the female. If for example, 7 delegates are selected at least 4 of those 7 must be female. This is designed to give women a leg up. Given the privileges afforded political parties and the fact that one person one vote is at stake, this seems improper if not illegal.
You justify it because of discrimination but if you are looking for reasons for differences in outcome maybe it has something to do with it being tough to carry children, give birth, menstruate and carry on a career. When it comes to sports it may be simply that men are stronger, when it comes to math and science it may be that men are more interested in it then women. Does that bother you?
Neither women or men are so innocent or so wicked as you make out. They are different and it is only when you insist there are no differences that it becomes a non productive conflict. I’m glad Trump is calling her on her playing the woman card.
14
"You seem to be unaware that the delegate selection process for the Democratic National Committee convention, requires that a set aside of at least 50% female delegates for districts be made. Where there is an odd number the majority must tilt to the female. If for example, 7 delegates are selected at least 4 of those 7 must be female. This is designed to give women a leg up. Given the privileges afforded political parties and the fact that one person one vote is at stake, this seems improper if not illegal." Ben
If you were actually concerned with one person one vote, you would have to concede that this is what they democrats are respecting. We women make up 51% of the population. You think that it is discriminatory to respect that fact?
Maybe men aren't as interested in math as you seem to think if they want more votes than the more populous gender.
If you were actually concerned with one person one vote, you would have to concede that this is what they democrats are respecting. We women make up 51% of the population. You think that it is discriminatory to respect that fact?
Maybe men aren't as interested in math as you seem to think if they want more votes than the more populous gender.
4
Maybe Clinton gets more support because she is a million times smarter and more well informed than he is. Watching how Hillary decimated the Trey Gowdy committee was like watching a mental giant decimate a bunch of imbeciles in a debate, not that I have anything against imbeciles. Hillary is brilliant.
17
Ginger Rogers did everything Fed Astaire did, but backwards and in high heals.
1
Trump is playing a card alright... the "little boys card." One defined by tantrums, disrespect, exploitation of vulnerable people, and self-indulgence.
In my book, playing the "Man" or "Woman's" card means behaving like a grown up and caring about the impact of your behavior on the world around you.
In my book, playing the "Man" or "Woman's" card means behaving like a grown up and caring about the impact of your behavior on the world around you.
1
Trump and Sanders play misogyny cards; it is cowardly to identify their focus as any other way.
5
Sanders is not a misogynist
6
Sorry Joanna - Sanders is a misogynist.
6
Facts and logic are not what Donald Trump is all about. He's a "smack you hard in the face" outer-borough bully who with his outrageous insults seizes the media megaphone even of columnists who only end up amplifying his bullying pulpit. As the iinsult-o-rama that was and still is the Republican presidential primary campaign revealed, The Donald, is the undisputed winner. Like the alien Borg "push back is futile" and "facts are irrelevant." The Donald's real Trump card is the joker; and will take a better joker to deck him (puns intended). Perhaps Hillary should consult the true masters of the art, Jon Stewart and John Oliver in crafting comebacks and ads. Because true justice demands that The Donald, the wizard of Drumpf Tower, become the "laughing stock" that he is.
4
Only in Trump's world is up down and right left. Only in Trump's world is it harder for a white person compared to an African American. And, it follows that, in Trump's world, a woman has it so much easier than a man.
For a thrice married man who was given a million dollars by his dad he must consider himself lucky and stop casting stones at others. People who live in glass houses would be well advised not to throw stones at others' houses.
For a thrice married man who was given a million dollars by his dad he must consider himself lucky and stop casting stones at others. People who live in glass houses would be well advised not to throw stones at others' houses.
4
Imagine Clinton being a total boor, commenting on men's appearance in terms of fitness for office, and bragging about her sexual conquests, having public affairs while married. Then imagine the comments she would generate from Trump and his supporters. "Woman card", right.
12
I just automatically assume that men who say such things have small hands and small brains to match.
7
I suggest you read the Samuelson Opinion piece in the NYTimes last week. You're quoting incorrect figures on pay disparity. Also, roughy 55% of college students are women. None of this may fit the narrative you're trying to weave but they are facts.
3
Any woman can tell you that she has to work twice as hard as a man to be considered half as good.
10
"Likewise, female musicians are rated more highly when they perform in gender-blind auditions from behind a screen. One study found that conducting auditions from behind a screen increases by 50 percent the chance that a woman will advance out of preliminary audition rounds."
I had not heard this about "blind" auditions, a couple of which I have participated in - and on both sides of the blind. It makes perfect sense and explains why the US symphonies I have seen recently, including the Seattle Symphony, appear to be approaching 50% women! (Actually, upon reading their website totaling musicians, librarians, and personnel managers, the tally is 53 men and 37 women, a 59% to 41% imbalance.)
I had not heard this about "blind" auditions, a couple of which I have participated in - and on both sides of the blind. It makes perfect sense and explains why the US symphonies I have seen recently, including the Seattle Symphony, appear to be approaching 50% women! (Actually, upon reading their website totaling musicians, librarians, and personnel managers, the tally is 53 men and 37 women, a 59% to 41% imbalance.)
4
Pathetic intellectually dishonest punditry here
The worst that I see, is the crying about how few women there are in Congress,
I couldn't find the statistics, but it seem to me, that massively fewer women even bother to run for office than men, so the stats that Mr Kristoff here is whining about, are exactly what ANY intelligent person should expect.
The worst that I see, is the crying about how few women there are in Congress,
I couldn't find the statistics, but it seem to me, that massively fewer women even bother to run for office than men, so the stats that Mr Kristoff here is whining about, are exactly what ANY intelligent person should expect.
5
Given the GOP platform and the party's policies on equal pay, birth control, abortion, etc., I don't think the "war on women" rhetoric has been the least bit "over the top," even pre-Trump.
9
Trump playing the man's card? Hardly. He is a bully through and through, and behind that fazade there is always a coward afraid of women, and confusing self worth with accomplishments (or lack thereof). He is a poor rich fellow in search of relevance...if only it weren't so hard and demanding real interest in the well-being of his fellow men/women.
3
Fabulous explanation of why Trump's comments were rediculous. NK is a master of his craft across a wide variety of of subjects and my favorite columnist today.
4
Bill is a serial abuser. And Hillary is his chief enabler.
4
The only question after reading this vacuous comment, Beefeater, is whether you are a Trump supporter or a Sanders supporter.
4
Trump is playing the Man's Card, because feminists and their fellow travelers in the Democrat Party have been playing the Woman's Card for decades. And most of the voters, including a large number of women, don't like it.
We are electing a president. It shouldn't matter what kind of sexual organ the candidates have between their legs. Clinton and her left-wing feminist supporters apparently think some kind of restitution or political reparations should be awarded and that because of that she is ENTITLED to the office.
That's not going to fly. And Trump is making sure it's not going to fly with his pre-emptive strike. Trump may be a buffoon, but he is right about this.
We are electing a president. It shouldn't matter what kind of sexual organ the candidates have between their legs. Clinton and her left-wing feminist supporters apparently think some kind of restitution or political reparations should be awarded and that because of that she is ENTITLED to the office.
That's not going to fly. And Trump is making sure it's not going to fly with his pre-emptive strike. Trump may be a buffoon, but he is right about this.
5
He's the one hiding behind the "woman's card". He is unable to discuss issues, so here we are having this gender back and forth. It's called grasping at straws. His so called "pre-emptive strike" is laughable and will do nothing to deter the fact that HRC is going to reveal his massive ignorance on a grand scale, for all the world to see.
3
Nicholas Kristof is just plain wrong in this essay.
Trump is not saying that Hillary Clinton is a bad candidate for president because she is a woman. He is saying she is bad because she isn't qualified, and that her status as a woman got her favored treatment.
This is quite different.
In fact, men and women often get better or worse treatment on the basis of their sex, for reasons unrelated to their qualifications. The discrimination goes both ways.
Don't believe me? Consider what happens in prisons. We have 2.2 million Americans in prison, most of them men. That is 14 times the per capita rate of incarceration of Japan.
And many of those men were too poor to receive competent counsel so that they could put on an adequate defense.
Moreover, men are regarded as "violent," whenever people try to treat men as belonging to a category, instead of considering them as individuals.
For example, we have laws introduced by liberals like the Violence Against Women Act that allow women to put a man in jail on the basis of a mere accusation, with NO DUE PROCESS. I've seen that happen. Yes, the men are freed when it is found out that the woman has lied, but that is after possibly losing part of the bail, and in worst cases losing a job.
Look at death rates of men versus women.
Perhaps women earn less than men on average, but wouldn't you like to live longer?
But maybe Kristof believes ALL MEN ARE VIOLENT, that they deserve lesser treatment.
In case it is he who is sexist.
Trump is not saying that Hillary Clinton is a bad candidate for president because she is a woman. He is saying she is bad because she isn't qualified, and that her status as a woman got her favored treatment.
This is quite different.
In fact, men and women often get better or worse treatment on the basis of their sex, for reasons unrelated to their qualifications. The discrimination goes both ways.
Don't believe me? Consider what happens in prisons. We have 2.2 million Americans in prison, most of them men. That is 14 times the per capita rate of incarceration of Japan.
And many of those men were too poor to receive competent counsel so that they could put on an adequate defense.
Moreover, men are regarded as "violent," whenever people try to treat men as belonging to a category, instead of considering them as individuals.
For example, we have laws introduced by liberals like the Violence Against Women Act that allow women to put a man in jail on the basis of a mere accusation, with NO DUE PROCESS. I've seen that happen. Yes, the men are freed when it is found out that the woman has lied, but that is after possibly losing part of the bail, and in worst cases losing a job.
Look at death rates of men versus women.
Perhaps women earn less than men on average, but wouldn't you like to live longer?
But maybe Kristof believes ALL MEN ARE VIOLENT, that they deserve lesser treatment.
In case it is he who is sexist.
18
@Blaise Adams: you said, "Trump is not saying that Hillary Clinton is a bad candidate for president because she is a woman. He is saying she is bad because she isn't qualified".
Thanks for the laugh!
Thanks for the laugh!
5
The reason for that disparity is due to lavish benefits women get. People try to assume these benefits have no cost but they are absued.
Maternity leave is the worst offender. It requires you to pay employees even though they are not working and keep there job position free. This requires employers to pay some else to do their job when they aren't there. It also means that women who haven't gone through menopause or women who are unable to have children are hired and paid at the same rate as men.
This is the truth.
If you want to change it, the only real way is to remove all these freebies.
Maternity leave is the worst offender. It requires you to pay employees even though they are not working and keep there job position free. This requires employers to pay some else to do their job when they aren't there. It also means that women who haven't gone through menopause or women who are unable to have children are hired and paid at the same rate as men.
This is the truth.
If you want to change it, the only real way is to remove all these freebies.
2
So I'm fine if we want to give paternity leave to men, and they can stay home from work and change diapers. No problem with that. Someone has to raise the children. Best if both parents are fully involved.
1
As a woman, I grew up at a time where women faced many more prejudices than they do today. Still, we have a long way to go to reach true gender equality.
I would be the first one delighted to see a woman elected president of our country. But, please, it's important that the first woman president of our country be above reproach and truly exemplary. Ms. Clinton, while intelligent and highly ambitious, is neither of these. Let's hold out for the real deal.
I would be the first one delighted to see a woman elected president of our country. But, please, it's important that the first woman president of our country be above reproach and truly exemplary. Ms. Clinton, while intelligent and highly ambitious, is neither of these. Let's hold out for the real deal.
5
And who would you have instead? Who on the repub side is other real deal?
2
It is an unfortunate commentary on our electorate and on the state of American politics that a person with Nicholas Kristof's bottomless decency, erudition, wit, and literacy must even hear of, much less engage, such a loathsome creature as Donald Trump. I, fortunately, am not a Times columnist, and can do something pleasant, by contrast: empty the cat's litter box, and wash the hubcaps on my car.
2
I just ordered a whole deck of women's cards from the HRC campaign. I can't wait to break them open and play poker ... or maybe gin rummy. Will the rules be different? Will bluffing be called lying if you are playing with the women card deck? Will gin be called winning or cheating? At least there is one certainty with the women card deck - when you shuffle them women will be both on top and bottom!
1
What's really amazing is that this is news to anybody.
1
I've recently realized that if we're to continue making progress at this stage of the feminist movement men need to join the conversation. Bravo Nick.
4
Stop writing about trump!
trump maybe a boot but this particular episode is a frame up...his reference was to the gender card (time to put a woman in the oval office) not the women's issue deck of cards (equal pay, family leave,etc.) clinton tried to deal from another part of the deck...the deal me in speech (which did not include, btw, choice...hmmmn)
2
being a woman is least of Clinton's issues and frankly gender issue is the least of problems America has with this primary/presidential race. You missed the boat this time. How the heck did this country get in the predicament where rather than the best of the brightest we have the bottom of the barrel.
4
Gender is a very important issue right now in American politics. Women must have control over their own bodies and health decisions and this is being worn away by the far right. When women are empowered to make their own decisions and participate fully in society as educated people, working people, and so on, society benefits as a whole. When women are oppressed and kept out of participation (barefoot and pregnant in the home is the image), society suffers as a whole, economically, socially, politically. Read up, please, Vonnie. You'll learn how important the gender issue is here in our beloved land.
2
"There’s abundant research showing that men and women alike tend to judge women more harshly than men."
Amen. We've all heard the reports of voters citing Hillary's haircut or the sound of her voice as reasons why they dislike her. Yeah, because that's fair. It's not like Trump, Sanders, or Cruz look or sound like George Clooney. But no one talks about that, of course. This isn't a fashion show. HRC for the win.
Amen. We've all heard the reports of voters citing Hillary's haircut or the sound of her voice as reasons why they dislike her. Yeah, because that's fair. It's not like Trump, Sanders, or Cruz look or sound like George Clooney. But no one talks about that, of course. This isn't a fashion show. HRC for the win.
1
Kristof states that having a "woman's card" is "like a credit card that isn't accepted anywhere but carries a $3,00 annual fee." This statement ignores reality. Sure, studies show that women with similar qualifications make 92 cents on the dollar compared to men. And how much of that differential is given back to women in culturally-ingrained economic transfers? Men are culturally expected to, and do, spend significant amounts of money on women during courtship and mating rituals: dinners, drinks, movies, vacations, gifts, engagement rings, transportation costs, stay-at-home moms, child support, alimony, etc. I have never seen a study that estimates the economic transfer of men to women but it is most definitely not zero. My guess is that particularly for attractive women the economic transfer is significant.
The simple fact is that there are both advantages and disadvantages to being a woman, just as there are for being a man. Women have options that are largely precluded for men, such as being a stay-at-home mom or working part-time and having a man subsidize your lifestyle. The Mr. Mom role is becoming slightly more common but lets face it, neither men nor women respect stay-at-home dads, and studies reflect that. And women overwhelmingly receive custody of children through a virtual rubber stamp by the courts, and men then pay substantial child support.
Sure, life isn't fair, but both genders have costs and benefits. This article does not reflect that reality.
The simple fact is that there are both advantages and disadvantages to being a woman, just as there are for being a man. Women have options that are largely precluded for men, such as being a stay-at-home mom or working part-time and having a man subsidize your lifestyle. The Mr. Mom role is becoming slightly more common but lets face it, neither men nor women respect stay-at-home dads, and studies reflect that. And women overwhelmingly receive custody of children through a virtual rubber stamp by the courts, and men then pay substantial child support.
Sure, life isn't fair, but both genders have costs and benefits. This article does not reflect that reality.
4
This one I've got to answer. "Attractive young women?" So...older and less "attractive" women should take their low salaries and keep smiling because someone else got a new doodad as a gift? All women should be penalized because some are new mothers? Oh, come on.
7
"Attractive young women" appears nowhere in the post."New mothers" also appears nowhere in the post. Showing your bias a little?
The point of the post is that women want to receive all the benefits men have without giving up the benefits women have. Would you or have you accepted an engagement ring? Do you pay for the man on the first date or the first 20 dates? You want a 50-50 chance of obtaining custody of your children vis-a-vis the father? I thought so. You want a level paying field than call for one. That is not what feminists are calling for and not what Kristof did either.
The point of the post is that women want to receive all the benefits men have without giving up the benefits women have. Would you or have you accepted an engagement ring? Do you pay for the man on the first date or the first 20 dates? You want a 50-50 chance of obtaining custody of your children vis-a-vis the father? I thought so. You want a level paying field than call for one. That is not what feminists are calling for and not what Kristof did either.
2
"Hillary Clinton also fits into that hard-bitten, hawkish archetype.” She does? I think that’s highly debatable. As a former Secretary of State, she puts a high premium on diplomacy. Indeed, the speech she gave when she voted to authorize W to go into Iraq stressed the importance of his giving diplomacy and the inspections a chance to work.
7
It is said that the first step in solving a problem is admitting that you have a problem. That's why it's so difficult to address the sexism that is endemic in our society: like the racism that is also deeply embedded in our collective psyche, it is considered "normal" and so the notion of altering our views is repulsive to many of us because that means changing a big part of who we are. This is as true for women as it is for men.
Research results, no matter how robust, barely scratch the surface in altering our perspectives; other studies have shown that most of us are not inclined to correct our views in the face of such evidence. Instead we double down and attempt to find some way to rearrange reality so that we don't have to admit to the need to change.
When I studied to become a teacher, a female professor told us once of being observed while teaching children. She knew the observers were there, and she knew they were looking to see if she was favoring one gender over another in calling on them for answers, praising them, etc. - so of course she did her best not to exhibit such bias. She was shocked therefore to learn how much she had favored the boys over the girls.
That's true for most of us: if we were presented with evidence of our bias, we would be shocked. But when we read an article like this it's easy to say, "I'm not like that, so this doesn't apply."
Research results, no matter how robust, barely scratch the surface in altering our perspectives; other studies have shown that most of us are not inclined to correct our views in the face of such evidence. Instead we double down and attempt to find some way to rearrange reality so that we don't have to admit to the need to change.
When I studied to become a teacher, a female professor told us once of being observed while teaching children. She knew the observers were there, and she knew they were looking to see if she was favoring one gender over another in calling on them for answers, praising them, etc. - so of course she did her best not to exhibit such bias. She was shocked therefore to learn how much she had favored the boys over the girls.
That's true for most of us: if we were presented with evidence of our bias, we would be shocked. But when we read an article like this it's easy to say, "I'm not like that, so this doesn't apply."
5
Ouch! You were doing fine until third to last paragraph. Tough, hawkish, hard-bitten archetypes? Traditionally feminine? In the interest of gender equality, isn't it past time to re-evaluate these types and move on?
Many men, like Donald Trump get a kick out of a girl fight. They probably wouldn't admit it though. Then there are the men who know certain women are smarter than they are, more skilled, more qualified but they would never admit that either. Also are the type who want women, including their mates, whether married or not, to just be "the little woman" or "the Stepford wife" and the men are their controllers. Woe be it to the woman who needs to meet her man's physical qualification, and no matter how she tries, as she gets older, her body won't meet his qualifications.
Unfortunately, many women see men with these characteristics as being very immature, adolescent, that they have yet to grow up. The men that many of us find attractive, including my husband, cheerlead for us. On the sideline, they say "go for it - you can do it!" They aren't ashamed to change a baby's diaper, participate at our kids' school if they can because we can't get the time off work. Then there are the men who, instead of demonizing our aging bodies, go on walks with us, learn how to cook healthy food and enjoy it, too, and would consider criticizing our sagging body parts disrespectful. These are the men who have passed the grown up test.
Let us not have men "in charge" disrespect us, discourage us, be envious of us, or make demands on our bodies, including reproductive demands. Let us have men in charge who, someway along the way have matured and expect the same from other men. Listen up, Trump.
Unfortunately, many women see men with these characteristics as being very immature, adolescent, that they have yet to grow up. The men that many of us find attractive, including my husband, cheerlead for us. On the sideline, they say "go for it - you can do it!" They aren't ashamed to change a baby's diaper, participate at our kids' school if they can because we can't get the time off work. Then there are the men who, instead of demonizing our aging bodies, go on walks with us, learn how to cook healthy food and enjoy it, too, and would consider criticizing our sagging body parts disrespectful. These are the men who have passed the grown up test.
Let us not have men "in charge" disrespect us, discourage us, be envious of us, or make demands on our bodies, including reproductive demands. Let us have men in charge who, someway along the way have matured and expect the same from other men. Listen up, Trump.
4
Mr. Kristof points out, “Trump seems to be trying a strategy of what Ted Cruz would call ‘carpet bombing,’ insulting Carly Fiorina’s face, Megyn Kelly’s menstrual cycle, Heidi Cruz’s looks and now Hillary Clinton’s ‘woman’s card.’”
Given that three of the four women he cited are Republicans, it seems like Trump is determined to cannibalize the support of women from within his own party! Nonetheless, you bet, “Trump is playing the man’s card.” If Hillary Clinton had said even a fraction of the things that Trump seems to have gotten away with, she would have been burnt toast by now.
But given “iron maiden” Hillary’s impressive credentials for the job, she can safely play the woman’s card all the way to November. As she herself said in response to Trump’s charge, “Well, if fighting for women’s health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card, then deal me in.”
Someone on Trump’s staff should clue him in – the 1980s called and they want their man card back!
Given that three of the four women he cited are Republicans, it seems like Trump is determined to cannibalize the support of women from within his own party! Nonetheless, you bet, “Trump is playing the man’s card.” If Hillary Clinton had said even a fraction of the things that Trump seems to have gotten away with, she would have been burnt toast by now.
But given “iron maiden” Hillary’s impressive credentials for the job, she can safely play the woman’s card all the way to November. As she herself said in response to Trump’s charge, “Well, if fighting for women’s health care and paid family leave and equal pay is playing the woman card, then deal me in.”
Someone on Trump’s staff should clue him in – the 1980s called and they want their man card back!
3
Women hold up half the sky, and if men don't hold up the other half, it all falls down. The men usually take full credit. Women are absolutely as harsh or harsher critics of women than men are. Every woman knows this.
Men and women are not "equal"--or at least not identical in their skill sets, but there is enough overlap to not restrict their education, employment or advancement based on their gender, any more so than on race, religion or sexual orientation. It is anathema that the Equal Rights Amendment was never passed--and it still wouldn't pass in this day and age; that abortion and contraception are still restricted on the basis of legislation rather than health considerations; that women are almost universally judged on the basis of their appearance and sexual desirability regardless of their age (from 8 to 88!); and that none of these things are likely to change in my lifetime or that of my daughter.
The idea that any woman, self-respecting or otherwise would vote for Donald Trump makes me weep. The idea that any man would vote for him fills me with a contempt so bitter it frightens me.
Men and women are not "equal"--or at least not identical in their skill sets, but there is enough overlap to not restrict their education, employment or advancement based on their gender, any more so than on race, religion or sexual orientation. It is anathema that the Equal Rights Amendment was never passed--and it still wouldn't pass in this day and age; that abortion and contraception are still restricted on the basis of legislation rather than health considerations; that women are almost universally judged on the basis of their appearance and sexual desirability regardless of their age (from 8 to 88!); and that none of these things are likely to change in my lifetime or that of my daughter.
The idea that any woman, self-respecting or otherwise would vote for Donald Trump makes me weep. The idea that any man would vote for him fills me with a contempt so bitter it frightens me.
12
Donald Trump is so over-priviledged, he can't distinguish his own sense of entitlement as such.
And as for male privileges, you need look no further than his knee-jerk argument that a woman seeking abortion should be punished, while the impregnating man should not, however much he may want to end a problematic pregnancy.
Donald, check your privilege!
And as for male privileges, you need look no further than his knee-jerk argument that a woman seeking abortion should be punished, while the impregnating man should not, however much he may want to end a problematic pregnancy.
Donald, check your privilege!
8
On the right, they have bathroom laws and abortion. On the left, they have the war on women and immigrants. Both are used for the same end. It's a shiny bauble to distract you from the real issues that affect everyone. That issue is the economic inequality that has grown like a cancer to levels that are turning this country into an 18th century oligarchy. Your problem is that you don't address these issues, because this newspaper does not want these issues addressed. The corporatist media that you and your employer, the NY Times, defends is the enemy, not bathrooms in North Carolina or whether a woman can run for president.
7
Another male saying the war on women isn't a real issue...and that it's actually a "shiny bauble"! Who knew?
4
"There’s abundant research showing that men and women alike tend to judge women more harshly than men."
Amen. We've all heard the reports of voters citing Hillary's haircut or the sound of her voice as reasons why they dislike her. Yeah, because that's fair. It's not like Trump, Sanders, or Cruz look or sound like George Clooney. But no one talks about that, of course. This isn't a fashion show. HRC for the win.
Amen. We've all heard the reports of voters citing Hillary's haircut or the sound of her voice as reasons why they dislike her. Yeah, because that's fair. It's not like Trump, Sanders, or Cruz look or sound like George Clooney. But no one talks about that, of course. This isn't a fashion show. HRC for the win.
12
If women really had the benefit of a woman's card, their lack of representation as heads of companies, on boards, and in government would have to imply that they are so inferior to men that even with the help of that handy card they can't quite get by. This is, I presume, exactly what people like Donald Trump and Rush Limbaugh must believe.
10
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for this piece. It is so encouraging to see that some men really do get it.
12
Donald Trump may not understand it, but he is constantly, and throughout his life as a white male, has been playing the male and white card.
6
It's no accident that Hillary Clinton graduated from Wellesley, a women's college. Research has shown that women who attend women's colleges have greater success in their careers and tend to hold higher leadership positions than women who attend coeducational institutions. It's not the woman's card that is helping Hillary Clinton; it's the women's college card.
6
I like the fact that fewer women are putting up with this nonsense. Why should they? Women have the education, the money, the freedom to do whatever they please. Thank god for birth control. For my daughters I pray for the day when women don't even try to have equality with men. They simplay bypass the old-boy system. When women occupy enough postions of power and influence any criticisms of them based in sexism will be seen as the archaic practice of a fading order. The last vestige of a dying patriarchy.
25
The "woman's card" is a load of hooey.
I have never voted for a candidate simply to put a woman in a job. In fact, I voted for the male Congressional candidate over the qualified female candidate in my district. She did not represent my welfare or my interests, and I found her politics disastrous.
I have been in both positions: in a corporate job I was the iron lady, characterized with a common canine epithet for not being agreeable enough and cheery; now, as a stay at home mom working to go back to work, I am the mother type, nurturing, but having no skills. How can I be both? An iron nurturer?
We women have a lot of freedom in the US - many women worldwide would be grateful for a fraction of it - but we are still held back by the need for people to classify and characterize individuals under group labels. Women in politics lose votes to people like me - who will vote on policy positions - *and* lose votes to people who will disregard them because they have labeled them.
That is not a card a woman wants in her hand - it is the Queen of Spades in a game of Hearts.
I have never voted for a candidate simply to put a woman in a job. In fact, I voted for the male Congressional candidate over the qualified female candidate in my district. She did not represent my welfare or my interests, and I found her politics disastrous.
I have been in both positions: in a corporate job I was the iron lady, characterized with a common canine epithet for not being agreeable enough and cheery; now, as a stay at home mom working to go back to work, I am the mother type, nurturing, but having no skills. How can I be both? An iron nurturer?
We women have a lot of freedom in the US - many women worldwide would be grateful for a fraction of it - but we are still held back by the need for people to classify and characterize individuals under group labels. Women in politics lose votes to people like me - who will vote on policy positions - *and* lose votes to people who will disregard them because they have labeled them.
That is not a card a woman wants in her hand - it is the Queen of Spades in a game of Hearts.
17
Among the many weird things -- lefty liberals absolutely HATED Sarah Palin. They didn't support her because she would have been "the first female VP" and a heartbeat from the Presidency (McCain was already 72!). NO -- they detested her.
So why is it all the other way for Hillary? Why do you have to support her "or you are not a feminist"?
I'm a feminist, and I wouldn't vote for Hillary for dog catcher .... if she was the only candidate running.
So why is it all the other way for Hillary? Why do you have to support her "or you are not a feminist"?
I'm a feminist, and I wouldn't vote for Hillary for dog catcher .... if she was the only candidate running.
2
To Cathy: The "woman's card" as Donald Trump defines it certainly is a "load of hooey." But the test of your thesis is whether you would vote for a woman over a male candidate when she has the same policy positions as the male, and equivalent or even greater experience. As the studies Mr. Kristof discusses have shown, I'm guessing the answer would probably be no, you would not, and the results of the 2008 Democratic primaries bear that out.
BTW, love the Hearts reference!
BTW, love the Hearts reference!
2
This is one reason that it is so critical to have women leaders such as a woman president. Half the citizens in the country are women, and some of the main issues such as women's health have been terribly mishandled by male politicians who reflect this bias. The column earlier this week on easily preventable deaths from cervical cancer, the costs of unplanned pregnancies both in terms of health and life contexts, and other aspects really makes it look like the male politicians care about their ideology and don't care if women die by the thousands as a result.
A woman president would normalize the situation. Women leaders would not play into the bias, whether it is conscious or unconscious. The women Supreme Court justices have very different perspectives on issues like Hobby Lobby, and they are far more knowledgable about the issues than the male justices who reflexively reach into their Catholic rigid views.
Women deserve better. Trump is an offensive charlatan who is a fascist, a bigot on multiple levels, a thug, a terrible businessman with many bankruptcies and lawsuits, and yes, a misogynist. His wives and daughters are a little too close to Stepford wives or Barbies frankly. He could never be a statesman, and shouldn't be in the same vicinity as the White House. Hopefully, every woman voter in the country will make their views on his misogyny known in the voting booth.
A woman president would normalize the situation. Women leaders would not play into the bias, whether it is conscious or unconscious. The women Supreme Court justices have very different perspectives on issues like Hobby Lobby, and they are far more knowledgable about the issues than the male justices who reflexively reach into their Catholic rigid views.
Women deserve better. Trump is an offensive charlatan who is a fascist, a bigot on multiple levels, a thug, a terrible businessman with many bankruptcies and lawsuits, and yes, a misogynist. His wives and daughters are a little too close to Stepford wives or Barbies frankly. He could never be a statesman, and shouldn't be in the same vicinity as the White House. Hopefully, every woman voter in the country will make their views on his misogyny known in the voting booth.
34
Trump's daughter is a "Barbie"? She's a practicing ORTHODOX JEW, not a pole dancer or fashion model. Are you judging Ivanka Trump as inferior because she's nice looking? How is that a feminist ideal?
When you call names like this, on blameless people (just because of their biological relations), you pretty much undo any of the political correctness you otherwise espouse.
When you call names like this, on blameless people (just because of their biological relations), you pretty much undo any of the political correctness you otherwise espouse.
2
I am not surprised that the studies undertaken in Italy and Spain revealed the negative bias of women towards other women. As a European-raised woman who came to the US for college, I saw a big difference here. At Mount Holyoke College, I witnessed for the first time women helping other women, mentoring other women, and serving as examples of fulfilled women with successful professional and private lives. That is much harder to come by in Europe, where the stereotype of women undermining one another persists strongly. To the advantage of men, I might add. European women are taught not to trust each other, which undermines their value as a group.
12
Back in the 1960s, my late mother-in-law often commented that she didn't like women to be anchors on TV news. I don't know what she might think about Megyn Kelly, but she would definitely have a problem with a woman president. It would just challenge everything she believed true about women.
That response seems to be at the heart of how many people react to Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump with his instinct for going for the vulnerability of any opponent clearly sense that as an opportunity.
One of my worries about Clinton, whom I support wholeheartedly, is that she feels she has to fit into that hard-bitten, hawkish archetype. A woman who wants to be president can't allow herself to be perceived as soft. That is the woman card that she has been dealt.
I don't know if the noise about her being a hawk really represents resistance to her candidacy or if it's just a piece of the pro-Sanders mindset. Or maybe the mindset of the old white men who have flocked to Trump. Those who hate the Clintons, and Hillary in particular, will never vote for her and they don't really need rational reasons for that decision.
That response seems to be at the heart of how many people react to Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump with his instinct for going for the vulnerability of any opponent clearly sense that as an opportunity.
One of my worries about Clinton, whom I support wholeheartedly, is that she feels she has to fit into that hard-bitten, hawkish archetype. A woman who wants to be president can't allow herself to be perceived as soft. That is the woman card that she has been dealt.
I don't know if the noise about her being a hawk really represents resistance to her candidacy or if it's just a piece of the pro-Sanders mindset. Or maybe the mindset of the old white men who have flocked to Trump. Those who hate the Clintons, and Hillary in particular, will never vote for her and they don't really need rational reasons for that decision.
24
Luckily that type of male who will never vote for a woman to be in power is a disappearing breed.
3
I'd accuse Trump of compulsive intellectual dishonesty, but he doesn't have much intellect to start with despite his narcissistic claims to being very smart. He exhibits the same chauvinist piggery that is common to poorly educated males, thus his appeal to these dullards. Intelligent males will recognize how superior a candidate Hillary is and vote for her.
Eclectic Pragmatist — http://eclectic-pragmatist.tumblr.com/
Eclectic Pragmatist — https://medium.com/eclectic-pragmatism
Eclectic Pragmatist — http://eclectic-pragmatist.tumblr.com/
Eclectic Pragmatist — https://medium.com/eclectic-pragmatism
21
Analogies are imprecise when discussing attitudes because there are always variables which differentiate seemingly similar situations. Recognizing that limitation, the attitudes of people, both men and women, towards women in positions of leadership do resemble racism.
Putting aside the flaming racist and the in-your-face misogynist, there are many people who consider themselves fair and enlightened, but who unconsciously assume the worst about blacks and about women.
These people honestly deny harboring such attitudes, because they honestly are unaware that they hold negative views towards blacks or women. This fine column by Nicholas Kristof demonstrates the clever ways in which researchers have exposed the deep-seated biases.
One variable differentiating racism from the bias against women seems to be the fact that many more women are negative towards powerful women than the relative number of blacks who resent the success of other blacks.
All of us, men and women, need to work to meet the special challenge of women seeking high office against the wishes of other women. This election season is a good time to do that work.
Putting aside the flaming racist and the in-your-face misogynist, there are many people who consider themselves fair and enlightened, but who unconsciously assume the worst about blacks and about women.
These people honestly deny harboring such attitudes, because they honestly are unaware that they hold negative views towards blacks or women. This fine column by Nicholas Kristof demonstrates the clever ways in which researchers have exposed the deep-seated biases.
One variable differentiating racism from the bias against women seems to be the fact that many more women are negative towards powerful women than the relative number of blacks who resent the success of other blacks.
All of us, men and women, need to work to meet the special challenge of women seeking high office against the wishes of other women. This election season is a good time to do that work.
23
The 2016 elections are an opporunity for the voters in the US to lead the way in becoming a more evolved society, or not. This is a pivotal moment in ensuring we can treat women better and give them their due respect. The discussions on the topic of gender equality and sttus of women are definitely useful. At least now it is out in the open, it is in our power to create a change for the better. Weirdly the Trump and Sanders effect is highlighting how we treat women and whether we are qualified to be part of the human race.
21
I have never met a man who did t play the man card. It's just so tempting to be considered intelligent and competent based solely on the Y chromosome. It matters not that it's clearly a con.
This new layer, where a man who would never, ever be considered a rational candidate for the position he seeks were his gender female insults any woman he finds in his path based solely on her extra X chromosome, should be a wake up call to American women.
I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired of less competent men assuming I am the one who is less competent because I wear a bra. It really is ironic considering how many men today really should be wearing a bra as well. I'm disgusted by their man breasts and find them to be an ugly distraction that makes their critiques of a woman's appearance that much more astounding.
These pudgy dough boys have no problem pronouncing on the sexual attractiveness of a woman while contemplating her competence to do any job at all. Good luck if there is a male applicant who can spell his own name. The situation is truly ridiculous but not funny at all.
The Donald is their standard bearer, a man not afraid to be public ally disgusted by the very thought of a woman using a toilet. Menstruation throws him over the edge with visions of blood everywhere Carrie style. And a woman shout into a microphone at a political rally? You guessed it, "disgusting!"
Melania, please take your ugly little troll home.
This new layer, where a man who would never, ever be considered a rational candidate for the position he seeks were his gender female insults any woman he finds in his path based solely on her extra X chromosome, should be a wake up call to American women.
I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired of less competent men assuming I am the one who is less competent because I wear a bra. It really is ironic considering how many men today really should be wearing a bra as well. I'm disgusted by their man breasts and find them to be an ugly distraction that makes their critiques of a woman's appearance that much more astounding.
These pudgy dough boys have no problem pronouncing on the sexual attractiveness of a woman while contemplating her competence to do any job at all. Good luck if there is a male applicant who can spell his own name. The situation is truly ridiculous but not funny at all.
The Donald is their standard bearer, a man not afraid to be public ally disgusted by the very thought of a woman using a toilet. Menstruation throws him over the edge with visions of blood everywhere Carrie style. And a woman shout into a microphone at a political rally? You guessed it, "disgusting!"
Melania, please take your ugly little troll home.
50
"She who fights with monsters should be careful lest she thereby become a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee."
2
Cute, Dan. Probably plays well in Kansas if I remember the place I least liked living accurately after all these years.
If you don't fight, you stand no chance of winning. I don't care if you think I'm a "monster" for wanting to be judged by my value rather than my gender though I perfectly understand why you would prefer it. Most "men" would really like it if we women would go back to baking cookies. Real men don't care.
Sorry, no deal.
If you don't fight, you stand no chance of winning. I don't care if you think I'm a "monster" for wanting to be judged by my value rather than my gender though I perfectly understand why you would prefer it. Most "men" would really like it if we women would go back to baking cookies. Real men don't care.
Sorry, no deal.
5
The so called Woman Card is not useless. Women are treated far more leniently in court for sexual and violent crimes. Elizabeth Holmes, the head of the now clearly fraudulent Theranos, would have been caught long ago if the narrative if a smart woman creating a successful medical technology start up were not so appealing. It's not an ace but it's there in leadership and consequences.
6
"The so called Woman Card is not useless. Women are treated far more leniently in court for sexual and violent crimes."
Not true. It is widely known that defense lawyers stack their juries with middle aged women in sexual assault cases. This is because they will be harsher critics of women.
Not true. It is widely known that defense lawyers stack their juries with middle aged women in sexual assault cases. This is because they will be harsher critics of women.
2
Please. This is not even remotely true. Women are much more likely to be the victims, and women offenders are a fraction of male violent criminals. When violence is involved by a woman, it is usually assault and not murder. Often it is self defense. And women's sexual crimes are an even tinier percentage.
In 2012, according to FBI statistics, 88.7% f murders and manslaughters were committed by men; 99.1% of rapes were committed by men; 87% of robberies, 77.1% of aggravated assaults, and 83.6% of burglaries were committed by men.
About 1/5 of all violent crime is domestic (almost always against women).
But play the poor, poor men card if you like.
In 2012, according to FBI statistics, 88.7% f murders and manslaughters were committed by men; 99.1% of rapes were committed by men; 87% of robberies, 77.1% of aggravated assaults, and 83.6% of burglaries were committed by men.
About 1/5 of all violent crime is domestic (almost always against women).
But play the poor, poor men card if you like.
6
The racial question has been with us in the U.S. for over 400 years. The attitude toward women has been with us throughout the world for thousands of years.
Solve the racial issue and you make the U.S. really great. Change the male's attitude toward women and you change the world in ways no one can imagine.
It is one of the most difficult challenges that men, and a sizable segment of women face in the world, namely, recognizing that women are men's equals an in mmany cases superior to men.
It won't be easy, but it has to be done. Otherwise the world is nothing but noise.
Solve the racial issue and you make the U.S. really great. Change the male's attitude toward women and you change the world in ways no one can imagine.
It is one of the most difficult challenges that men, and a sizable segment of women face in the world, namely, recognizing that women are men's equals an in mmany cases superior to men.
It won't be easy, but it has to be done. Otherwise the world is nothing but noise.
63
Well said, Tom Osterman! Enlightened men like you will help women make it a reality. Good Job!
7
Trump's playing the woman card is pure red meat for his corps of disaffected uneducated white males who regard women only as objects and not as people. His words are dangerous because they energize the degenerate males who pay homage to his misogyny.
104
When someone attacks a person for being female, then naturally that person fights back as a female. And why not? Women are more than half of the population of this country; i.e., we are the majority, and we have tired of being marginalized. That said, we are thoughtful people and not likely to vote for or against anyone because of gender.
Think rationally about the two candidates. Not knowing anything about them other than their records, that is to say, not knowing whether they were male or female, never mind their names, with one having held more than one elective office, in possession of a law degree and relevant experience, middle-class upbringing, able to relate to more than one demographic group, remaining in a marriage for the long haul despite infidelity and public humiliation, holding constant views on many issues, etc., vs. someone who inherited wealth but still managed to claim bankruptcy three or four times, constantly insults anyone with whom he/she disagrees, has been married three times, frequently changes mind on the issues, denies making well-documented remarks, has headed failed or only marginally profitable companies, makes vulgar, bigoted, and/or sexist statements, has strongly advocated military action over diplomatic efforts, etc. Who would you say is better qualified and for whom would you vote?
Think rationally about the two candidates. Not knowing anything about them other than their records, that is to say, not knowing whether they were male or female, never mind their names, with one having held more than one elective office, in possession of a law degree and relevant experience, middle-class upbringing, able to relate to more than one demographic group, remaining in a marriage for the long haul despite infidelity and public humiliation, holding constant views on many issues, etc., vs. someone who inherited wealth but still managed to claim bankruptcy three or four times, constantly insults anyone with whom he/she disagrees, has been married three times, frequently changes mind on the issues, denies making well-documented remarks, has headed failed or only marginally profitable companies, makes vulgar, bigoted, and/or sexist statements, has strongly advocated military action over diplomatic efforts, etc. Who would you say is better qualified and for whom would you vote?
126
The answer is logically obvious, but logic is not at play. The unconscious unending battle for perceived power. Within a significant segment of especially white male Americans, the seething angers and resentments related to such issues as economic challenges and with laws that give females more opportunity (Title IX) have created the perfect fertile psychological environment for the despot to spread his wings.
6
I would personally consider that holding a LAW DEGREE would actually be a negative in the eyes of most voters. Most people's experience of lawyers is that they are slimy and dishonest, and use sophism to get away with outrageous behavior -- defend criminals and creeps -- and don't care about justice whatsoever.
2
Oh Hillary's playing the "woman's card" all right, she wants to follow the first African-American president as the first woman president. She wants it so bad she can taste it. On paper her resume looks impressive. But then, so would John Kerry's look similarly qualifying him as well: US Senator, Secretary of State...
But then there are those pesky "swift boats" that doomed Kerry's chances in 2004. Clinton's own things follow her around, that email server, hints of scandals past, returning like ghosts to he campaign present, and perhaps general campaign future, the sense that she's part of the establishment war machine, and in the thrall of the 1%. Further just the idea that she may be the "lesser of the evils" compared to Trump, but that a Republican Congress would fight her worse than Obama, rendering her effectiveness to minimal, at best.
Not that Trump is a saint, by any means. She plays the woman card, he plays the "outsider" card. She plays "mommy," he plays "used car salesman (havre I got a deal for you)!" And so it will go, each constructing their houses of cards, until the voters decide which will stand, and which will fall. But please, Mr. Kristof, don't insult our intelligence by saying she's not going to use her gender to every possible advantage. The overlap between present day politics and the "world's oldest profession" is a lot closer than we like to think.
But then there are those pesky "swift boats" that doomed Kerry's chances in 2004. Clinton's own things follow her around, that email server, hints of scandals past, returning like ghosts to he campaign present, and perhaps general campaign future, the sense that she's part of the establishment war machine, and in the thrall of the 1%. Further just the idea that she may be the "lesser of the evils" compared to Trump, but that a Republican Congress would fight her worse than Obama, rendering her effectiveness to minimal, at best.
Not that Trump is a saint, by any means. She plays the woman card, he plays the "outsider" card. She plays "mommy," he plays "used car salesman (havre I got a deal for you)!" And so it will go, each constructing their houses of cards, until the voters decide which will stand, and which will fall. But please, Mr. Kristof, don't insult our intelligence by saying she's not going to use her gender to every possible advantage. The overlap between present day politics and the "world's oldest profession" is a lot closer than we like to think.
13
Even if Swift Boat were not contrived in the most malicious manner by Karl Rove and cronies, since that long-ago and horrific chapter of pointless war orchestrated by America, Kerry has conducted his life with honor and integrity. How, as a nation, did we allow a red herring, a PR ploy such as SB derail us and yet we ignore economic defaults and betrayals from Trump as if they are trivial? Trump is interested only in his own agrandizement. He is not interested in Service or You.
51
True, everyone uses what they have, as they should. But Clinton should not have to play down the historic nature of her candidacy, just as it should not be the primary reason for voting for her. Her qualifications are immense (as were Kerry's)and go far beyond a lesser of two evils. Rump is a racist and misogynist--a disgrace. And on top of that, he knows less than you and I do about almost everything. And neither of us, I bet, would be narcissistic enough to think that we could step into government at the top.
5
Patrick, when Kerry ran, he had NOT had the experience of being Secretary of State. You are being intellectually dishonest when you claim he had the same qualifications as Hillary. Hillary is more qualified than Bill was when elected. She hasn't played the mommy card. Trump, however, has an interestingly incestuous method of playing the daddy card.
All men, every last one of you, play the man card. You do it every day and are so accustomed to it that you think of it as the "natural order." By playing it, the playing field is slanted in your favor. There are no possible excuses for a man actually believing he is more qualified than a woman with a better education and more experience. Add to that millions more votes and I really don't see how you come to the conclusion that Hillary is prostituting herself by daring to challenge a man.
In retrospect, I'd like to retract the charge I leveled at you, Patrick. You don't have enough intellect to be intellectually dishonest. You are just a garden variety man, such as I encounter each and every day, filled with overblown ideas of your own worth sprinkled with misogyny for any woman who might challenge you.
All men, every last one of you, play the man card. You do it every day and are so accustomed to it that you think of it as the "natural order." By playing it, the playing field is slanted in your favor. There are no possible excuses for a man actually believing he is more qualified than a woman with a better education and more experience. Add to that millions more votes and I really don't see how you come to the conclusion that Hillary is prostituting herself by daring to challenge a man.
In retrospect, I'd like to retract the charge I leveled at you, Patrick. You don't have enough intellect to be intellectually dishonest. You are just a garden variety man, such as I encounter each and every day, filled with overblown ideas of your own worth sprinkled with misogyny for any woman who might challenge you.
4
Don't vote for Hillary just because she is a woman look at what she has actually done. Personally I find her foriegn policy very interventionist and have trouble supporting her because of that. Her foriegn policy advisers are also hawks and I worry that she would get us in another war. I also question whether her policy's would be swayed by too many large speaking fees. I would like to see a woman president but there is much more to consider besides gender.
20
Personally, I wish Mrs. Clinton could appear to be more moderate, too. "The Boys" and "The Boy Women" will never accept it. People expect governments to "protect" them first and foremost- even when that is irrational, unrealistic, and puts us in harm's way. (Consider Viet Nam or the chase for Saddam Hussein). As for speaking fees, former presidents and other top officials always make enormous speaking fees once they are no longer on government payrolls. However, be comforted by the fact that Clinton, as a woman, would certainly get paid less for post-presidential speaking than Trump.
7
Yes, like the supreme court, minimum wages, justice system reform and global warming. You are ditto-heading Sanders' critique without seriously considering that the lesser of two evils is, gosh , less evil. Bros & sisters of the holy Left, please don't Naderize this election. The last time you voted your conscience rather than dealing with the real world, it trashed the nation.
7
You wish she could appear to be more moderate ? No. She either is or is not. She is a hawk and according to what I've read about her over the years she has pushed for intervention from bombing Serbia to bombing Libya.
3
It seems to me appropriate, in this context, to remind readers of the comment by Charlotte Whitton (1896-1975), sometime mayor of Ottawa (Ontario), a staunch social conservative and, perhaps paradoxically, an early, outspoken feminist.
"Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult."
p.
"Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult."
p.
131
As usual a thoughtful and insightful column from Mr. Kristof. That being said, Bill, Hillary and her surrogates *are* playing "the woman card" in a very specific way. Very often they claim that legitimate criticism is based on misogyny, in an effort to either stifle that criticism or attenuate its impact. The entire "Bernie Bro" meme, like the "Obama Boys" meme in her last presidential run, was concocted by the Clinton machine exactly for this purpose.
Are there misogynists out there? Of course there are. Look at Scott Brown's attacks on Elizabeth Warren in 2012, or half of what comes out of Donald Trump's mouth. That was (is) sexist. But questioning someone's record or judgement can just be that and have nothing to do with their plumbing. Misusing "the woman card" over and over just makes it harder for women fighting real misogyny. Now when a woman claims her actually misogynistic co-workers are criticizing her legitimacy for a promotion just because she is a woman, a higher percentage of people will say, "Riiiight, just like Hillary with her transcripts and Iraq war vote and private e-mail server."
There is still a lot of sexism and misogyny in our country, but the constant playing of "the woman card" by arguably the most politically powerful woman in the country makes fighting real misogyny for the 160 million American women who are not so powerful that much harder.
03:25 EST (38 comments)
Are there misogynists out there? Of course there are. Look at Scott Brown's attacks on Elizabeth Warren in 2012, or half of what comes out of Donald Trump's mouth. That was (is) sexist. But questioning someone's record or judgement can just be that and have nothing to do with their plumbing. Misusing "the woman card" over and over just makes it harder for women fighting real misogyny. Now when a woman claims her actually misogynistic co-workers are criticizing her legitimacy for a promotion just because she is a woman, a higher percentage of people will say, "Riiiight, just like Hillary with her transcripts and Iraq war vote and private e-mail server."
There is still a lot of sexism and misogyny in our country, but the constant playing of "the woman card" by arguably the most politically powerful woman in the country makes fighting real misogyny for the 160 million American women who are not so powerful that much harder.
03:25 EST (38 comments)
22
"Women aren't particularly nice to women".
And why would people think Hillary would be any nicer to women?
Because she says so? She wasn't very nice to Monica.
Hillary says whatever she thinks will help her achieve what she wants which has nothing to do with the welfare of women. Only the welfare of Queen Bee Hillary.
And why would people think Hillary would be any nicer to women?
Because she says so? She wasn't very nice to Monica.
Hillary says whatever she thinks will help her achieve what she wants which has nothing to do with the welfare of women. Only the welfare of Queen Bee Hillary.
2
Jlalbrecht, when Bernie called Hillary incompetent, it was not the first time he played the man card in that particular way. There was a certain contest for governor of Vermont, which he lost and deservedly so. Sometimes it really is misogyny. You may not believe me, but we women give men the benefit of the doubt on misogyny so routinely that we sometimes believe them. Men routinely proclaim they are better qualified than any woman and then claim, at the top of their lungs, that they aren't misogynists.
Thing is, usually when someone has to proclaim AT A SHOUT that they aren't something, actually they are. Think "I'm not a racist! I have a black friend!" Or, "I have great respect for women! Women are some of my best friends!", while denying a job, any job, to a highly qualified woman in favor of a less qualified but blusterous man. I've always found it to be an oddity reserved for men that they are all so convinced of their superiority in the absence of any evidence.
You stated your opinion with confidence and you're a man. You must be right! Only you're not.
Thing is, usually when someone has to proclaim AT A SHOUT that they aren't something, actually they are. Think "I'm not a racist! I have a black friend!" Or, "I have great respect for women! Women are some of my best friends!", while denying a job, any job, to a highly qualified woman in favor of a less qualified but blusterous man. I've always found it to be an oddity reserved for men that they are all so convinced of their superiority in the absence of any evidence.
You stated your opinion with confidence and you're a man. You must be right! Only you're not.
4
We are in the last months of the First Black President.
Are the lives of black Americans better or worse today than in 2008? I think most everyone would say worse, but even if you say "the same", that hardly indicates that a BLACK President made things better for BLACK people. Surely nobody could possibly say things have improved; look at angry groups like BLM.
So why would a First FEMALE President make anything better for women?
Are the lives of black Americans better or worse today than in 2008? I think most everyone would say worse, but even if you say "the same", that hardly indicates that a BLACK President made things better for BLACK people. Surely nobody could possibly say things have improved; look at angry groups like BLM.
So why would a First FEMALE President make anything better for women?
4
I like what Trump is exposing as it relates to our corrupt political system. I also agree with his rants against illegal immigrants, lopsided trade, corporate inversions and corporate tax evasions, too many HB-1 work visas, shipping out jobs, letting other countries fight their own wars and flat wages for more than a decade. I do not want our country to accept refugees from countries where ISIS has any control which by the way is exactly what Trump said.
If a male candidate were to say again and again "this is what I plan to do for men when I am President" it would be appalling, yet that is essentially what Hillary is doing. Yes indeed folks, Hillary is playing the woman card.
I am beginning to think that Krugman and Kristof are being paid a bonus for each pro-Hillary column they write!
If a male candidate were to say again and again "this is what I plan to do for men when I am President" it would be appalling, yet that is essentially what Hillary is doing. Yes indeed folks, Hillary is playing the woman card.
I am beginning to think that Krugman and Kristof are being paid a bonus for each pro-Hillary column they write!
13
Men do not have to say what they will do for men. Men are the default. When Jefferson said that all men were created equal, he meant males, and white males at that. White men were the default, and still are in many ways.
69
Trump's criticisms of all the above would be more impressive if a)he had a practical plan to address any of them, instead of just a rant b) the lopsidedness wasn't engendered by Republican policies to begin with c)living in a country where ISIS has control should make you one of the most highly-qualified people for refugee status ever d)his criticisms weren't so horrifyingly offset by his misogyny, narcissism, and utter lack of experience in governance. Donald thinks that imperious isolationism will make America great "again", and maybe you have to be a white guy from Dallas to think that it was all that great before.
5
A strong, thoughtful op/ed piece but Mr. Kristof omits one definitive detail: we continue to live in a country whose leaders (or roughly 50% of them, mostly males) believe it's entirely okay to tell women what they may or may not do with their bodies, particularly when it comes to matters of reproduction. No such prohibitions are applicable to men. So long as that's the case, the "women's card" isn't worth the cardboard it's printed on.
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Don't be absurd. There are countless rules about "what you can do with your body" -- you can't legally shoot up heroin. You can't legally steal or rape or murder with your body. You can't run naked down the street, even though "it's YOUR body".
When a young nephew of mine wanted a vasectomy at 23 (his wife couldn't take the Pill), his urologist turned him down as too young to make that decision. I guess his right to his own body was taken away from him?
If I wanted a plastic surgeon to amputate my right foot and sew it to the left side of my head -- and they wouldn't do so -- wouldn't they be violating my "right" to my own body?
Anyways: abortion isn't about just a woman's body. Once you are pregnant, there are TWO bodies involved and one of them is NOT YOURS. It is a second, unique human being in the process of developing. In the cast of many 2nd trimester abortions, it is a human fetus that could possibly survive outside the womb, and deserves better than to be cut into pieces and sold to the highest bidder.
As to "why doesn't this apply to men" -- men don't get pregnant.
When a young nephew of mine wanted a vasectomy at 23 (his wife couldn't take the Pill), his urologist turned him down as too young to make that decision. I guess his right to his own body was taken away from him?
If I wanted a plastic surgeon to amputate my right foot and sew it to the left side of my head -- and they wouldn't do so -- wouldn't they be violating my "right" to my own body?
Anyways: abortion isn't about just a woman's body. Once you are pregnant, there are TWO bodies involved and one of them is NOT YOURS. It is a second, unique human being in the process of developing. In the cast of many 2nd trimester abortions, it is a human fetus that could possibly survive outside the womb, and deserves better than to be cut into pieces and sold to the highest bidder.
As to "why doesn't this apply to men" -- men don't get pregnant.
1
@Nameless Concerned Citizen: Most of your analogies are absurd but your nephew needs to seek out another surgeon. If he's 23 and doesn't have a mental impediment he clearly has a legal right to a vasectomy. Anyways, so long as the body of the fetus exists within the body of the mother it remains the mother's decision as to whether the pregnancy should be permitted to proceed, not yours and not the government's. So said the Unit States Supreme Court.
14
thank you.
I'm old enough to have shaken Nixon's hand after his CA Governor loss. My mom respected him. Over that time I have never heard anyone as vilified in vulgar terms more often Than Hilary Clinton. I also remember it was always a man. I can think of no public figure falsely accused more often in public of criminal activity. But instead of repeated exoneration acting in her favor I hear younger men denounce her for perceived shady activity. This is no doubt the result of the Republicants repeated slurs. I am amazed by her continued strength under this assault.
I support her. But even if I didn't I vowed to vote against any Republicant on the ballot since W invaded Iraq.
I support her. But even if I didn't I vowed to vote against any Republicant on the ballot since W invaded Iraq.
237
Those last two sentences are dripping with irony.
3
Doug, you're aware that Hillary voted to support W's war, correct? You're also aware that she's supported every single American military action since Vietnam, resulting in thousands of senseless deaths, right?
3
Seriously?
There is a woman brand that can help get votes in some circumstances but there is no "female" leadership. There's just leadership. There are a set of personality traits and behaviors that people,especially Americans, look for in leaders regardless of gender. Once the election is done that's how you rate leaders.
Females that don't demonstrate these personality traits and behaviors don't do well that's why all sucessful female leaders do.
Thatcher, Golda, Merkel etc all put leadership secondary to gender and led using typical leadership traits and behaviors.
Which is to say that what makes traditonal leadership traits and behaviors be viewed as male us simply that most leaders have been male. Like ideas about significant differences about how women fit into the workplace have changed because more women have entered and developed and adopted traditional workplace behaviors that were viewed as "male" have made women and men interchangeable in peoples minds in the workplace the same thing will happen as more women do the same thing on the world stage.
The world won't change. Women will adapt. Or not.
Whether that's a good thing or not is another matter. Whether humanity wants to strip itself of femininity and the role that force plays in developing our species, transmitting culture and raising mentally healthy kids so that women can just be like men is another matter.
There is a woman brand that can help get votes in some circumstances but there is no "female" leadership. There's just leadership. There are a set of personality traits and behaviors that people,especially Americans, look for in leaders regardless of gender. Once the election is done that's how you rate leaders.
Females that don't demonstrate these personality traits and behaviors don't do well that's why all sucessful female leaders do.
Thatcher, Golda, Merkel etc all put leadership secondary to gender and led using typical leadership traits and behaviors.
Which is to say that what makes traditonal leadership traits and behaviors be viewed as male us simply that most leaders have been male. Like ideas about significant differences about how women fit into the workplace have changed because more women have entered and developed and adopted traditional workplace behaviors that were viewed as "male" have made women and men interchangeable in peoples minds in the workplace the same thing will happen as more women do the same thing on the world stage.
The world won't change. Women will adapt. Or not.
Whether that's a good thing or not is another matter. Whether humanity wants to strip itself of femininity and the role that force plays in developing our species, transmitting culture and raising mentally healthy kids so that women can just be like men is another matter.
6
Women have always adapted, Scott. It is white men who resist change. No wonder, right now they hold all the cards, even the "woman card," as played by Trump. Why on earth, in this day and age, would any woman draw attention to her gender? Hillary has, but only because the boys insist. With Donald going after female journalists for potentially menstruating and after female politicians for their "disgusting" use of indoor plumbing, what choice does Hillary have?
One of the ways we are adapting is to seek and succeed at higher education. I find comments about how unfair the world of education is to boys in these sections all the time. If the default setting isn't to let white males win the game they cry "not fair" and knock the pieces over on the board.
We may well be approaching a time when women are by default the best qualified for any intellectual pursuit. We may just keep men for hard labor in the future: think infrastructure repair. If and when such a thing comes to pass, it will do men little good to whine and complain. We are playing by your rules and we are beginning to win the game.
Boys, we're coming for you. We never asked for a gender war, but you are giving us one anyway. We just wanted to be regular people. Since women have to be better at anything men do to even be considered, we are elevating the game. Get used to losing.
One of the ways we are adapting is to seek and succeed at higher education. I find comments about how unfair the world of education is to boys in these sections all the time. If the default setting isn't to let white males win the game they cry "not fair" and knock the pieces over on the board.
We may well be approaching a time when women are by default the best qualified for any intellectual pursuit. We may just keep men for hard labor in the future: think infrastructure repair. If and when such a thing comes to pass, it will do men little good to whine and complain. We are playing by your rules and we are beginning to win the game.
Boys, we're coming for you. We never asked for a gender war, but you are giving us one anyway. We just wanted to be regular people. Since women have to be better at anything men do to even be considered, we are elevating the game. Get used to losing.
20
Women will adapt, or not, you say?
I recommend that men adapt.
I recommend that men adapt.
6
Ashley Madison: good luck, girl. Transgender men have already declared you inferior to themselves, as they are more genuinely feminine than any woman. SCOTUS has decided that women have nothing unique to offer in marriage, as anything a woman does (mother, give birth, etc.) can easily be done by a man (seriously, this was part of Justice Kennedy's decision in Obergefell, when he helped destroy traditional marriage).
50 years of feminism, and you still think you have it hard? You ain't seen nothing.
50 years of feminism, and you still think you have it hard? You ain't seen nothing.
1
Is our country becoming too full of people who spend their time unproductively fighting yesterday's battles -- or worse, aggressively and robotically taking up the banner of PC causes without ever looking at the big picture? What is the big picture on women in politics and women in the workplace? More than 50% of college students are women, women increasingly hold high profile jobs in all kinds of professions, including in law, medicine, technology, education, entertainment, and so on. Not everything is perfect, fair, equal, and just, but they never are in life -- we can say that the nation is on track to achieve the type of freedoms and equality for women that most all of us supported in the 1960s and 1970s. Our nation in 2016 is not horribly sexist. Try looking around the world if you want to see that.
That's why Kristoff and his ilk are so annoying to many of us who are not social justice warriors, but who are generally on the side of equality and fairness... for everyone. When everything is called-out as being racist, white privilege, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic, anti-LGBTQ, nationalistic, Islamophobic, etc., and we vilify "those people," whether they be blue collar, southern, uneducated, Trumpsters, religious, or whatever is uncool to progressives, the nation has little chance for positive growth. How about a little more balance and a lot less certitude.
That's why Kristoff and his ilk are so annoying to many of us who are not social justice warriors, but who are generally on the side of equality and fairness... for everyone. When everything is called-out as being racist, white privilege, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic, anti-LGBTQ, nationalistic, Islamophobic, etc., and we vilify "those people," whether they be blue collar, southern, uneducated, Trumpsters, religious, or whatever is uncool to progressives, the nation has little chance for positive growth. How about a little more balance and a lot less certitude.
12
@Chris: You appear to be implying that we're getting there, 50 years after the problems were first recognized but, still, better than nothing. Do you have a daughter who wants to be a CEO, a high-ranking military officer or the chief executive of these United States? Tell her "we're getting there" and see show she responds.
102
Are you a man or women? Because you sound like a man.
2
"...generally on the side of equality and fairness"?
In other words, some unfairness and inequality is acceptable as long as the rights of Southern white high school dropout evangelists remain fully intact.
And you wonder why the bell is tolling loud and clear for your party.
In other words, some unfairness and inequality is acceptable as long as the rights of Southern white high school dropout evangelists remain fully intact.
And you wonder why the bell is tolling loud and clear for your party.
4
The women's card worthless? I tend to agree, but that's not going to keep Hillary from flogging for all she's worth. Nor will it keep female commenters from reminding us repeatedly, as they did responding to yesterday's story, that the Donald's offense will cause millions of outraged women to link arms and ensure his ignominious defeat.
The last time I heard that argument Gerry Ferraro was triumphantly becoming Vice President nominee and ensuring the defeat of Ronald Reagan.
The last time I heard that argument Gerry Ferraro was triumphantly becoming Vice President nominee and ensuring the defeat of Ronald Reagan.
11
To minimize Clinton, a world leader and international superstar, by comparing her to Geraldine Ferraro is like comparing Beyoncé to Annette Funicello.
3
Just talk to women -- not the pundits here, or elites in NYC or other big coastal cities.
Go out in the suburbs and exurbs, the rural counties -- flyover country -- and talk to real women. They don't give a fig for Hillary. They are not excited by potential Presidency. They don't think she has their backs. They know she is part of the establishment and won't change a thing. THEY KNOW she is in the POCKET of Wall Street, and is bribed, paid spokesperson for Big Money. They own her. Everyone knows this.
I am a woman in flyover country -- a mother, and a grandmother. I wouldn't vote for Hillary if she was the last candidate on earth running. She's dishonest, and she is beholden to Big Wall Street and their billions.
Go out in the suburbs and exurbs, the rural counties -- flyover country -- and talk to real women. They don't give a fig for Hillary. They are not excited by potential Presidency. They don't think she has their backs. They know she is part of the establishment and won't change a thing. THEY KNOW she is in the POCKET of Wall Street, and is bribed, paid spokesperson for Big Money. They own her. Everyone knows this.
I am a woman in flyover country -- a mother, and a grandmother. I wouldn't vote for Hillary if she was the last candidate on earth running. She's dishonest, and she is beholden to Big Wall Street and their billions.
4
@Concerned: please look at this article from the December NYTimes. The myth that HRC is dishonest is laid to rest here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/opinion/campaign-stops/all-politicians...
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/opinion/campaign-stops/all-politicians...
4
To think there is a "man's card" is to delude oneself in to considering any concern is given by our nation's leaders as in fact it makes little or no difference which "freely elected' party leads.
The position of President is superficial at best as Congress, thanks to the artificiality of a veto overide, actually determines what passes for equitable law. If any question is raised, the Supreme Court, which has always been the other wing of the ruling class, answers in affirmation to that power. The "average" citizen is never considered.
The illusion of freedom is mirrored in voting for the lesser of two exploitive evils, both allowing us to think that mirage exists. We are exploited by all branches of our government in overt collusion to keep the skids of control well greased. How can the ruling of "Citizens United" be otherwise interpreted?
Is it freedom to have our vote overridden? Swamped by advertising which lies without shame and when uncovered suffers no consequence? Inundated with unprovable claims that through endless repitition are accepted by many who will never be exposed to truth?
We are held captive by two political parties whose leaders know openess is a poison pill for both and do everything in their power to deny the theft of freedom to our citizenry.
Neither the power structure of Democrats nor Republicans demand honesty between or among themselves or they would both admit the truth, fold their tents and slink away.
We are not free.
The position of President is superficial at best as Congress, thanks to the artificiality of a veto overide, actually determines what passes for equitable law. If any question is raised, the Supreme Court, which has always been the other wing of the ruling class, answers in affirmation to that power. The "average" citizen is never considered.
The illusion of freedom is mirrored in voting for the lesser of two exploitive evils, both allowing us to think that mirage exists. We are exploited by all branches of our government in overt collusion to keep the skids of control well greased. How can the ruling of "Citizens United" be otherwise interpreted?
Is it freedom to have our vote overridden? Swamped by advertising which lies without shame and when uncovered suffers no consequence? Inundated with unprovable claims that through endless repitition are accepted by many who will never be exposed to truth?
We are held captive by two political parties whose leaders know openess is a poison pill for both and do everything in their power to deny the theft of freedom to our citizenry.
Neither the power structure of Democrats nor Republicans demand honesty between or among themselves or they would both admit the truth, fold their tents and slink away.
We are not free.
7
Meet the new boss -- same as the old boss.
2
Thank you, Mr. Kristof! The man's card, indeed! They all play the man's card because that's the ticket that automatically gets them into the game, no effort required. Women have to work tirelessly to get dealt in.
I am sick of men with attitudes like Trump and all the other Republicans.
Men who are secure in their masculinity have no problem with strong women. We have many allies. I am glad to see that Mr. Kristof is one of them.
I am sick of men with attitudes like Trump and all the other Republicans.
Men who are secure in their masculinity have no problem with strong women. We have many allies. I am glad to see that Mr. Kristof is one of them.
201
I live with three strong women and was raised by another (along with a strong and caring dad). I couldn't agree more.
4
On a flight last month, a passenger several rows up apparently expressed concern when learning one of the pilots was a woman. I couldn't see or hear the passenger, but the flight attendant made sure everyone heard her comfort that passenger by explaining that although the pilot was female, she had been flying a long time and never had any bad incidents, and that none of the flight attendants were afraid.
69
Yet another example of the knuckle-dragging neanderthal that every woman has had to deal with - it never ends.
11
Nick's article last week, and his refusal to own up to the factual errors in it, disqualifies him from evaluating the morality of other people's positions. In the article he claimed that an independent source reviewed Secretary Clinton's speeches and determined that she told the truth 95 percent of the time. The truth is the independent source rated her truthfulness at 50 percent. He used this erroneous fact to underpin an essay lauding Clinton's integrity.
He also gave a set of numbers for all the candidates, each if which was wrong. He wrote that John Kasich told the truth 33 percent of the time, even though the data shows that Kasich was the most honest of the remaining candidates.
The Times correction noted only that some of the numbers were wrong without explaining the magnitude, or how the magnitude undermined Nick's major premise.
This culture of celebrity and lack of humility is not limited to politicians. It infects the journalists who should know better, and until corrected, will undermine everything that Nick writes.
Why is humility so difficult?
He also gave a set of numbers for all the candidates, each if which was wrong. He wrote that John Kasich told the truth 33 percent of the time, even though the data shows that Kasich was the most honest of the remaining candidates.
The Times correction noted only that some of the numbers were wrong without explaining the magnitude, or how the magnitude undermined Nick's major premise.
This culture of celebrity and lack of humility is not limited to politicians. It infects the journalists who should know better, and until corrected, will undermine everything that Nick writes.
Why is humility so difficult?
19
This column is long overdue. Men and women both have a misogyny problem, and anyone who has studied evolutionary biology should not be surprised at this. Sex is way, way older than race and has a much deeper reach into our (primate) psychology. Some people use that fact to justify female subjugation, but nature is neither sacred nor immovable, and I for one would love to see some of our baser instincts quashed by the election of Hillary Clinton this fall.
125
Religion has a misogyny problem. We therefore have a religion problem.
6
I hope that the candidates can concentrate on issues in the general election. I would like to hear about plans for world warming, population growth, poverty, health care for all, tax policy, relations with Russia and affairs in the middle east. You know--the boring stuff.
46
And the war on women! It's a major issue in this country. Republican governors are closing clinics. It's bad! It's an issue! A human rights issue!
6
You mean the stuff that Hillary has been talking about for almost a year now? That boring stuff?
11
As a fundraiser in response to Trump, Clinton is offering a "woman" card on her website. Now we can be card carrying women! That she responds to Trump's misogyny and bullying with humor is a testament to her pluck. I like that in a president.
360
The role of women in this country and the rest of the world is changing. Traditionally, men were breadwinners, but it is changing too. In certain profession such as education, k-12 and beyond, women currently outnumber men. In time, we will see more women in key positions in all professions. We are all better off because of women's presence in the world of works and the qualities they bring in. As to people's unconscious bias, there is nothing new here. People discriminate based on age, gender, physical features, race, ethnicity, and so on so forth. Although gender is not a qualification for candidacy, people however vote based on their biases.
20
The tradition - as you call - of the male breadwinner is simply the tradition of men displacing women from the market and from society and forcing them under the man's yoke. That is the tradition of barbarians as they destroy every element of civilization they encounter. Women were the traditional breadwinners in the dreamtime, before men took control. It has been down into the sewer for humans since then.
18
A few things to remember...
It was the women working in the factories during WWII that built the war machine needed to defeat both Germany and Japan. Without their hard work, the war would quite likely have dragged on for at least a few more years.
Then, once the war was over and the men came home, the women who worked so hard and showed their skills were sent back to the kitchen to make dinner.
As for your remark that women make up most of the jobs in K-12 education, that's rather odd to say considering that education was always seen as 'women's work.' it was more about caring for the children and less about educating them. Men didn't do that work because they did not care for, or about, in many cases, children.
The same can be said for flight attendants. They were all pretty young woman who would cater to the male passengers. Nurses as well. Another caretaker position.
As for voting biases, I'm biased towards the most qualified candidate to run in my entire life. While she is a woman, she is an eminently qualified woman and I look forward to her becoming my president.
It was the women working in the factories during WWII that built the war machine needed to defeat both Germany and Japan. Without their hard work, the war would quite likely have dragged on for at least a few more years.
Then, once the war was over and the men came home, the women who worked so hard and showed their skills were sent back to the kitchen to make dinner.
As for your remark that women make up most of the jobs in K-12 education, that's rather odd to say considering that education was always seen as 'women's work.' it was more about caring for the children and less about educating them. Men didn't do that work because they did not care for, or about, in many cases, children.
The same can be said for flight attendants. They were all pretty young woman who would cater to the male passengers. Nurses as well. Another caretaker position.
As for voting biases, I'm biased towards the most qualified candidate to run in my entire life. While she is a woman, she is an eminently qualified woman and I look forward to her becoming my president.
13
Good column, and sane. Little I haven't heard before--which of course doesn't make it any less depressing to read.
I knew musicians audition behind a screen but not sure if I realized it was for gender reasons (thought it was to not be diverted by watching as well as listening). Too bad there aren't more ways to camouflage gender when making judgments or decisions on competence.
Speaking of competence, the sad adage that women have to work harder, longer, and smarter, just to get in the running for a job or promotion never seems to change. And that's just for starters. Add in all the evaluations/critiques/snarks regarding looks, age, personality and charm, and it's pretty clear that women can be justified for feeling all 52 cards are stacked again them.
I knew musicians audition behind a screen but not sure if I realized it was for gender reasons (thought it was to not be diverted by watching as well as listening). Too bad there aren't more ways to camouflage gender when making judgments or decisions on competence.
Speaking of competence, the sad adage that women have to work harder, longer, and smarter, just to get in the running for a job or promotion never seems to change. And that's just for starters. Add in all the evaluations/critiques/snarks regarding looks, age, personality and charm, and it's pretty clear that women can be justified for feeling all 52 cards are stacked again them.
197
@Christine McMorrow: Just about everything you note about women can be applied to the experiences of Blacks, Browns, Yellows and Reds, of Jews, Muslims, and LGBTs. Not that you are incorrect, but that you have only a narrow view of the terrain. Although a white Christian female has a liability, she might be considered to have two assets not available to some others.
14
Try being black and call me when you feel better. Female and white? - not now; female and black? Never!
3
@Joe and BDR: of course the same can be said of African Americans and every targeted ethnic and racial group. Do you think I don't know that? If you follow my comments, you would know that to be true.
But please, this article was on gender only! I was responding to the issues raised by Nick Kristof on male-female "cards" thrown about by both candidates. In this forum we are asked to respond to the content of the article. So if I erred, it was not pointing out female advancement problems by ALL women, not jut white.
But please, this article was on gender only! I was responding to the issues raised by Nick Kristof on male-female "cards" thrown about by both candidates. In this forum we are asked to respond to the content of the article. So if I erred, it was not pointing out female advancement problems by ALL women, not jut white.
15
From personal experience, I have to agree that women can be as hard, or harder, on fellow women than men. Women on my dissertation committee made more demands, not always good ones, than men did. Just about everybody agreed that I had lost 50% of my brain cells when I became pregnant.
I was lucky when I transitioned out of academia into the high tech business field at the age of 30 that I chose to work for a large multi-national company where my entire management chain was female. I don't think I could have made it otherwise.
While working in Silicon Valley, I was subjected to all sorts of irritants like general disbelief that I understood computers to being physically attacked by a fellow manager at a workplace function. That attack put my son through college after I won a sexual harassment lawsuit - something that is still very hard to do 30 years later.
I moved on. In my last position, I was brought in to pull together a mildly, no very, dysfunctional organization of programmers. I had 29 men and 1 woman reporting to me as well as dotted line management of another 60 or so people. I mentored the woman as best as I could. The boys kept trying to trip me up on my computing skills. They didn't. I don't believe they would have done that will a male manager. The one woman? She quit. Just got tired of it all.
Positive side: my granddaughter, at the age of 9, is taking a programming class. I'm hoping by the time she's ready for Silicon Valley, they're ready for her.
I was lucky when I transitioned out of academia into the high tech business field at the age of 30 that I chose to work for a large multi-national company where my entire management chain was female. I don't think I could have made it otherwise.
While working in Silicon Valley, I was subjected to all sorts of irritants like general disbelief that I understood computers to being physically attacked by a fellow manager at a workplace function. That attack put my son through college after I won a sexual harassment lawsuit - something that is still very hard to do 30 years later.
I moved on. In my last position, I was brought in to pull together a mildly, no very, dysfunctional organization of programmers. I had 29 men and 1 woman reporting to me as well as dotted line management of another 60 or so people. I mentored the woman as best as I could. The boys kept trying to trip me up on my computing skills. They didn't. I don't believe they would have done that will a male manager. The one woman? She quit. Just got tired of it all.
Positive side: my granddaughter, at the age of 9, is taking a programming class. I'm hoping by the time she's ready for Silicon Valley, they're ready for her.
243
By the time your 9 year old granddaughter is old enough to be working, computer programming will be done by $10K a year programmers in Mumbai.
4
Good stuff & congrats, SuzNew. I assume the hi tech businesses you worked for did not include HP.
2
Thanks for telling your story, SuzNew. Unfortunately, it is the norm in the best paid companies and positions, except bringing and winning the sexual harassment lawsuit. Good for you! Many women simply leave rather than having to become "sweet" or "manly" enough to continue the climb. Fortunately, more and more women are starting their own companies so they don't have to play the kill-or-be-killed male game.
6
The closest correlation in looking at Trump's supporters is that they live in mobile homes. He is the king of the trailer parks , a billionaire Archie
Bunker with comedy-show hair and a tie that's too long. Every thing he says is designed to provoke, and so far this carnival of bad taste.vulgarity and braggadocio has propelled him to the nomination. If he were elected, I could only come to the conclusion that America has lost both its collective mind and its moral compass. To avoid this terrifying outcome HRC going to have to adopt an icy calm, stop shouting, and avoid the withering condescension she showed toward Sen Sanders. She will have to release the. banal, grotesquely overpaid speeches she gave to the bankers. She is going to have to show a towering dignity, call her opponent Mr Trump, and let her attack team romp through the rich midden heap that is her opponent's personal and financial record. The real question is how much of the Republican Party Trump will take down with him. He has already succeeded in alienating huge segments of the population, and not just women.
Bunker with comedy-show hair and a tie that's too long. Every thing he says is designed to provoke, and so far this carnival of bad taste.vulgarity and braggadocio has propelled him to the nomination. If he were elected, I could only come to the conclusion that America has lost both its collective mind and its moral compass. To avoid this terrifying outcome HRC going to have to adopt an icy calm, stop shouting, and avoid the withering condescension she showed toward Sen Sanders. She will have to release the. banal, grotesquely overpaid speeches she gave to the bankers. She is going to have to show a towering dignity, call her opponent Mr Trump, and let her attack team romp through the rich midden heap that is her opponent's personal and financial record. The real question is how much of the Republican Party Trump will take down with him. He has already succeeded in alienating huge segments of the population, and not just women.
27
Hillary was paid below market rates for her speeches compared to equally famous and accomplished men. Also, the vast majority of her speeches were to audiences other than Wall Street firms. Finally, the idea that she needs to "stop shouting" is ridiculous. The male candidates in the race shout far more than she does, and no one criticizes them for it.
146
And you know this from Canada...how? You just elected a Prime Minister based half on his movie star looks, and half on his FAMOUS FATHERS LAST NAME. You are not much of an example.
BTW: Trump's supporters are not all from trailer parks, and you might as well say that Hillary's large support from black Americans is all "people who live in housing projects in the ghetto and are on welfare". Gee, that sounds bigoted....doesn't it?
BTW: Trump's supporters are not all from trailer parks, and you might as well say that Hillary's large support from black Americans is all "people who live in housing projects in the ghetto and are on welfare". Gee, that sounds bigoted....doesn't it?
3
"To avoid this terrifying outcome HRC going to have to adopt an icy calm, stop shouting, and avoid the withering condescension she showed toward Sen Sanders." Geoffrey
The only withering condescension I witnessed between Senator Sanders and Secretary of State Clinton was directed by the former at the latter. He shushed her, told her to wait her turn, wagged his finger and gesticulated the entire time she spoke about anything. That young women are charmed by is astonishes me. In time, hey will have such behavior directed their way. Age radicalized women for a reason.
And to tell Hillary to stop shouting? Have you said that about any of the boys, Geoffrey? Each and every one is shouting at the top of his lungs. Your privilege is showing.
The only withering condescension I witnessed between Senator Sanders and Secretary of State Clinton was directed by the former at the latter. He shushed her, told her to wait her turn, wagged his finger and gesticulated the entire time she spoke about anything. That young women are charmed by is astonishes me. In time, hey will have such behavior directed their way. Age radicalized women for a reason.
And to tell Hillary to stop shouting? Have you said that about any of the boys, Geoffrey? Each and every one is shouting at the top of his lungs. Your privilege is showing.
6
No doubt about it. Women have it tougher then men. Just look at the two front runners. One is an experienced civil servant with a proven track record, an impressive resume and a rolodex that includes every major player on the world stage and the other is so bereft of ideas, government or international policy experience he has to resort to grade school insults to lift himself up and he will still get 40% of the vote in the end. Forget Fred and Ginger if Trump didn't have daddy's money, our reality show culture and a compliant press he would have a hard time running for the night managers job at a 711 in Queens.
349
You've GOT to be kidding -- Hillary? If she had not married Bill Clinton, she'd be an attorney in Illinois with a name nobody knows. In fact, they do not know it today -- RODHAM is her legal name (she used it for years and only added "Clinton" in 1992).
She wouldn't have been Senator, or run for POTUS or been offered the Secretary of State position -- never, ever, ever -- because she had no credentials prior, except "being married to Bill".
At least what Trump has accomplished in his career has something to do with his own efforts. I'd rather vote for a night manager at 7/11 who actually WORKED than the entitled, spoiled wife of a former POTUS.
She wouldn't have been Senator, or run for POTUS or been offered the Secretary of State position -- never, ever, ever -- because she had no credentials prior, except "being married to Bill".
At least what Trump has accomplished in his career has something to do with his own efforts. I'd rather vote for a night manager at 7/11 who actually WORKED than the entitled, spoiled wife of a former POTUS.
2
....I expect if Hillary Clinton had not married Bill Clinton her career would have beeb quite different. If Trump did not have his daddy's $, and if Hillary Clinton did not ride Bill's coattails they would not be asking for our votes now. Both used family influence, not accomplished strictly all on their own merit or showing real leadership qualities....both depended on the success of others to get them in the door.
Nick is rabidly offended over The Donald’s questioning of Hillary’s fitness for the presidency based on her gender. I daresay Hillary herself is a lot tougher than THAT, and quite capable of defending herself on the matter – possibly by playing the victim, a role at which she excels like no other person in politics.
Just curious, though: what’s Nick going to think when Trump starts publically dissecting the hatchet-jobs Hillary pulled in the 1990s on multiple victims who accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct, assault and actual rape? Kathleen Willey, Juanita Broaddrick, Paula Jones, Gennifer Flowers … and Monica Lewinsky.
Then, there are numerous other entertaining acts of the Hillary Clinton of that time, not to mention those more recent, one at least of which has some calling for her to be indicted. This woman is pulling more baggage than Amtrak, and none of them were forced errors. Very effective grist for attack ads by the Trump campaign as well as by Super-Pacs he doesn’t use but that will exist out there to support the Republican nominee.
Will Nick then be asking whyever Trump doesn’t RETURN to playing the “man’s card”?
Giveth me a break. It’s a political campaign, Nick.
Just curious, though: what’s Nick going to think when Trump starts publically dissecting the hatchet-jobs Hillary pulled in the 1990s on multiple victims who accused Bill Clinton of sexual misconduct, assault and actual rape? Kathleen Willey, Juanita Broaddrick, Paula Jones, Gennifer Flowers … and Monica Lewinsky.
Then, there are numerous other entertaining acts of the Hillary Clinton of that time, not to mention those more recent, one at least of which has some calling for her to be indicted. This woman is pulling more baggage than Amtrak, and none of them were forced errors. Very effective grist for attack ads by the Trump campaign as well as by Super-Pacs he doesn’t use but that will exist out there to support the Republican nominee.
Will Nick then be asking whyever Trump doesn’t RETURN to playing the “man’s card”?
Giveth me a break. It’s a political campaign, Nick.
16
"A political campaign" has now become the excuse for a misogynistic, racist, America Firster to be allowed to speak and act like a tough guy because, hey, that's politics. He is the perfect result of fifty years of Republicanism, and a wonderful fit for the party of Nixon and GWB. Best of luck to all who join Trump in pursuit of glory though a self aggrandizing failure in business, society,integrity, and decorous human behavior. Enjoy the show and be careful not to get too close to the conflagration the Donald brings with him.
154
Could you be more snide and condescending? I hardly think the author is "rabidly offended." You seem to be projecting what many conservatives project onto liberals: oversensitivity, exaggeration, calculation. Your substantive criticisms of HRC's past are worth examining, but why perpetuate the very trope that annoys you -- namely, that men (and perhaps conservative men especially) are overbearing, tin-eared, and often get away with it. HRC may be what you say she is, AND at the same time Trump may be an unrepentant misogynist.
24
Perhaps HRC at one time believed her husband when he said "he didn't have sex with" whoever... just like Ivana may have believed her husband when questioned about his future baby mama Marla. Trump's cheating and vulgarity seems to be a non-issue but the cheating of a non-candidate is? Based on public knowledge and speculation I can't pretend to understand why HRC stayed with Bill but their marriage has lasted longer than Trump's 3.
27
Thank you Mr. Kristof! Your column is spot on. Hillary Clinton is very much like Ginger Rogers - having to do everything her male counterparts do, but backwards, in (virtual) heels. Trump overtly plays the "man's card" with gusto, while complaining Clinton plays the "woman's card". I suspect "the man's card" is the only card in Trump's deck. He is a buffoon, has no knowledge of foreign policy, and is clueless as to how government and the military function. Gee what a President he would make! This country would be years recovering from a Trump Presidency.
As you have rightly pointed out, women have had to take less pay than their male counterparts, and have been thought of as less competent. Case in point, my daughter is an airline captain and flies for a major airline. A few years back, a male customer, upon finding out she would be flying the left-hand seat, asked to "deplane" because he would not fly with a female captain in charge. One of her male counterparts, told me (not in her presence) what an exceptionally good pilot she is, and then added, you wouldn't expect that of a woman. (I would.)
If Hillary Clinton's "woman's card" is her continuing to do what she has always done in upholding civil rights, women's rights, children's rights, and the Middle Class, then please deal me in. Trump's "man's card" of racism, xenophobia, and misogyny just does not appeal to me somehow.
As you have rightly pointed out, women have had to take less pay than their male counterparts, and have been thought of as less competent. Case in point, my daughter is an airline captain and flies for a major airline. A few years back, a male customer, upon finding out she would be flying the left-hand seat, asked to "deplane" because he would not fly with a female captain in charge. One of her male counterparts, told me (not in her presence) what an exceptionally good pilot she is, and then added, you wouldn't expect that of a woman. (I would.)
If Hillary Clinton's "woman's card" is her continuing to do what she has always done in upholding civil rights, women's rights, children's rights, and the Middle Class, then please deal me in. Trump's "man's card" of racism, xenophobia, and misogyny just does not appeal to me somehow.
418
It's impossible for Trump to play the Man's card. The adolescent boy's card maybe; more likely the little boy's card.
I write this less in fun than in fear that he could actually end up taking that 3 AM phone call.
I write this less in fun than in fear that he could actually end up taking that 3 AM phone call.
226
I don't know how Trump plays any cards at all with his tiny hands. It goes without saying that he has already shown us his cards.
4
Unfortunately, the NY Times and others have all been playing into The Donald's hand by your relentless coverage of this. He holds the cards literally with his outlandish and borish comments that continue to serve him with headline after headline. Deal me out.
99
Why are they so hysterical? If Trump is so truly dreadful, he will lose in a landslide. If he is so horrible and awful and stupid, he will self-destruct by making some fatal comment while campaigning this fall -- like Romney and his "47%" remark.
I mean seriously -- there are like FIVE articles about Trump DAILY. It is far more than what would occur about any one candidate naturally. It smacks of a POLICY from the top-down at the NYT, where columnists are told "you'd better have a couple of Trump hit pieces every week, because we are terrified he might win over our darling Anointed One, Empress Hillary".
If the NYT had given Sanders half the attention it gives Trump -- Sanders would be the presumed nominee by now.
I mean seriously -- there are like FIVE articles about Trump DAILY. It is far more than what would occur about any one candidate naturally. It smacks of a POLICY from the top-down at the NYT, where columnists are told "you'd better have a couple of Trump hit pieces every week, because we are terrified he might win over our darling Anointed One, Empress Hillary".
If the NYT had given Sanders half the attention it gives Trump -- Sanders would be the presumed nominee by now.
3
We have become obsessed with social oppression. We are going a little nutso with the concept. Any words or attitudes that might, somehow, damage someone's self esteem or ago is labeled a new, recently discovered evil against a completely a fair society.
Some of this obsession, and it is surely no less than that, grew from the righteous and fully justified efforts from the Civil Rights movement to change the lives of black people to welcome all into full participation in American life. Plus, we live in an age when everyone knows a little bit of psychology and uses that small fragment to imagine almost everyone is being mistreated somehow. This is a deterministic view of life that holds, at base, that people are not in charge of themselves but every little slight takes them down from being what they could otherwise accomplish.
In simple truth, virtually everyone in society is oppressed at least mildly by the attitudes of others. We are all subject to being misjudged, inhibited or forbidden by an opportunist in our path from moving forward. We need to get over conducting a constant search for inhibitors and get on with the business of doing everything we can with the talents, energy and possibilities at hand.
Realize, too, that we will never have a perfectly fair and just society. Overcoming obstacles is a necessary, sometimes heroic part of life. Women, and others, now have the capacity to life full, varied lives more than in the past. That's a victory.
Doug Terry
Some of this obsession, and it is surely no less than that, grew from the righteous and fully justified efforts from the Civil Rights movement to change the lives of black people to welcome all into full participation in American life. Plus, we live in an age when everyone knows a little bit of psychology and uses that small fragment to imagine almost everyone is being mistreated somehow. This is a deterministic view of life that holds, at base, that people are not in charge of themselves but every little slight takes them down from being what they could otherwise accomplish.
In simple truth, virtually everyone in society is oppressed at least mildly by the attitudes of others. We are all subject to being misjudged, inhibited or forbidden by an opportunist in our path from moving forward. We need to get over conducting a constant search for inhibitors and get on with the business of doing everything we can with the talents, energy and possibilities at hand.
Realize, too, that we will never have a perfectly fair and just society. Overcoming obstacles is a necessary, sometimes heroic part of life. Women, and others, now have the capacity to life full, varied lives more than in the past. That's a victory.
Doug Terry
12
This might make sense, if it were not for the things that Donald Trump is *actually* saying--that Hillary is somehow oppressing **him** by getting an easy ride due to being a woman. Like "reverse discrimination," it's a concept that seldom holds up to scrutiny.
150
Full varied lives?...For less earned income, less job growth/power/authority/autonomy and still shut out of the good-old-boys' network. And don't get me started about all of the health choices for women now being made (mostly) by men who even want to criminalize doctors for saving women's lives. While i get your point(s), I'm fed up to here with men "deciding" for me.
159
Sorry, Doug. You're amiss on this one. We still have a substantial gender gap in this society. The Republican war on women is real. Women may have some things more right now in American society, but that's not full equality. Life is better for women in some places in Europe. And worldwide, women still suffer greatly. Here, women are losing ground we fought for over the last five or six decades. Let's hope you're not suggesting that women be content with some strides and leave off trying for full equality. Nick has it right: Trump is playing the "man" card, by accepting violence among his supporters, by enjoying the endorsement of a rapist, and many, many other stupid and destructive things. He relishes the boors, the abusers, the bullies, because that's who he is. He has no real accomplishments of his own to rely upon, so he must bash his accomplished opponent in a way that pleases his constituency.
110
Another in the seeming endless series of articles and stories in the MSM bent upon structuring a man v. woman presidential election. It's difficult to believe that someone who appears as intelligent as Mr Kristof can't come up with anything better than the war between the sexes. This reader is pretty tired of all the deflection going on. I guess there really are no serious issues which could supersede this lowest quantifiable angle of analysis.
The country is engaged in the 15th year of permanent presidential war abroad in a half dozen countries, which the current president is cheerfully prepared to turn over to the new one, and meanwhile we're saddled here with a stagnant and inequitable capitalist economy. But the big matter the election turns on is -- wait for it -- misogyny.
We've gone through the looking glass, surely.
The country is engaged in the 15th year of permanent presidential war abroad in a half dozen countries, which the current president is cheerfully prepared to turn over to the new one, and meanwhile we're saddled here with a stagnant and inequitable capitalist economy. But the big matter the election turns on is -- wait for it -- misogyny.
We've gone through the looking glass, surely.
15
I'd find it easier to be persuaded that misogyny is not a serious issue in this natio and election, if it wasn't the first time in 240 years that a woman might actualy preside over a nation in which women are a majority. If we decide we won't discuss it until we have peace and prosperity, then we will never discuss it. But you're right, we are dealing with a bunch of open-ended military ventures and a rigged economy after 44 male Presidents. Maybe it's time to give the women a try...
37
The idea that half the population is overtly and seriously disadvantaged is not a significant problem? But, wait! There is a glimmer of reason in your second paragraph about ""inequitable capitalist economy". But, wait! That concern doesn't apply to inequitable treatment of women in economic concerns.
AND, the term "war between the sexes" is not historically about economics. That's OK, a lot of folks did not know that.
AND, the term "war between the sexes" is not historically about economics. That's OK, a lot of folks did not know that.
8
Any objective person who looked at the NYT front page over the past 9 months would have seen NOTHING but constant hysterical articles about Trump -- to the exclusion of other serious candidates.
Treating Trump like the anti-christ is not only stupid and untrue, but has likely had the opposite effect intended, since anyone can see that man is not some leader of a military junta or a tyrant or religious fanatic.
It begs the reader to ask themselves: WHY is every columnist at the NYT got their panties in a twist here? They tell us Trump can never win. They tell us the GOP is through. They tell us Hillary is the Anointed One -- nobody should run against her (or they are "misgynists" who don't want a first female POTUS) -- and yet, they write hysterically about Trump as if he had vast armies that were advancing on the Capitol.
I wonder how many of the columnists here feel (or were told!) that their cushy jobs and fat paychecks were dependent on them shilling for Hillary.
Treating Trump like the anti-christ is not only stupid and untrue, but has likely had the opposite effect intended, since anyone can see that man is not some leader of a military junta or a tyrant or religious fanatic.
It begs the reader to ask themselves: WHY is every columnist at the NYT got their panties in a twist here? They tell us Trump can never win. They tell us the GOP is through. They tell us Hillary is the Anointed One -- nobody should run against her (or they are "misgynists" who don't want a first female POTUS) -- and yet, they write hysterically about Trump as if he had vast armies that were advancing on the Capitol.
I wonder how many of the columnists here feel (or were told!) that their cushy jobs and fat paychecks were dependent on them shilling for Hillary.
4
In the 30+ years I spent as a nurse, the only male immediate supervisor/boss I had was the first one, a sergeant first class at a regimental aid station in Vietnam, 9 miles from Cambodia, and he wasn't a nurse. All the rest, including my last military supervisor in Ft. Stewart, GA, were women. I consider myself very fortunate.
These nurses were, to a woman, intelligent, willing to listen, to adjust and compromise, firm and fair. Some were more competent than others but, to a woman, not one of them spoke negatively in public of the people under them. To a woman, not one of them, to my knowledge or observation, took physical appearance or attractiveness into consideration during job evaluations. None of these qualities do I perceive in Donald Trump.
It is interesting and informative that biblical literalist/fundamentalist Ted Cruz chose as his running mate (the biblical equivalent of a political "helpmeet") a woman whose primary shortcoming in Trump's view had less to do with a lack of leadership skills and business acumen than with her low score on his 1 to 10 hotness scale.
And as for Rush Limbaugh, he hasn't been relevant to political discourse for twenty years.
These nurses were, to a woman, intelligent, willing to listen, to adjust and compromise, firm and fair. Some were more competent than others but, to a woman, not one of them spoke negatively in public of the people under them. To a woman, not one of them, to my knowledge or observation, took physical appearance or attractiveness into consideration during job evaluations. None of these qualities do I perceive in Donald Trump.
It is interesting and informative that biblical literalist/fundamentalist Ted Cruz chose as his running mate (the biblical equivalent of a political "helpmeet") a woman whose primary shortcoming in Trump's view had less to do with a lack of leadership skills and business acumen than with her low score on his 1 to 10 hotness scale.
And as for Rush Limbaugh, he hasn't been relevant to political discourse for twenty years.
277
I fear Limbaugh is relevant in that he's one of the Republican's chief propagandists, of the Big Lie kind.
7
What does that have to do with ANYTHING? nurses, in the Vietnam era -- hence more than FORTY years ago? Nursing was then (and even today is mostly) a female only profession. Big whoop that female bosses don't judge other females on physical appearance. I guess that probably in all-male professions, male truck drivers or construction workers do not judge one another on physical appearance either.
1
Get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, CC?
13
The female equivalent of Trump is Kim Kardashian. It would be absolutely ludicrous for her to run for president. The fact that Trump is getting away with it, and winning, is a testament to the deranged power of the Man Card.
667
"The fact that Trump is getting away with it, and winning, is a testament to the deranged power of the Man Card."
Not quite as much as the scary thought of swarms of his supporters voting to elect leaders. Republicans have frequently been guilty of suppressing voters. It is ironic that their base supporters are the most ignorant people who should not have any business getting near a ballot.
Not quite as much as the scary thought of swarms of his supporters voting to elect leaders. Republicans have frequently been guilty of suppressing voters. It is ironic that their base supporters are the most ignorant people who should not have any business getting near a ballot.
11
Right on! Great analogy
1
I agree with you, but I would add, "white." he wouldn't get away with it if he wasn't Caucasian!
3
HRC is constantly called to account for her ethics because she has a private email server like her predecessors did.
I wonder what people would say about Hillary Clinton if she was a casino operator who bankrupted 4 companies and had run an unaccredited for-profit school shut down for fraud for offering students worthless degrees and mountains of taxpayer guaranteed student debt.
Trump is running on a platform of incompetence and illegality.
He wants to overturn decades of post WWII nuclear nonproliferation policies and the NATO alliance, yet had never heard of the nuclear triad before he was asked in the debates.
He wants to bring back Medieval torture despite global treaties banning such as crimes against humanity.
He wants to overturn the First Amendment by executive order.
He wants to be responsible for a $4 trillion federal budget and oversee a $19 trillion economy after bankrupting 4 companies.
He is playing the white man card of assumed competence over an accomplished woman with a record of public service and achievement.
He lies about facts like the unemployment rate to uninformed voters - like claiming the unemployment rate is 45% despite census data and the BLS database that make the claim absurd - unless your 95 year old grandmother and 6 month old baby should be working.
Yet he has the audacity to call HRC crooked. What projection!
The real card Trump is playing is the ignorance card - which is why he loves the uneducated voter.
I wonder what people would say about Hillary Clinton if she was a casino operator who bankrupted 4 companies and had run an unaccredited for-profit school shut down for fraud for offering students worthless degrees and mountains of taxpayer guaranteed student debt.
Trump is running on a platform of incompetence and illegality.
He wants to overturn decades of post WWII nuclear nonproliferation policies and the NATO alliance, yet had never heard of the nuclear triad before he was asked in the debates.
He wants to bring back Medieval torture despite global treaties banning such as crimes against humanity.
He wants to overturn the First Amendment by executive order.
He wants to be responsible for a $4 trillion federal budget and oversee a $19 trillion economy after bankrupting 4 companies.
He is playing the white man card of assumed competence over an accomplished woman with a record of public service and achievement.
He lies about facts like the unemployment rate to uninformed voters - like claiming the unemployment rate is 45% despite census data and the BLS database that make the claim absurd - unless your 95 year old grandmother and 6 month old baby should be working.
Yet he has the audacity to call HRC crooked. What projection!
The real card Trump is playing is the ignorance card - which is why he loves the uneducated voter.
899
I agree with the substance of your comment, but your first line is factually incorrect. Her predecessors did not use private email servers to store emails concerning public business. Some may have used a private commercial account on occasion for some emails, but Hillary is the first public official to put a private server in her basement to store all of her email messages she sent and received as Sec. of State. This is unprecedented.
And if you read about the specifics, more critical is how State Dept. Security officials warned her not to use her Blackberry for State Dept. business because it was subject to hackers, yet she blew them off and used it at home and abroad. This was after she told her subordinates not to use their Blackberrys.
Will Hillary be indicted for maintaining top secret and confidential documents on a private server in her basement? Who knows. But I can guarantee you any other public official who did what she did would forever lose their security clearance.
Facts are important.
And if you read about the specifics, more critical is how State Dept. Security officials warned her not to use her Blackberry for State Dept. business because it was subject to hackers, yet she blew them off and used it at home and abroad. This was after she told her subordinates not to use their Blackberrys.
Will Hillary be indicted for maintaining top secret and confidential documents on a private server in her basement? Who knows. But I can guarantee you any other public official who did what she did would forever lose their security clearance.
Facts are important.
3
Well said David Parsons.
6
"HRC is constantly called to account for her ethics because she has a private email server like her predecessors did."
What she hasn't been called to account for is her single handed obliteration of the feminist canard that a powerful male couldn't have a non-abusive and non-coercive relationship with a female in a lesser position of authority. Congrats HRC on a job well done.
What she hasn't been called to account for is her single handed obliteration of the feminist canard that a powerful male couldn't have a non-abusive and non-coercive relationship with a female in a lesser position of authority. Congrats HRC on a job well done.
1
It is possible but I see it differently.
To begin with, while there are pretty of Iron Ladies in politics, there are also many female PMs in the Scandinavian countries who are tough but not hawkish. In fact, their male counterparts in those countries are no SOBs like Trump or Cruz. Is it an indictment of some Western countries? I do not know. The simple truth is that the President or PM of a country probably left his/her gender at the door when s/he entered the office.
More importantly, I'd like to believe reasonable and well-adjusted men are enlightened enough to disavow Mr Trump's antics. Even if they have no sisters and no daughters, they have their mothers. So we are not demanding them to have unique ability to put themselves in women's shoes.
So, I'd be disappointed if Trump was simply playing the man's card. At best, he is playing the misogymist's card. There is no coincident that some of his most vocal supporters are extremists and racists. This is not to say they are all so. A lot of people resonate with him because of their circumstances, especially those who see the economy has left them behind. Alas, they are misplacing their hope and their blame. They should wake up before too late. A famous philosopher, Heidegger, was seduced by the Nazi. He woke up eventually but too late not be stained. Perhaps this is what your colleague David Brooks means the "Joe McCarthy moment."
To begin with, while there are pretty of Iron Ladies in politics, there are also many female PMs in the Scandinavian countries who are tough but not hawkish. In fact, their male counterparts in those countries are no SOBs like Trump or Cruz. Is it an indictment of some Western countries? I do not know. The simple truth is that the President or PM of a country probably left his/her gender at the door when s/he entered the office.
More importantly, I'd like to believe reasonable and well-adjusted men are enlightened enough to disavow Mr Trump's antics. Even if they have no sisters and no daughters, they have their mothers. So we are not demanding them to have unique ability to put themselves in women's shoes.
So, I'd be disappointed if Trump was simply playing the man's card. At best, he is playing the misogymist's card. There is no coincident that some of his most vocal supporters are extremists and racists. This is not to say they are all so. A lot of people resonate with him because of their circumstances, especially those who see the economy has left them behind. Alas, they are misplacing their hope and their blame. They should wake up before too late. A famous philosopher, Heidegger, was seduced by the Nazi. He woke up eventually but too late not be stained. Perhaps this is what your colleague David Brooks means the "Joe McCarthy moment."
50
A lot of people pay attention to DT because he bought his own reality tv show and the press has unilaterally shouted his name for months. The more often a name is heard the more likely the person will be elected - even if they are a serial killer. The press did the same for Joseph McCarthy before he was finally put in his place by Edward R. Murrow. I guess the press would rather fawn over his supposed celebrity than do something constructive for America, which is really catastrophic for 99% of people in the world.
4
These perceptions of women are, of course, generalizations and don't apply uniformly to the whole US population. Our society has moved a long way from the 1950s, when women's roles were largely limited to mother, teacher, secretary or nurse. Change is by its nature threatening to the least secure parts of the status quo. Naturally many men are threatened by the competition from women in the workplace, especially those women who are more skilled and work harder, like a certain likely Presidential nominee.
Guys like Trump and Rush Limbaugh are clinically insecure and misogynistic. Trump would be dangerous in a powerful political role. Imagine him dealing with a female head of state or Congressional leader, given that he totally loses it with Megyn Kelly.
Not a good idea to have a Commander in Chief whose buttons are so easily pushed.
Guys like Trump and Rush Limbaugh are clinically insecure and misogynistic. Trump would be dangerous in a powerful political role. Imagine him dealing with a female head of state or Congressional leader, given that he totally loses it with Megyn Kelly.
Not a good idea to have a Commander in Chief whose buttons are so easily pushed.
395
What female leader is going to push Trump's buttons? Angela Merkel? She's an ally and she's on her way out, thanks to her craven pandering to a vast influx of migrants from the Middle East.
Tell me what country a future POTUS would be negotiating with, that is headed by a female head of state? Russia? China? Iran?
Tell me what country a future POTUS would be negotiating with, that is headed by a female head of state? Russia? China? Iran?
The look on Governor Christie's wife this week when Trump made his 5% remark said it all.
Clinton would be foolish not to highlight the fact that she would be the first woman president of the United States.
Trump has been playing the angry, arrogant, bullying, male stereotype his entire life. The act has been his persona and, to this point in time, has been very successful.
I don't think Donald really wants to win the White House and will use the excuse that if he loses to Clinton, it will be solely because Hillary is a woman.
Call it Trump's "get out of jail free card".
Deal me in.
Clinton would be foolish not to highlight the fact that she would be the first woman president of the United States.
Trump has been playing the angry, arrogant, bullying, male stereotype his entire life. The act has been his persona and, to this point in time, has been very successful.
I don't think Donald really wants to win the White House and will use the excuse that if he loses to Clinton, it will be solely because Hillary is a woman.
Call it Trump's "get out of jail free card".
Deal me in.
468
"I don't think Donald really wants to win the White House"
He's certainly ahead of a lot of Republicans who really wanted to be President. Truly, this is nonsensical. There's not a shred of evidence to prove that Mr. Trump is not trying to win. I don't understand how anyone could proffer this theory.
He's certainly ahead of a lot of Republicans who really wanted to be President. Truly, this is nonsensical. There's not a shred of evidence to prove that Mr. Trump is not trying to win. I don't understand how anyone could proffer this theory.
6
@ Kevin Rothstein
Trump wants the White House alright, another gold trophy ... or toilet.
Then, not knowing what to do with it, he'll get bored and probably resign, 'a la' Sarah Palin Alaska governourship, cuz he has too much other stuff to do with his cunstrutin' biz and all. Too busy fer reconstructing Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya et al. Maybe he can employ some of them ISILationists to do the job. They do seem to be better at the infrastructure thing than "America First".
And there's probably a buck or two in it for him to "stop".
Look out for who his running caddie will be!
Trump wants the White House alright, another gold trophy ... or toilet.
Then, not knowing what to do with it, he'll get bored and probably resign, 'a la' Sarah Palin Alaska governourship, cuz he has too much other stuff to do with his cunstrutin' biz and all. Too busy fer reconstructing Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya et al. Maybe he can employ some of them ISILationists to do the job. They do seem to be better at the infrastructure thing than "America First".
And there's probably a buck or two in it for him to "stop".
Look out for who his running caddie will be!
6
What I meant to say is that Trump wants to "win" the White House but does not want to have to deal with what would come next.
So, I am more in agreement with Robert than with Richard in trying to parse what is going through Donald's brain.
So, I am more in agreement with Robert than with Richard in trying to parse what is going through Donald's brain.
12
Besides what does it matter any longer... are we not to believe that there are no differences between the female and male brains? That is what all the "scientists" tell us is true, if this is in fact the case why does gender matter for anything any longer and HOW can Hillary run on gender?