Why every step forward is a step forward for women

I’ve come to the conclusion that I disagree quite drastically with the feminist status quo, of popular blogs at least. Which is okay, everyone sees the issue differently. Here’s how I see the idea of a woman president:

Urgent. I think a woman – any woman – in power is a step forward. Even a Republican.

Even someone who wants to ban abortion, doesn’t like gay marriage, etc etc.

I’ll start by saying that I am politically liberal, especially socially.

Now I don’t like these things about Bachmann. I really really don’t. I think she’s pandering to a dangerous, borderline-terrorist and racist fringe, and I sincerely hope a presidential candidate is not a racist. But oh well.

Despite this, I think having people with vaginas in power, regardless of politics, is an extremely positive step:

It’s a symbol. I’m not a very political person, and I don’t think anyone is capable of revoking abortion rights or passing any sort of overtly racist law from the executive branch. But I think the difference that the president literally is female would make a drastic difference in my life. The pure symbolism of a woman in power is what I need to get this gender jump-started.

I think respect would change. I think I would get paid more. I also think I would not get offered jobs I am not qualified for only because I am female and flirt-material. I think I would be looked at for a source of intellect equally to a male designer or programmer in the context of work.  That has to do with respect.

The office of the president is in many ways symbolic, since it is a single branch and is not the supreme power of the government. But it is supreme in it’s symbolism. And a social movement relies on it’s symbolism. Nobody will pay you equal to what they pay a man until they see a reason to. Until women actually have leadership roles, especially the leadership role, they will not be seen equally, by anyone, not even other women.

I actually prefer Palin over Bachmann. I think Palin is much more harmless and pretty much moderate on paper. If I could choose Hilary, I would, but the left has offered me no female leadership. Obama is no feminist, and Michelle Obama is the pure perfect image of what a woman “should be.” A caretaker who tells kids to eat their vegetables. Screw that. It’s honestly not Michelle’s fault, it’s her circumstance. If she were president, and Obama was the first lad, I think her image, her rhetoric and pretty much my entire impression of her would be different. But it’s not like that, because people couldn’t vote for a liberal woman when they had the chance.

A right-wing female president might be five steps back to a liberal, but it’s ten steps forward for a woman.

PS – What makes all women the same is not that they have similar traits (nurturing, communicative, blah blah blah). It’s also not even their chromosomes that is significant. It’s that they all know how much it sucks to be a female in America. Even Bachmann, even Palin. The issue goes past abortion and choice (which, is not just a feminist issue, it’s also a religious issue. So you can’t blame them for having mixed feelings or letting one belief rule over the other.) The issue is respect. And I think these female politicians feel the burn of disrespect harder than I ever will, and that’s why I know they won’t take it lying down, and that’s why any female leader is the right leader for me.