Conservative Women Rising Up Against Liberal Misogyny
Conservative women are continuing to rise up against what they consider to be hypocrisy by the left over the issue of misogyny.
Misogyny, defined as the "hatred of women," has been elevated to new heights since conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh called Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a "slut" after she appeared in front of a Democratic panel and testified in support of free contraceptives for all women.
Bristol Palin, the daughter of former Alaska Gov. and GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, on Sunday told President Obama in an open letter she was available and ready to take his call to discuss insults hurled at her over her out-of-wedlock pregnancy.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"Dear President Obama, you don't know my telephone number, but I hope your staff is busy trying to find it. Ever since you called Sandra Fluke after Rush Limbaugh called her a slut, I figured I might be next," she wrote on Bristol's Blog.
"You explained to reporters you called her because you were thinking of your two daughters, Malia and Sasha. After all, you didn't want them to think it was okay for men to treat them that way:
"One of the things I want them to do as they get older is engage in issues they care about, even ones I may not agree with them on," you said. "I want them to be able to speak their mind in a civil and thoughtful way. And I don't want them attacked or called horrible names because they're being good citizens."
Palin says she has yet to receive a call from the White House.
Last Friday, Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan penned a piece titled America's Real War on Women calling out those who use vulgar language to describe women because they believe they are on the "correct" side of a social issue.
"Why would the left be worse? Let me be harsh. Some left-wing men think they can talk like this because they're on the correct side on social issues such as abortion," Noonan wrote in her March 16 column. "Their attitude: 'I backed you on the abortions you want so much, I opposed a ban on partial birth. Hell, I'll let you kill kids at any point until they're 15, I'm cool. And that means I can call women in public life t - - - s, right? Because, you know, I think of them that way.'"
"On the right it can be bad too, in different ways. Some conservatives resent or have doubts about the idea of full equality but know they can't say it – no one wants to be caught doing that," continued Noonan. "For years they've felt bullied by the feminazis, by the language police. So they attack women in public life with a particular surliness, and claim it as proof of how liberated they are. 'Hey, you wanted to be equal, I'll show you equal: this is how we play in the leagues, baby.'"
After pundits and talk-show hosts vetted Limbaugh's controversial statements, liberal activist Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan and Gloria Steinem joined the fray by saying that the FCC should remove the conservative talk show host.
"Ironically, the misogyny Rush Limbaugh spewed for three days over Sandra Fluke was not much worse than his regular broadcast of sexist, racist and homophobic hate speech," the women wrote.
Just as Fonda and her friends requested action over Limbaugh's comments, Palin ended her open letter to President Obama by challenging him to be fair to both sides of the aisle.
"But … What if you did something radical and wildly unpopular with your base and took a stand against the denigration of all women … even if they're just single moms? Even if they're Republicans?"
