Hillary Clinton Is Not My Mother

In Slate yesterday, Linda Hirshman discussed antifeminism in the current political climate and decried the stereotype of the second-wave (baby boomer) feminist as a "scolding, selfish older woman." While I sympathize with some of her points, I can't help thinking she'd be in a stronger position to make that argument if she and feminists like Leslie Bennetts didn't write books scolding younger women who choose not to work full-time when their children are little. Although both women make good points about how women's choices are constrained by the broader social and political structure, their condescending tone certainly makes me feel scolded and annoyed--not empowered.


Hirshman thinks that younger women are voting for Obama thanks to some kind of Freudian struggle to differentiate themselves from their mothers. Although Hillary Clinton does seem to serve as an oppressive mother figure for some younger women, that's certainly not the case with me. For the record, none of the candidates reminds me of my mother--and if my mom were running for president, you can be sure I'd vote for her.