Abuse of women in public life shows misogyny isn’t dead yet
COLUMNIST
YOU wouldn’t know it from the bile levelled against her – or last year’s US election results – but it’s worth remembering that Hillary Clinton, who visits Wales next week, won more votes in a presidental election than any white man in American history.
She got the popular vote in 2016 but lost the election to Donald Trump.
She even gained more votes than Barack Obama did in his 2012 victory.
Apart from Mr Obama’s 2008 win, Mrs Clinton – whose great-grandfather was a Welsh miner who moved to Pennsylvania in 1879 – received more votes than any other US presidential candidate in history.
That’s some win considering the nature of her defeat and the storm of criticism levelled at her by detractors on social and mainstream media.
Just why the former Democrat candidate still attracts such a torrent of personal abuse is interesting to consider.
Mrs Clinton, who is being conferred with an honorary doctorate by Swansea University on October 14, seems to symbolise all the things we secretly find unacceptable about successful women and those who dare to speak out.
She is receiving an honorary doctorate in recognition of her commitment to promoting the rights of families and children around the world.
Apart from that work, she was a lawyer before becoming First Lady during her husband Bill’s two terms of office and was a US senator for eight years before two unsuccessful presidential bids, the latter seeing her defeat to Republican rival Donald Trump last November.
That defeat was gloated about by her opponents, many of whom used, and still use, misogyny as a weapon to attack her.
Even in 2017, a woman who voices opinions with which a man disagrees prompts abuse over and above that levelled against any male opponent.
Mrs Clinton has been accused not only of being a generally nasty woman but also of being elite and out of touch.
Her detractors would like her to shut up and shuffle off.
It all seems to conform to the tired old stereotype that no-one likes a gobby woman. A man who shouts is another matter altogether – he, of course, is a strong protector.
If you are a man, it is not only desirable but expected for you to loudly, perhaps rudely, state your opinions – whether in politics or in other spheres.
If you are a male with a good education that gives you gravitas. If you are a woman it puts you on the outside. You are supposedly incapable of understanding the masses or, just as bad, vaguely frightening and suspect.
When Theresa May took office as Prime Minister, much was made about her penchant for flashy shoes. Less was mentioned about her Oxford degree.
A quick scan of Twitter exposes misogynist attacks on politicians both here and in the US – including this from Donald Trump on April 16, 2015: “If Hilary Clinton can’t satisfy her husband what makes her think she can satisfy America?”
We expect that kind of comment from the current resident of the White House, but there is plenty more from many other people.
Jess Phillips, the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley since 2015, revealed in August how she received 600 online rape and death threats in a single day.
Emily Owen, Labour candidate for Aberconwy, described last May how she was asked to strip in return for votes, and questions were put to her about her breast size.
She finally took to Facebook, retorting: “Highly doubt you’ll be asking the male candidates their penis size in order to make a decision about their politics – sexism is not okay.”
It is not okay but, sad to say, it is here and it is real.
While girls are told they are equal throughout school – in the West at least – most will find that equality is severely marginalised in the wider adult world, especially if they have the cheek to vocally aim for the top, especially in politics.
While success and ambition are seen as desirable traits in men, the opposite works for women.
The more successful a woman becomes, the less she is liked and respected. We can’t get over this notion that women should not really hold power.
Theresa May won the UK election but was declared the loser by her opponents, even when the facts showed otherwise.
No sooner had she entered Number 10 after David Cameron resigned than everyone was saying she would soon be leaving. A year on, she has won an election and is still there. Damn cheek really, for a woman.
Much of this misogyny is unconscious. It seems woven into our collective mindset.
Given this abuse and prejudice, it is hardly surprising that women in general, in all walks of life and from all professions, are still less willing than male counterparts to speak up.
The experience or fear of personal attack can make it seem not worth it.
In July Theresa May launched an investigation into the “horrific and shocking” abuse suffered by parliamentary candidates after intimidation during the election campaign here.
Labour and the Conservatives have both accused one another of failing to take action to stop abuse by their members and activists after reports of racism, anti-Semitism and sexism.
The Prime Minister has asked the Committee on Standards in Public Life to conduct a review into the problem.
It will be interesting to see what the review recommends.
Social media has opened a gateway for bigots and cowards to voice their opinions.
At least if we know where these opinions come from, we can start to ask why and address them. But it is going to be a long, slow process.