who links to a post on the Shirely Sherrod affair by Tenured Radical.
Historiann picks up on my comment to TR’s post,
“speaking of Shirley, “surely” we are beyond gender too? Seriously, I can’t help thinking that it was easy to treat this employee as expendable because she’s female.”
[note: if you don’t get the surely/Shirley thing, go back and watch “Airplane” for an explanation].
Historiann agrees, saying it’s easy “to demonize women, especially women of color (like those who speak just once hypothetically about wise Latinas, f’rinstance), and discredit them as authority figures, whether they’re merely self-published writers or members of the current Presidential administration. Somehow it’s all too easy to believe that a woman needs to be disciplined or even humiliated for shooting her mouth off again, and it’s all too difficult to believe that she’s deserving of due process, a fair hearing, or even of a complete reading of her professional opinions and accomplishments. Van Jones was canned last summer without delay, and he was a dude. But, Tenured Radical reminded us today about how easy it was during Bill Clinton’s presidency for the Administration to throw an African American woman appointee or would-be appointee under the bus (Lani Guinier and Dr. Jocelyn Elders, for example), especially if and when they dare to write or speak frankly about race or sexuality.”
Right on, and thanks for the link love, Historiann!
Knitting Clio 