If you weren’t lucky enough to see the circus that was the Anthony Weiner press conference yesterday, do yourself a favor and watch the video. As I sat listening while I worked, I was more shocked and disappointed as awkward moment after awkward moment dragged on.
The US media really made an ass of itself yesterday. Between inane and too-personal questions, no one bothered to care that Weiner’s personal life has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not he can legislate.
In situations like these, I think feminists are in a bit of a hard place. As women, we’re sort of grossed out and annoyed by the fact that he would send anyone a (hopefully solicited) picture of his junk, but ultimately, I think we realize that it’s just another part of the role that patriarchy has created for men.
The penis is obviously a source of pride for men, and Weiner is no exception. They’re supposed to be strong, virile, and take great pride in their reproductive organs. Have you been around a man lately? They can’t keep their hands off of it – from infancy on!
This translates into the “hound dog” stereotype that many men seem to want to fill, and Weiner is no exception. He was participating in a little safe, easy dalliance – something I’d say more men and women participate in than we’d like to think do.
There is the bigger issue at hand, here. (Y’all, you have no idea how difficult it is to avoid all of the dick jokes in this post. Share and comment IF ONLY FOR MY MATURITY.) Anthony Weiner is a progressive beacon in a House of Representatives full of a bunch of Tea Party wackos – we need him there.
Weiner has a 100% pro-choice rating from NARAL, a history of voting for women’s issues, LGBT issues, and just progressive politics in general. Again, progressives and women need Rep. Weiner in the House. I can understand, though, how it would be some difficult for a woman to support a man that has hurt his family and (possibly/allegedly/whatever) committed something we ourselves wouldn’t stand for – adultery.
But people cheat. That’s just a fact. Women, feminists, men – people from every demographic and walk of life screw around on their significant others. If we were handing out scarlet letters to everyone in the U.S. that has cheated, government official or not, we’d run out of letters pretty quickly.
I’m not trying to justify Weiner’s actions, or condone them in any way. Believe me, if he were my spouse, I’d be kicking his ass (maybe not literally) all over the place and really reevaluating my relationship – but as the American public, that’s not our job to do.
We don’t have to reevaluate our relationship with Rep. Weiner because he didn’t betray us. He didn’t go out and vote in favor of bans on abortion and gay marriage. Weiner’s only contract with the public is to get bills passed – nothing more.
Yes, Weiner is a representative in New York and I live in Texas. Why does this matter to me? Because progressive votes in the House matter to everyone. In an era where Republicans see being in charge of 1/3 of 1/3 of government a mandate from the damn heavens, we need people in the Congress that will tell them to shove it, and Weiner has demonstrated that he’s the dude.
Plus, with Russ Feingold gone, all we have left is Dennis Kucinich by way of super-progressive dudes, and he plays too nice.
I’ll leave you with this video example of Anthony Weiner’s badassery:
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Amy is a social media strategist living in Dallas, Texas. She likes music, trashy TV, and ladybiz. tweet: @aemccarthy |
Amy, I agree – the wiener doesn’t matter. There is much bigger news to discuss today, such as the anniversary of Griswold v. Connecticut, the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, or the fact that unemployment is still in the double digits. Let’s focus on the real issues.
I found the stream of lies most disappointing. I think will be the only factor in his continued service, and that is up to his district decide: does lying like that speak to his character, or his ability to do his job. If his district finds any part of it an issue they have a vote to make that clear.
Maggie – you make such a good point.
Maggie, I tend to disagree a little.
Honestly, I think he did what most of us would have done in a situation that was as embarrassing and potentially life-changing. He thought he could just make it go away, but it wouldn’t stop so he finally had to come clean about it.
I’ve got a post on this on deck for tomorrow, and it’s definitely on the trying to make lemonade out of lemons side of things. I’m mortified for him, I feel terrible for his spouse, and I’m happily pretty confident that he didn’t break the law.
But does it mean that my beloved Christine Quinn will be my next mayor? I kinda think yes!
Former South Carolina Governor Mark Sandford was ‘twitterpated’, ‘in luv’, as clueless as a buck in rut.
I was embarassed for him at the press conference where he spilled his guts. Didn’t he have at least one friend left who had the cajones to tell him to shut his pie hole, cause a year from now when the enfatuation had dissipated he was going wince everytime he remembered all those stupid things he said and all the people, especially his ex-wife and children, who were deepely wounded by his public remarks. Sandford should have resigned immediately and his fellow republican should have demanded that he do so. [They may have.]
As governor he represented all the people of S. Carolina and his private and public conduct reflected poorly on the whole state government and it’s citizens.
Weiner may be a congressman from a district in New York State, but as a U. S. Representative his conduct reflects on the whole nation. His vote effects me as much as my Texas congressman’s vote. Weiner has demonstated an inability to control his impulses, poor judgement and, like a former president, he not only lied to protect himself, he called his accusers liars. He questioned their integrity. Weiner has broken faith with the nation, his constituents and with his wife. [Assuming he and Huma do not have the same kind of open marriage as the Clintons.]
If your partisanship, over rides your concerns for the nation and you are willing to compromise with devil, then you deserve to be sharing your bed with the enemy.
“I think of a man and I take away reason and accountability.” Jack Nicholsom from ‘As Good As It Gets’.
Andrew Breitbart IS a liar. He didn’t lie about this situation, but he’s smeared and defamed many, many other people – so his “outrage” is really vomit-inducing.
Weiner screwed up, but if you’re naive enough to believe that whoEVER you are voting for isn’t going to lie to you and the public at some point, then I have some beach front property to sell you in Arizona.
you know, i HATED Clinton before his sex scandal and impeachment. i could understand why he would lie about it. and didn’t feel like it hurt his character at all. i did however come to question the motivations behind the people who were making a big deal of it. and in the end i came to like Clinton for the president he was and stopped hating him for the man my conservative grandparents made him out to be.
and i’m more embarrassed by the media’s handling of weiner’s sexting escapades than i am by weiner’s actions.
I suggest reading this blog post through this “regender” filter, which changes “he” to “she,” “wife” to “husband”, etc:
http://regender.com/swap/http://feministsforchoice.com/weiners-wiener-and-why-it-doesnt-matter.htm
Key phrases from the regendered version that I find either hilarious or disturbing:
“In situations like these, I think masculists are in a bit of a hard place. As men, we’re sort of grossed out and annoyed by the fact that she would send anyone a (hopefully solicited) picture of her junk, but ultimately, I think we realize that it’s just another part of the role that matriarchy has created for women.”
“The penis is obviously a source of pride for women, and Weiner is no exception… Have you been around a woman lately? They can’t keep their hands off of it – from infancy on!”
“I’m not trying to justify Weiner’s actions, or condone them in any way. Believe me, if she were my spouse, I’d be kicking her ass (maybe not literally) all over the place…”
Mary, that’s cute and all, but what exactly is your endpoint? I’m not saying that to be dismissive – I really am interested in the argument that you’re making.
I disagree. This is not just a private affair between him and his wife. He has disrupted at least one woman’s life and as I understand it she could have a case if she chose to pursue sexual harrassment charges. I don’t believe that men who sexually harrass women belong in public office, even if they have some good policies. We shouldn’t settle for such low standards.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/09/nyregion/weiners-pattern-turning-political-admirers-into-online-pursuits.html
How do we know that it wasn’t consensual? It’s not like he wasn’t just blanketing Facebook with cockshots, he was communicating with specific women who perhaps WANTED him to send photos, but maybe they didn’t.
That’s my point – it’s not our place to judge what he does behind closed doors?