{"id":5304,"date":"2006-05-10T11:34:34","date_gmt":"2006-05-10T15:34:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2006\/05\/10\/pretty-face-party-face-pouty-"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:53:56","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:53:56","slug":"pretty-face-party-face-pouty-face","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2006\/05\/10\/pretty-face-party-face-pouty-face\/","title":{"rendered":"pretty face\/ party face\/ pouty face"},"content":{"rendered":"

I<\/strong><\/em>t’s hard to say which is more annoying: the kneejerk accusation of<\/span> sexism by women in politics<\/span>, or their refusal<\/span> to take responsibility for such a claim, after hurling implications at an<\/span> opponent. <\/span>Since the weekend, newspapers (e.g<\/em>., AP\/Daily Freeman<\/em><\/a>, May 9, 2006)<\/span> have reported that: <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\"\" <\/span><\/span> Rep. John Sweeney<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

“The former chairwoman of the [NY] state Democratic Party attacked<\/span> Rep. John Sweeney [R – Clifton, Park] Tuesday for referring to a <\/span>woman challenger as ‘a pretty face,’ saying such remarks are inap<\/span>propriate.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n

“Sweeney . . . was criticized by Judith Hope for remarks he made over<\/span> the weekend about his main Democratic challenger, Kirsten Gillibrand.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

“You can’t take a resume and a pretty face from New York City<\/span> and say to people this is good for you simply because we can <\/span>spend a lot of money and raise a lot of money,” Sweeney told<\/span> the Troy Record<\/em>. [The Troy Record<\/em><\/a>, May 7, 2006]<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Ms. Hope opined that “Someone should tell John Sweeney that it’s 2006, not<\/span> 1906.” However, per the Daily Freeman<\/em>:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

“Asked if she thought the comment was sexist, Hope said: ‘That’s for<\/span> voters to decide’.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

Kirsten Rutnik Gillibrand<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span> … \"\"<\/p>\n

\n

Hope continued, nevertheless, saying, “The remarks jumped out at me because<\/span> I think it’s so <\/span>inappropriate for the congressman to use. … As a woman in politics, <\/span>I call on Mr. Sweeney to represent the district and address the issues <\/span>and provide<\/span> accountability and some answers.” <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

H<\/em>ope also charged the congressman’s behavior has embarrassed himself<\/span> and <\/span>his constituents, apparently referring to Sweeney’s much-publicized <\/span>recent visit <\/span>to a frat party at Union College in Schenectady.\u00a0 I’m with her<\/span> on the frat party <\/span>issue — but, I’ve never liked drunken frat boys! [And, note: If I lived in their district, I would surely vote for Gillibrand over Sweeney.]<\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The f\/k\/a Gang<\/em> wants to point a few things out (and\/or ask a question or two):<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

1] Sweeney never said Gillibrand was “just<\/em> a pretty face,” and he surely<\/span><\/span> could not do so, given her experience in both private and public <\/span>sector<\/span> law. She is currently a partner with Boies, Schiller & Flexner LLP<\/span><\/a>.<\/span> <\/span>Read <\/span>her firm bio here<\/a>. (now taken down)<\/span> <\/span> <\/span>[update<\/em><\/strong> (Jan.23, 2009): Gov. David Paterson must think very highly<\/a> of now-Congresswoman Gillibrand, as he has chosen her<\/a> to fill Hillary Clinton’s vacated seat in the U.S. Senate.]<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

2] For many persons, especially those past a certain age, being called<\/span> “a pretty face” is <\/span>a compliment — politics or no politics. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

3] Kirsten Gillibrand<\/a> is <\/em>pretty, and being attractive is often a criteria<\/span> used by political bosses, and the electorate, in choosing candidates.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n

4] If Gillibrand’s campaign wanted to play down her good looks, they <\/span>should not be highlighting <\/span>this<\/span><\/em><\/a> photo, which surely shows her to great<\/span> advantage over a popular New York politician:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\"\" K. Gillibrand & E. Spitzer<\/a><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

5] Men have also been called “a pretty face” — for example<\/a>, Sen. John Edwards <\/span>(D – NC), during his run for the vice presidency in 2004. See this PBS NewsHour<\/em> piece<\/span><\/a>, where John McCain and John Cheney poke fun at Cheney — and indirectly at his VP opponent Edwards:<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

KWAME HOLMAN: In Missouri, Arizona Sen. John McCain introduced the vice president with a jibe at the youthful-looking Edwards. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

SEN. JOHN McCAIN: In short, my friends, Vice President Cheney is not just another pretty face. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

KWAME HOLMAN: Cheney followed up on the comparison of vice presidential candidates. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY: Somebody said to me the other day that Sen. Edwards got picked because he’s sexy, good looking, charming. I said, “How do you think I got this job?” <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

You may recall, in addition, that Pres. George W. Bush <\/span>mentioned<\/span><\/a> back in Jan.<\/span>2004 that Scott <\/span>Reid, the senior <\/span>strategist to Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin, <\/span>has “a pretty face.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\"boxer<\/span><\/p>\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n

6] In general, unless something really<\/em> important is at stake, a sense of humor is always a better reaction than a sense <\/span>of outrage in the battle for gender equality. Next time Kirsten Gillibrand is called a “pretty face”, her supporters should consider lightening up, and singing Shania Twain’s rebuttal, “Not Just <\/em><\/span>a Pretty Face<\/em>” (lyrics<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n

7] In passing, we note <\/span>this article<\/span><\/a> from the Chicago Tribune<\/em>, “Daddy material, it takes just 1 look” (May 9, 2006), which begins: <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

“Just from looking at a man’s face, women can sense how much he likes children, gauge his testosterone level and decide whether he would be more suitable as a one-night stand or as a husband, new research published Tuesday suggests.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Of course, you the voter will have to decide its relevance to the rest of this posting and to charges of sexism.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

p.s.<\/strong><\/em> Looks like it’s time to link once again to one of my very favorite comic strips by <\/span>John Callahan<\/span><\/a>. Go <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\"\"<\/a> afterword<\/em><\/strong>s: Click for more thoughts on what is or isn’t sexism<\/a> and when playing the sexism card is appropriate (May 20, 2008).<\/p>\n

on the bus
\nthe teenager pulls out a mirror
\nand adjusts her pout<\/p>\n

\n

the son who
\nargues everything
\nI study his face in a puddle<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

droping stone after stone .\"ooh\".
\ninto the lake I keep
\nreappearing<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

on the face
\nthat last night called me names
\nmorning sunbeam<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

through a hole
\nin the fog billboard girl’s
\nradiant face<\/p>\n

\n

A sigh from her
\nthen one from me\u2014
\ntwo pages turn<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

……………….. by George Swede<\/span><\/a> – <\/span>Almost Unseen<\/span><\/em><\/a> (2000) <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n

\n

\n

\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Peering into
\nthe deep well, two boys
\ntalk about girls<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

……………………. by george swede<\/span><\/a><\/span> – <\/span>The Heron’s Nest<\/span><\/a><\/em> (Dec. 2005) <\/span><\/span>\"femaleSym\" <\/span>\"maleSym\"<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s hard to say which is more annoying: the kneejerk accusation of sexism by women in politics, or their refusal to take responsibility for such a claim, after hurling implications at an opponent. Since the weekend, newspapers (e.g., AP\/Daily Freeman, May 9, 2006) have reported that: Rep. John Sweeney “The former chairwoman of the [NY] […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2926],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5304","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pre-06-2006"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6kP1R-1ny","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5304","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5304"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5304\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12652,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5304\/revisions\/12652"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5304"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5304"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5304"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}