When Are We Going to Talk About Sexism?

While I applaud Sen. Barack Obama's speech about racism in America, I wonder if I will ever see someone tackle sexism publicly with the same seriousness. Please understand I do NOT minimize the human tragedy of racism by longing for a national dialogue about misogyny and gender-driven limits. I am well-aware that I am an educated and privileged white American woman and I am grateful for all of my advantages. (I'd be homicidal if I were a poor woman of color and had to deal with the triple whammy of classism, racism AND sexism.) As it is, as a privileged white woman I constantly have to temper my rage over the lethal "trifecta" of the "isms" by working to point out blatant examples of all of them, often packaged together. The "isms" are also tricky because as South African anti-apartheid activist Steven Biko said, "The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed." Believe me; I'm well aware that some of the worst sexists of all are women themselves. Tricky business indeed, when the "oppressed" are in league with the "oppressors." To rebut the abolitionists, there were slave owners who showcased the slaves who "witnessed" for the preservation of slavery. When Are We Going to Talk About Sexism? By Ellen Snortland,