Don't miss Maureen Dowd on Michelle Obama

Read Dowd's column, "Should Michelle Cover Up?" here. Yes, we're talking about Michelle Obama's recent baring of her biceps--among a wide range of weightier topics that Dowd also touches on in the column.

Here's an excerpt from near the end of the column:

I love the designer-to-J. Crew glamour. Combined with her workaday visits to soup kitchens, inner-city schools and meetings with military families, Michelle’s flair is our depression’s answer to Ginger Rogers gliding around in feathers and lamé.

* * *

Her arms, and her complete confidence in her skin, are a reminder that Americans can do anything if they put their minds to it.

I'm purposefully omitting the next sentence because there Dowd (of course, once again, never miss a chance . . . ) slams HRC.

I agree with Dowd's assessment of Michelle's confidence and competence; I'm not so sure I buy the Ginger Rogers comparison.

Did Palin's looks hurt?

Politico blogger Ben Smith wrote today of a new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology. The research discusses how Sarah Palin's looks and the focus on them hurt her and John McCain.

The sample consisted of Republicans and independent voters. Participants were asked to rate former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin and celebrity actress Angelina Jolie on various factors including competence.

"The study suggests that their confidence in her abilities may have decreased the more they focused on her looks – and thus, in feminist terms, objectified her."

I think this research paper affirms that sexism did play a role in the 2008 presidential election.

Americans, especially the male population, view Angelina Jolie as one of the most "attractive" female celebrities. Americans also tend to believe that celebrites are not the most "intelligent" people.

This study confirms that Palin was considered a political "celebrity." Because of this status and Palin's physical appearance, her intelligence was questioned by the American people. I still stand by my statement that she energized the Republican Party and gave McCain a fighting chance of victory.

The full research paper can be found here. (Note: It is not free)

The Portrayals of Michelle Obama as First Lady

Today I'd like to discuss Michelle Obama as not only a First Lady but as a Vogue cover model. I went searching for stories on the politics page of CNN.com and found two interesting videos: one regarding her role as First Lady and the other pertaining to her wardrobe and her appearance in Vogue magazine. I thought it fascinating how differently these two videos portrayed Ms. Obama. The former, entitled, "Michelle Obama's Role," made her out to be a qualified and serious woman taking on the position of First Lady with ease. The latter, called, "Michelle Obama Covers Vogue," gave little notice to Ms. Obama's professional life and instead focused on her fashion and this sort of "femininity."

The video regarding Ms. Obama's role begins with Michelle at a press conference saying, "I'm going to spend the next several weeks, or months, however long it takes, going from agency to agency just to say hello, to learn, to listen, to take information back where possible. But truthfully, my task here is to say 'thank you and roll up your sleeves because we have a lot of work to do.'" The video goes on to explain how Ms. Obama's office told CNN that the three main projects for the First Lady will be: focusing on working parents, helping military families, and boosting volunteerism. I was glad they brought this up because I had been wondering what her duties would be when she is 'at work.' I use quotes here because being First Lady is not technically a job. In this video, Robert Thompson from Syracuse University explains, "being First Lady in the United States of America has got to be one of the most frustrating jobs to hold because for one thing, it isn't even a job, for another thing, it has no job description, but for a third thing, you are constantly being evaluated as to how well you're doing." I really liked this quote because it's true; First Women are always under scrutiny even though their position lacks strict guidelines. With the duties outlined earlier, I believe Michelle Obama will really do some good and make the change needed. I'm excited to see how she handles her position, not only as "mom-in-chief," as she calls it, but as a hard-working, capable First Lady. This video shows her speaking to, working with, and showing compassion toward people, which gives us the same sense of pride and hope that her husband exudes.

The second video starts with Michelle Obama speaking to business students at Howard University, but this clip only lasts for thirty seconds. Anderson Cooper then veers from this subject and says, "since moving to the White House the First Lady's been busy making the rounds at federal agencies and schools; people want to know what she has to say, certainly, and also what she's been wearing. Next month her style and substance come together when Ms. Obama graces the cover of Vogue magazine." "Her style and substance come together?" I thought that was a particularly important phrase. Does anyone remember a time when a president's "style and substance [came] together?" I understand that this is the viewpoint of most people here in America, to distinguish differences between the sexes, but it bothers me. I also understand why Ms. Obama agreed to this article and photo shoot with Vogue. She is reaching out to a certain, and definitely a major demographic of women here. Something that stuck out to me in this clip was hearing that all of the clothes worn in the shoot were right out of Michelle's closet; she spent no extra money on clothes for this occasion. I think that shows character, and while appearing on the cover of Vogue is a feminine move, she is still able to maintain her respectable and strong persona. In this video they ask, "what makes Michelle Obama cover-worthy?" Andre Leon Talley, the writer of the Vogue article, claims that, "she represents power, she represents the seismic shift in our times and our culture, being the first African American First Lady of our nation." I agree with this statement and as the video went on, I began to further appreciate her choice to do this article. I think it's great that the Vogue subscribers will get to read about Michelle Obama and become inspired by her. In slight contrast to the other video, this clip shows her hugging small children and shows pictures of her with her family. The last line of this video is, "what this First Lady wants is for women to have fun with their clothes; don't take fashion too seriously, even if you are on the cover of Vogue." Clearly the two videos are showing different sides to Ms. Obama. While I tend to respect the first video's portrayal more, I do see that both sides to this woman are important to show. This way she can reach out to everyone, men and women alike, and show that she will not only be a loving mom and a confident, attractive woman, but that she will also be an amazingly dedicated First Lady to her country.

A comparative perspective on mothers in politics

Eleanor Beardsley's report on NPR about French Justice Minister Rachida Dati returning to work five days after giving birth makes a lot of good points about whether this is a good thing or bad thing for women.

Here's a quote from Florence Montreynaud, a writer and feminist:

I think it's terrible for all the women in France . . . . Because this example separates women into two categories: a few superwomen with a wonderful job, and millions [of] other women that are totally normal to feel a little tired after birth. These women are — what to say — sissy? Or weakling?

The editor of the French magazine Closer, however, praised Dati, 43, calling her a symbol of the modern woman. He said:

I think these images will stay on the memoire collective, on the memory of all the French women, because it's a very strong image . . . . I think this image gives hope to women in their 40s, women who want children. Because it shows that you can be pregnant and keep very important responsibilities in your job.

Dati happens to be unmarried, and she has not disclosed the identity of the child's father. She is also iconic in France because she is a rare immigrant success story, the daughter of Algerian-Moroccan parents.

One angle that Beardsley doesn't amplify but that speaks for itself in this report is how we judge women--especially mothers--for their choices. She reports poll results indicating that 56% of those surveyed disapprove of Dati's quick return to work.

French law provides a 16-week paid maternity leave and strong job protection for mothers.

How would we respond to her if she were the U.S. Attorney General? How do we feel about Kirsten Gillibrand working until the day before she gave birth eight months ago?

At the Crossroads: An Examination & Analysis of Women's Political Images on the National Stage

Mary Beth Leidman, Jaclyn M. Emershaw, and Sarah Tourtellotte recently compiled data on photographs of currently serving women Senators and Governors. They were seeking to discover the physical attributes shared by these elected women (hair color, body type, etc.). 

Can you guess which obvious physical patterns emerged from the study? (I'm not telling! The answer is at the bottom of page 3).

Here is the abstract of the study: 

However the 2008 Presidential election has turned out, it was an epic moment for women in national politics. Senator Hillary Clinton's competitiveness in the Presidential Primaries was at the epicenter of gender political studies during the Presidential Primaries season. There are lingering questions concerning why she did not triumph given her experience, savvy and general background. This study concerns itself with the projection of image for women in politics. It endeavors to develop a methodology which could be replicated and examines the idea of whether or not successful image can be codified and act as a predictor of electability for women in national or executive level state politics.

The study can be downloaded here.

Despite the study findings, I can spot several physical similarities among the women of the 110th Senate. Can you?

Michelle Obama and her "Fashion Fireworks"

In a recent article I came across on the internet in a British newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/fashionnews/4298199/Michelle-Obama-inauguration-fact-file.html, Michelle Obama's fashion was adressed and her style was stated as "promises as First Lady fashion fireworks." Her black and white dress worn during her husband Obama's victory speech was either "loved or hated" according to the Los Angeles Times. She has brought a new sense of style and is standing out with her fashion and "proved that unlike many other first ladies, she does not intend to fade into the background"

'She's taken the idea of what a first ladyshould be and turned it on its head,' says J. Crew creative director Jenna Lyons. 'Before Michelle Obama, everyone had the idea that you had to be suited up and running with the crowd to be taken seriously. It's fabulous to see her on the cover of a magazine in a hot pink dress. She's not afraid to step out in something unusual.'

This "unusual" look is turning out for the better, because according to the Los Angeles times shes is percieved somewhat as a role model now. Michelle Obamas perceived as a "American-led democratization of fashion that has revolutionized the way the world dresses by making designer names available in Target and JCPenney." From the Los Angeles Times I found that there is even a fashion fan site for Michelle Obama.

She has made a statement to the US by how she dresses, that she is here to bring something new to the White House. Maybe something to go along with Obama's motto of change.

Carefully Constructed: Michelle Obama as the Next Jacqueline Kennedy?

There's a piece in the Style Section of the New York Times today about Michelle Obama's wardrobe, entitled U.S. Fashion’s One-Woman Bailout?

The article quotes Hamish Bowles, Vogue Editor and Curator of Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years, an art exhibition of Jackie's clothing. 

In 2002, I was an intern at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. During my internship, the blockbuster Jacqueline Kennedy exhibition was on display at the museum. Because my office was located on the first floor, at the rear of the building, I walked through the exhibition several times a day for several months. I probably saw the beloved inaugural gala dress 250 times.

Jacqueline Kennedy's clothing was extraordinary--one of a kind pieces created by some of the greatest designers in history, including Oleg Cassini, Gabrielle Chanel, and Christian Dior. Jackie's 1962 Christmas dress, a deep pink silk radzimir piece by Hubert de Givenchy, had such sophisticated twists in the back it required a lady's maid to tie Jackie into it. Many of her dresses had skillfully accomplished, hand sewn bead work or embroidery.

While I certainly admire Michelle Obama's style, I am not entirely convinced that Obama is the new Jacqueline Kennedy. Sure, I can agree that Michelle Obama exudes some of the same sophistication as Jackie, but somehow I don't see Obama's off-the-rack J. Crew sweater sets making it into a museum of fine art.  

The latest installment of Doonesbury with the Sarah Palin Action Doll

This is the one from Nov. 26, 2008.

View others here. Does making it an "action" doll keep it from being sexist? And where is the "action" anyway? I just learned about this series and am catching up on it, but I'm not sure what the Palin doll does . . . .

What women are saying about Hillary's new role

Don't miss Jodi Kantor's story in the New York Times here. I particularly like the parts that focus on being one's own boss versus working for, well, the most powerful man in the world. Of course the parts that speak to her power and influence, whichever role she chooses, are also very heartening. Here are some excerpts:

As [HRC] pondered this week whether to trade her hard-won independence and elected office for a job working for a more powerful man, mothers and schoolteachers and law partners mulled in tandem with her.

* * *

As news spread on Friday evening that Mrs. Clinton had decided to accept the job, so did a basic consensus: the assignment was probably a triumph for Mrs. Clinton, if a costly one.

This part about (some) women relating to HRC and her experiences as a professional woman really resonates with me. That is, I am definitely one of the women who relates, both to showing emotion in the workplace and to accumulated sexist slights!

Throughout Mrs. Clinton’s presidential run, women across the country saw in her a mirror of their own career fortunes: when she teared up just before the New Hampshire primary that she was expected to lose, they remembered their own workplace humiliations, and when she lost the Democratic nomination, many saw it as an accumulation of all-too-familiar sexist slights.

The story is well worth a read for the sense it conveys of Hillary's past, present and future. Kantor summarizes what she calls Clinton's "feminist triumph" by tracking where she's been. In short, the decade reflects the adage, "you've come a long way, baby." A decade ago, Hillary was a first lady whose hairstyles were fodder for comedians. Now, however, she is poised to become the "world's top diplomat." Plus, working for a President is a whole different ballgame than being married to one.

Kantor's report features lots of thought-provoking quotes. Gloria Steinem, who lauds Hillary's decision to take the Secretary of State job, is quoted as saying, “The question of whether one has one’s own political power or goes to work for someone else is not only a feminist question” I guess it may be "not only" a feminist question, but I think it certainly is a "feminist question." I guess I am unsure that anything about Hillary can, after all these years, not be a "feminist question."

I am heartened by Kantor's conclusion that Clinton "is such an esteemed figure, no one will see her as a mere emissary." Certainly, I am delighted for Hillary, though I would also have been pleased had she chosen to stay in the Senate and continue to work on health care reform.

As a related matter, I wrote this post last week on my feminist legal theory blog. It discusses Hillary's then-prospects to become Secretary of State, as well as changing perceptions of her over the years since Bill Clinton ran for President.