As a young woman, I have received my fair share of unwanted comments from men on the street. In fact, I don’t know a single woman who hasn’t experienced some form of catcalling in her life. This is nothing new and it’s really nothing that gets me too upset.
Women learn early on to pick their tactic when dealing with these unwanted interactions: they can simply ignore the man (my method of choice, though I wish I were a bit more ballsy), flip the bird, objectify the man right back, etc. Personally, I can say that these types of interactions have been normalized for me. A man yelling something at me on the street definitely doesn’t ruin my day. In fact I often don’t think much of it. It’s more of an annoyance than a threat, but I can’t help but wonder what it means that our society has taught women that this form of harassment is a normal part of life.
On Tuesday, when Hillary Clinton was delivering her victory speech following Tuesday’s primaries, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough tweeted a criticism that rings all too familiar for most women. In response to her speech, he wrote, “Smile. You just had a big night. #PrimaryDay.”
Now, this comment seems harmless enough. The sexism is partially veiled. It’s a comment I get almost daily when I walk past a certain construction site on my walk home from school. Although hearing this comment has never gotten me upset before, I was outraged when I saw Scarborough’s tweet. What right does this man have to tell Clinton how she should feel/act? I considered how disrespectful the comment was and wondered whether anyone would ever criticize a male politician for failing to smile.
Throughout her political career Clinton has been called out for being shrill, shouting too much and now, for her failure to give America a full view of those pearly whites. Scarborough was not the only pundit who made sexist comments against Clinton on Super Tuesday. Fox News host Howard Kurtz mentioned Clinton’s “shouting” and made the incredibly helpful suggestion that “a more conversational tone might be better for connecting with folks at home.”
Another Fox journalist, Brit Hume, tweeted, “What’s she mad at?,” in regard to her “shouting.” I see no reason these men could have for making these statements if not to undermine Clinton’s successes with sexist criticisms. Since when did having a soft, delicate, conversational voice become a requirement for the presidency?
While both men and women are clearly capable of shouting, the critique seems to be used more frequently to describe women than men. Linguist Nic Subtirelu has investigated the use of words like “shrill,” “shriek,” and “screech,” and hypothesized that the media is “2.17 times more likely to describe a woman or a girl as 'screeching' (or a related form of the word) than a man." A woman or girl is also 3.14 times more likely to be described as “shrieking” (or a related form of the word), and she’s 2.3 times more likely to be described as “shrill.”
While Bernie Sanders often raises his voice in rallies and debates, many people view that as evidence of his passion, something people find “endearing.” As far as examples go, they are abundant. Sarah Palin was called shrill by Harry Reid and Elizabeth Warren has been called out for "yelling." Women who express their opinions are often labeled "loud." We must consider why men feel the need to silence a powerful woman who is not afraid to use her voice.
While these men may have genuinely thought that their tweets were harmless observations, the comments were condescending. There are many ways in which men attempt to police women, whether it's through slut-shaming, fighting for political control of female reproductive rights or by criticizing their appearances. This policing is a way for men to exert their control over women. By telling to Clinton to smile or stop shouting, these men are trying to dictate her behavior. All women, especially those in power, seem to face this intense scrutiny. If women are passionate and fired up, they are often labeled being “loud,” “shrill,” or “sassy.” However, if women are reserved, they will be labeled “timid,” “weak,” and easy to manipulate. There seems to be no way for a woman to win.
In our society, comments like “smile more” are normalized. If a woman gets upset over a comment like this, she will surely be labeled overdramatic. While there is a power in a woman’s success at brushing off sexist comments, by normalizing them we are perpetuating a cycle of sexism. If men feel the need to exert their control over an 18-year-old girl for walking down a street, the same men will likely feel the need to try and dominate a woman like Clinton who is vying for one of the most powerful positions in our country.
If we allow men to get a free pass to say whatever they please to women, it may be harder for women to come into positions of power because of the intense scrutiny they face. It’s hard for a woman to talk about her plan to run the country when people are fixated on her appearance, voice, potential absence of teeth, etc. These somewhat indirect instances of sexism may appear innocuous, but permitting any sexism will allow it to grow.
To every man who has ever told me to smile, why do you feel that you have the right to control me in any way? From this day on, I refuse to force a meek smile when I pass you like I may have in the past. Like Clinton, I have too much I want to accomplish to worry about whether my appearance is making you comfortable or not. If being a powerful woman is what threatens these sexist men, then I hope to one day be as shrill, angry, and loud as Hillary Clinton.
