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December 2, 2008 8:23:40 PM CST

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Paglia Loves Palin's 'Annie Oakley' Feminism

Posted Sep 10, 08 1:35 PM CDT in Opinion,  Politics 

(Newser) – Sarah Palin represents “an explosion of a brand-new style of muscular American feminism,” writes Camille Paglia on Salon. After Barack Obama’s convention speech, Paglia assumed the election was over. "Hoary, barnacle-encrusted“ McCain seemed unthinkable as president. Then came the Palin pick, and "the biggest step forward in feminism since Madonna channeled Marlene Dietrich."

Like “an ambassador from America’s pioneer past,” Palin represents a “can-do, no-excuses, moose-hunting” spirit, in contrast to traditional feminism’s “whining.” Portrayal as an extremist on women's issues reveals Dems’ own intolerance, she writes: “Democratic ideology itself seems to have become a secular substitute religion.” Paglia, though pro-choice, says Democrats attack pro-life Palin because they don’t “want to open themselves to deep questioning about abortion.”

Source Salon

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Republic vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin speaks during a campaign rally at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Republican vice presidential candidate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin reaches out to supporters during a campaign rally at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa., Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, waves to supporters as she is introduced as Vice Presidential running mate by Presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, not pictured, at a campaign rally in...   (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, reaches in to greet supporters in Dayton, Ohio, Aug. 29, 2008.   (AP Photo)
"Palin has made the biggest step forward in feminism since Madonna channeled the dominatrix persona of high-glam Marlene Dietrich," Camille Paglia writes of the Republican VP candidate.   (Getty Images)
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Now that's the Sarah Palin brand of can-do, no-excuses, moose-hunting feminism—a world away from the whining, sniping, wearily ironic mode of the establishment feminism represented by Gloria Steinem.
- Camille Paglia

At her startling debut, she was combining male and female qualities in ways that I have never seen before. And she was somehow able to seem simultaneously reassuringly traditional and gung-ho futurist.

In terms of redefining the persona for female authority and leadership, Palin has made the biggest step forward in feminism since Madonna channeled the dominatrix persona of high-glam
Marlene Dietrich.

A feminism that cannot admire the bravura under high pressure of the first woman governor of a frontier state isn't worth a warm bucket of spit.

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
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Barack Obama • John McCain • Sarah Palin • abortion • feminism


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