PERCEPTION RULES!

Certainly most women are more than smart enough to be president especially now that the Supreme Court has lowered the bar so far. Unfortunately, we still have the perception problem to deal with. It is huge and it begins with us.

Yes, there are all those thousands of years where women were prevented from any sort of advancement and forced to maintain stereotypic roles not dependent on ability. However, although the main problem has its roots in the past, it is the emphasis in the present that is a monstrous stumbling block.

It is insidious, it is rampant and even if it is not entirely of our own doing, it is hurting us. Deception is never a good thing. Cover-up is never a good thing. Fakery is never a good thing. When all of these negatives delineate the perception our culture has of our gender, the results are damaging to the advancement of all women.

How did all this come about? Historically, some of the cover-up was legit or at least understandable. It might mask the pock-marked face or drown out the smell of the bathing-facility-lacking, unwashed bodies endemic in those times. It may first have become corrupted when the noble ladies of the court, with nothing better to do, made it de rigor. Even then, it was understandable, due to the furious competition for royal and not so royal favor and woman's inferior, and totally dependent, position.

Certainly poor women never had the means or the time to emulate the idle rich. Most were too sensible to even try although there were always those who would redden their lips with berries and pinch their cheeks for color. The "Roaring Twenties" brought forth the "Flappers." These were women with an exceptional inclination for adding excessive coloring.

Even then, there was some need for enhancement because few women of that time could fend for themselves. It was necessary for women to marry unless they were accepted into someone's home as a dogsbody.

With the advent of women's liberation, changes began. Women went into universities, engaged in sports and were able to get hired outside the home in greater numbers than ever. They could support themselves. Now most had leisure time and discretionary money. Advertisers took full advantage of this new market and turned it into an all out assault on women's bodies.

Today, we have a situation where many women cannot even leave their dwelling until they "put on their face." All of the media, especially those that do women^Òs programs, enforce the edict that women are creatures whose bodies must be corrected. Even web sites for very young girls teach makeup and chicanery.

Little children who dabble in mommy's make up are play-acting. What a great source of gooey colors to play in it is. Whereas this mimicry of mommy by little girls is understood and encouraged, little boys are treated harshly. Obviously, it is only the female that must be trained in deception and fraud.

Conformity police are everywhere. More ink was used to comment on Hillary Clinton than all the rest of the candidates mostly because she did not kowtow to the dress code. All of this does point up a serious problem and shows why a woman cannot be nominated and elected president. The media enforces our perceptions.

Picture this: There is a serious emergency and the president is awakened in the middle of the night to deal with it. HE slips on a robe and slippers and hurries to the situation room. This is perfectly acceptable even if pictures of him like this appear in the press. The stubble of beard, the tousled hair both denote a man dedicated to duty, ready to protect and defend us all.

Change the scene: There is a serious emergency and the president is awakened in the middle of the night to deal with it. SHE slips on a robe and slippers and hurries to the situation room. As the relevant cabinet officials and their aids assemble to help deal with the emergency they ask, "Who is this woman?"

She didn't stop and take the time to "put on her face" so no one recognized her at first. When it dawned on them who it was, they were disgusted that the Head of State would appear so disheveled. If a picture were taken of her it would cause Congress to instigate impeachment procedures. The media, especially women's T.V. would be unrelenting. Soccer moms everywhere would perish with shame for her. If the slightest hint of underarm hair were noticed, It would be a national scandal.

I know what you're thinking. There are women who reveal their real face to the world. Women who do not cover up or mask or deceive or fake. Very true, but the problem is that they wouldn't get to first base as a political candidate in the face of a tremendous barrage of criticism from -- who else? Women!

Women led by female reporters, Oprah, The View and all the other denizens of the conformity police who are determined that the perception of women as untrustworthy and counterfeit will never change and will continue unto the generations to come.

twanda@gendergappers.org       

2001-018

Copyright 2001 Renee T. Louise and Ruth M. Sprague, Ph.D. These articles may be republished for noncommercial use only, provided that they are copied intact, and that this copyright notice is attached. Address all queries to: twanda@gendergappers.org.

G e n d e r G a p p e r s   ^{T M}   

[All this image stuff constantly in the background gets in the way and is annoying, isn't it?]