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Filed under: In The News
Remember when your mother used to tell you that if couldn't say something nice you shouldn't say anything at all? Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell is wishing he had thought of that; last week, Rendell was caught on a live microphone saying that Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano is an excellent candidate to head up the nation's Homeland Security office because she is a single woman without children.Rendell was overheard saying that "Janet's perfect for that job. Because for that job, you have to have no life. Janet has no family. Perfect. She can devote, literally, 19-20 hours a day to it." It's a compliment, at some level, but a pretty backhanded one. And an insult to working women who DO have families. Or friends. Or even just cats.
Rendell has subsequently apologized, saying "What I meant is that Janet is a person who works 24/7, just like me." Yeah, we get that, Ed, but you still seem to be missing the point: it's okay for a woman to have a family AND a demanding career. As much as I disliked Sarah Palin's politics, I was put off by people who said they wouldn't vote for her because she's a mom. And of course, Rendell himself is married and has a son, and yet finds a way to work 24 hours a day. And President-Elect Obama has a wife and two SMALL kids. Funny how that's not an issue.
What do you think?
| No - having kids is irrelevant to how you do your job. | |
|---|---|
| Maybe - it depends on the job. | |
| Yes - kids are a big demand on any parent. | |
| Janet who? |
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
12-07-2008 @ 7:51PM
Karen said...It's fascinating how one's circumstances in life dictate how a ham handed comment like Gov. Rendell's is judged. As a single woman, I saw it more from the prospective of - if a woman doesn't have children, then she doesn't have life. In otherwords, the only life worthy of distinct is for a female to have a family. That's certainly a sentiment I've heard from others.
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12-07-2008 @ 11:59PM
charlie said...and another perspective. I'm a professional working father of three - recently separated from my wife. My thoughts were that it's rather shallow for gov ed to think that gov janet doesn't have a life merely because she doesn't have family. Had I chosen to go the single route - no kids - and gotten to the same age I was today, I would still like to think that I "had a life" that was fulfilling in some way, whatever that way may have been. But, I don't think there's an outward sexist connotation to his statement. I think he just made the statement in "general" as Janet is a person without a family. And that's the reason I included the "separated" piece in my introduction. Now that my kids - not my choice - are only with me during visitations and various other extra curricular activities they've got going on, the people that pay me to do what I do actually do expect me to be available more - which I am. Truth be told, more time is now available. So I guess I only have a life every other weekend, two days during the week, soccer coaching, roller skating parties, or whatever my kids are into. So, again, I will say that I think gov ed is a little short when it comes to giving respect to the single folks out there - there's lots of life to be had - but from this working "only sometimes having a life" father of three, there does not appear to be anything blatantly sexist about his statement. In all honesty, in the profession I'm in, if I need to send somebody half-way around the world to fix some sort of problem - man or woman all having the same skillset and equally as talented - I'd have better luck getting a volunteer from a group of folks who are single than from a group of folks who have families. Generally speaking, there are less "strings attached" for folks who are single. But again, that's just a generalization and there will be single folks who have more obligations than folks with families. Thinking about it now, maybe the better thing to ask gov ed would be how well he knows gov janet. single or having a family - male or female - i'm not the type of person who would generalize a specific person's life if I didn't really know the person. But, if I knew the person as a close friend, I might be able to say that that person "has no life" and would be perfect for the job. And that person could be single or could have kids - depends on the precise situation. unfortunately gov ed is a "jibber jabber". he needs to exert a little more self-control over his lips and tongue while a thought crosses his mind. that's the only thing i think he's guilty of. imho, of course.
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12-08-2008 @ 4:12PM
queenoqueens said...Sounds like she's perfect for the job because she's not him.
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12-11-2008 @ 1:43PM
Meg said...I have experienced job discrimination because I am single without children.
My car went off the road during a snow storm on my way to work and could not be towed until the next day. This happened on a Saterday.
Another storm occured the following Tuesday. I braved the drive again and made it to work. It was a hard day as so many of my co-workers called in because of the weather.
My boss sent out an e-mail on Wednesday. It was said that the company would not "count" the absences of those who did not make it to work on Tuesday on account of the weather.
I asked if this would apply to my absence last Saterday as it was caused by weather.
They replied no; reasoning that many people had to stay home on Tuesday because school was closed and they had to care for their children. As my weather related accident happened on a Saterday workers did not have to change their work plans as there is no school on Saterdays.
Absurd. This left me rabid. It implied that those with "family" are more important than those who are single!
I am busy! I'm in a band, have friends abound, people to date, books to read...I HAVE A LIFE, SINGLE OR NOT!
In conclusion, fuck Ed Rendell, fuck prejudice against singles (those with kids and spouses are jelous of our freedom!) and fuck my boss!!
Maybe I will fuck my boss, tell his wife and then he can have the "single experience"!!
And yes, I am a vengeful, sexy lady with bad spelling. Like it or lump it as my Dad taught me!
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