By Diane Roberts
Women, too many women to shake a stick at: Michelle, Hillary, Elizabeth, Gretchen, Pink, Eva, Nancy, Mindy, Amy, Alexandria, Amanda, Jill, Oprah —
Freakin’ Oprah!
And, of course, Kamala.
In between the dancing and cheering, Sheila E. drumming, Stevie Wonder singing, and Patti LaBelle belting, you might have heard a high-pitched whining far off in the distance, the sound a dog makes when he’s frightened of a thunderstorm.
That was Donald Trump watching the Democratic National Convention, wheezing in impotent rage at those uppity, nasty women, and all those people determined to elect Kamala Harris.
The Party of Misogyny (you know them as Republicans) simply cannot process the possibility a woman, a chick, a human with a vajayjay! might become the most powerful person on the planet.
Much of their platform is desultory: making the rich richer, cozying up to dictators, and destroying the planet.
But they’re positively on fire when it comes to dragging women back to 1953.
Surely that was the Golden Age of Gender Relations.
J.D. Vance fan and New York Times columnist Ross Douthat says the 2024 election is “a referendum on masculinity in America.”
He’s annoyed at the lionization of men who are “unapologetically supportive of women’s rights,” especially Tim Walz and Doug Emhoff.
But wait! hollers Douthat — Emhoff had an affair a mere 14 years ago! So what if his ex has not only forgiven him but is working like mad to get Kamala Harris elected?
And what about horndog Bill Clinton — also forgiven by his wife?
Party of Misogyny
The implication seems to be these self-proclaimed feminist guys are no better, maybe even worse, than ratbags like Trump or Musk or awkward sticks like Vance who thinks post-menopausal women are only socially useful if they’re helping raise the children of young, fertile ladies.
Women ain’t buying it. Nor are they buying the Project 2025 view (in which Vance is heavily invested) that female bodies exist to pop out babies, so anything that empowers them to slip the leash and avoid their divinely mandated purpose must be outlawed.
When it comes to fetus versus fully grown woman, fetus wins every time.
The Party of Misogyny wants to limit access to contraception and they want no-fault divorce gone.
V.P. nominee Vance has even implied it might be better for women to stay in violent marriages for the sake of the children.
What’s a few broken bones and a concussion or three compared to preserving the sanctity of home and hearth?
The Palm Beach Pumpkin has been a misogynist longer than he’s been a Republican, an adjudicated rapist who doesn’t value a woman unless she is, as he says, “a young and beautiful piece of ass.”
Remember the 2016 campaign when he disparaged fellow candidate Carly Fiorina’s “horse face,” said debate moderator Megyn Kelly had “blood coming out of her wherever,” and boasted about grabbing women by the genitals?
Now he’s flinging insults at Kamala Harris like a monkey hurling poop at the bars of his cage. She’s “stupid,” she’s “weak,” she’s a communist, an antisemitic “lunatic,” unqualified — a “DEI hire” — and so clueless foreign leaders will treat her like a “play toy.”
And he’s sick of people talking about how attractive she is.
Not leadership material
When Time put a drawing of her on its Aug. 12 cover, he freaked out, accusing the magazine of making her look like Sophia Loren or Elizabeth Taylor or even “our great first lady Melania.”
(Note: Harris only resembles Loren, Taylor, or Melania Trump in that they’re all, you know, part of the vajayjay crowd).
But let’s not allow reality to get in the way of the crazy.
Trump’s spluttering, “I’m much better looking than her. Much better. Much better.”
For conservatives, the only masculinity they know is toxic masculinity.
Trump, Vance, and their manly man supporters assert, “When a man votes for a woman, he actually transitions into a woman.”
MAGA pin-up boy Andrew Tate, awaiting trial on charges of rape and human-trafficking, says, “If you want a woman to be president, you’re a homosexual.”
Tate, a British-American kickboxer whose one facial expression suggests he’s inserted a particularly tender appendage into a light socket, doesn’t think women should be able to vote.
In 2023, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, famous for running like a scalded polecat from Jan. 6 rioters, published a book called Manhood in which he exhorts men to be “kings, priests, fathers,” leaders of men — and of women.
Women are simply not leadership material.
New College book purge
Amy Reid, Yale Ph.D., a distinguished professor of Francophone Literature, has just resigned from the board of the Sarasota grift formerly known as New College of Florida.
She ran NCF’s well-regarded gender studies program — until it was shut down and its student-sponsored library shoveled into a dumpster.
NCF trustee and professional jerk Christopher Rufo, a guy convinced women in higher education cause “all sorts of cultural problems,” crowed, “We’ve hired the classicist Spencer Klavan to teach at New College of Florida. Goodbye gender studies; hello, Greek literature.”
Rufo, who thinks Greek lit. is super-manly, has failed to notice how much of it is about the slippery construction of masculine and feminine roles.
Gender studies actually helps illuminate The Iliad.
But we wouldn’t want to upset the baseball players.
Still, wait ’til Rufo finds out about all the homosexuality: Orestes and Pylades? Achilles and Patroclus? Sappho and her assorted girlfriends on Lesbos?
The Party of Misogyny is so shaky in its sense of masculinity, anything that could be remotely labeled as “feminine” — being proud of your family and expressing love — must be eradicated.
They are terrified
Gus Walz, the neurodivergent 17-year-old son of Tim and Gwen Walz, wept as he watched his father accept the nomination for V.P., and at one point cried out, “That’s my dad!”
The fine Christians of MAGA promptly took to social media, saying “Get that kid a tampon, already,” calling Gus a “blubbering bitch boy” and a “beta,” and comparing him unfavorably to Barron Trump, who apparently strikes the Right as a hyper-masculine teenage stud.
They attacked Ella Emhoff, a 25-year-old artist, model, and fashion designer. Seems her presentation of femininity did not meet with MAGA’s approval.
Some accused her of being a man; one called her “the nightmare scenario for most people with a daughter.”
Another genius posted: “Kamala Harris’ stepdaughter looks like she is ready to assassinate a former President tonight.”
The Harris family, the Emhoff family, and the Walz family embody an America beyond Trumpist white men’s understanding.
They are terrified.
It was bad enough when a Black man occupied the White House. Now they face the possibility that someone who’s Black and Asian and — great God Almighty! — a woman will sit behind the Resolute desk, wielding the power they think should belong only to them.
All I can say is, buckle up, boys: It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Diane Roberts is an 8th-generation Floridian, born and bred in Tallahassee. Educated at Florida State University and Oxford University in England, she has been writing for newspapers since 1983, when she began producing columns on the legislature for the Florida Flambeau. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Times of London, the Guardian, the Washington Post, the Oxford American, and Flamingo. She has been a member of the Editorial Board of the St. Petersburg Times–back when that was the Tampa Bay Times’s name–and a long-time columnist for the paper in both its iterations. She was a commentator on NPR for 22 years and continues to contribute radio essays and opinion pieces to the BBC. Roberts is also the author of four books.
The dude says
I guess color me a “homosexual” then.
I’ll take Harris over the orange Fat Elvis any day of the week, and twice on Sunday.
Should I tell my wife and 5 kids that I’m a homosexual, or will you?
Sherry says
Thank you, Diane! Another wonderfully snarky article! “We Are Not Going Back”! “We Are Not Going Back”! “We Are Not Going Back”!
Jane says
Loved your article! Spot on!
Laurel says
Okay, so now we’re going to hear about how this is all nonsense and how it’s really the Democrats who are the misogynists, not the Republicans. Meanwhile, get your berkas ready, just in case.
Go ahead, tell us exactly what is wrong with this article. Y’all think us “crazy childless cat ladies” will buy it. 🐈🐈⬛
Joe D says
Have you ever noticed the women that Trump will ALLOW into his close Business/Political circle fit a TYPE almost to a “T”…..Young, White, physically BEAUTIFUL, and GENERALLY BLONDE (with only a few exceptions).
It’s as if an AVERAGE looking woman over 40 or a MINORITY couldn’t “possibly” be competent and qualified enough to serve as a MAJOR player in a TRUMP Administration! Even Betsy DeVoes, Trump’s TOTALLY UNQUALIFIED disaster of a Secretary of Education, was an attractive older BLONDE (although it helps that she is an heir to a Family Billionaire’s fortune, and large donor to his campaigns).
He can’t even stick to the ISSUES, he has to resort to PERSONAL ATTACKS: “She’s STUPID,” “She got a funny LAUGH,” “Suddenly she’s ‘TURNED BLACK,” “She [slept] her way to the top.” “I’m much better looking than she is.” ….REALLY!?!
“JUST” the kind of man we need to lead our Country and represent the US to the WORLD for the next 4 years (that was SARCASM to those that didn’t “catch” it)!!
Deb says
I’m a woman and there is no way in hell I consider her competent, in any way, to be president! Whether I like Trump or not I would never pick Harris over him. She is an obvious idiot. Your article is nothing but BS! But then again, I’m sure in your vast wisdom, you also voted for Biden, 4 years ago, when it was blatently obvious he was already on a massive mental decline. Stupidity is easily read, don’t be so proud of yourself.
The dude says
Ok Karen.
Would you like to speak to the manager?
Just curious, what year did you pass the Bar Exam again?
Tony Mac says
And this is the obvious hatred voters will have to contend with. An “obvious idiot”…, you say? A well educated woman, a lawyer, a prosecutor, oh, but wait — she’s a DEMOCRAT. But you will stick with a man who admittedly has cheated on three wives, cheated on charities for children with cancer, cheated on charities for veterans, never ran a successful business in his life — he bankrupted three casinos — who the hell can’t run a casino? What makes you think he won’t cheat on you? Good…don’t vote, stay home.
For months, the media railed about Joe Biden’s age…now– not a single word about Trump being a 78 year old geezer. Go ahead, vote for Trump the convicted felon, it shows exactly what you think about the laws being equal for all Americans. What a waste.
c says
Seeee ??? Women can be trolls, too :)
Laurel says
We can be anything.
Atwp says
Deb there is no way I’ll vote for Trump. A convicted felon. A liar and a broke person. Harris will get my vote. Work for him. You go to prison and he remain free.
The Sour Kraut says
DONALD TRUMP
He promised to cut the debt. He added $8T to it.
He promised to build a wall.He only did 458 miles out of 2,000. Most was repair / replacement, not new and Trump ended a GOP immigration reform bill.
He promised to unveil a new healthcare plan. It didn’t exist, our for profit healthcare is #1 reason for personal bankruptcy .
He promised a middle-class tax cut. 83% of tax cuts went to the wealthy.
He said he wouldn’t play golf. He made 250 visits way more than Obama) to his own golf clubs. It cost taxpayers $150 million.
He said he’d increase economic growth by 4%. He didn’t. President Biden did.
He promised an infrastructure plan. He had none. President Biden signed a massive one.
He promised to hire “the best people.” He fired 3/4 of them and said they were the worst ever. Many are now convicted criminals.
A majority of his cabinet said they won’t vote for Trump again. He is a “clear and present danger”.
He promised to bring down the price of prescription drugs. He didn’t: President Biden did.
Promised he would win China trade war. It cost a quarter million jobs and billions in farm aid.
He promised his corporate tax cuts would help and benefit worker and corporations would use that money to invest in American workers. They didn’t, stock buy backs instead.
He promised to bring back the coal industry. Never happened.
He promised to drain the swamp. He didn’t: He WAS the swamp w/30,000+ WH lies to the American ppl.
AND now, his Project 2025 is a roadmap to Fascism for AMERICA.
The four-time indicted, twice impeached, insurrection inciter and now convicted felon, former President Donald Trump.
Jim says
I hate to tell you but the choice is between Trump and Harris. No other options….
So, as a man…, I don’t see how or why you say Harris is a obvious idiot. I’d love to see your factual support for that statement. She was a successful prosecutor in California which doesn’t scream “idiot” to me (well, maybe living in California…).
As for your apparent pick, Orange Man, I can see where he would be the obvious choice. He’s smart enough to fleece many of his followers (maybe you?) out of millions for tennis shoes and bibles, he’s a big fan of Hannibal Lector, he fears windmills and electric boats to name just of few of his winning traits. He’s been married three times (that screams success to me), is a strong Christian (just ask him his favorite Bible verse for verification), he’s a convicted felon (34 times!), a convicted rapist, he’s both for and against abortion depending on the day, he loves our military (but not the ones that died, captured or were wounded – they’re suckers and losers…), has the loyalty of a weasel, thinks Nicki Haley was responsible for the defense of the Capitol on January 6th (no cognitive decline there!), said he’s running against Obama several times this cycle (again, no cognitive decline there!) and has 40 of 44 cabinet officials from his first administration who have come out and stated he is not fit for the office of President.
But Harris has a sense of humor, smiles a lot and laughs. And she’s a woman. So I can see how it’s easy to decide Trump is the better candidate. Let me quote a recent writer to close this: “Stupidity is easily read, don’t be so proud of yourself.”
Lisa says
I agree with you 100%. I am a woman as well and I will not vote for Harris because she is a woman! If I had confidence in her I would but I don’t so I won’t. I’m not saying I’m voting for Trump either but my money went a lot further 4 years ago…….
A while back I had a conversation with a friend (woman) about the upcoming Presidential election and her words to me were ” It’s about time a woman was put in charge.” I said ok. Vote for who you want but please vote for the right reasons and not because it’s a woman.
Laurel says
Lisa: Your quotes: “I am a woman as well and I will not vote for Harris because she is a woman!”
and
“I said ok. Vote for who you want but please vote for the right reasons and not because it’s a woman.”
Interesting thought process there.
“it’s”?
Maybe you should skip the vote.
Laurel says
Not one correction. Interesting.
Lisa says
Laurel: So I used the word “it’s”. Let me rephrase my comment for you. “I said ok. Vote for who you want but please vote for the right reasons and not because the Presidential Candidate is a women.” Does that sound better to you?
And, maybe you should skip the vote.
Laurel says
Partially, now that you confirmed that “it” is actually a human. However, you still contradicted yourself.
I will vote for the best human: Harris.
John Stove says
Deb:
Turn off Newsmax, Fox news for 5 minutes and step out into the real world. Trumpo was at best a minor TV celebrity with a background in cheating hard working Americans out of their money( Trump University, Trump Charities etc etc) he also when bankrupt more times than I care to document. Oh yeah how did he become so rich?….because he inherited money not from the sweat of his brow. When it came time to do his duty for country he had “bone spurs”…..the man will forever be known as a Traitorous, sex offending, lying imbecile.
Harris has been in government as an Attorney, a Senator and as a Vice President before running for President. She is well spoken, quite obviously intelligent and when she talks she doesn’t say anything about “Hannibal Lecter” or getting “shocked by electric boats” etc etc let alone telling people to drink bleach as a Covid cure or making up a hurricane impact zone with a Sharpie pen!!
The true Republican party of moderate Republicans is dead and was is left circling the drain are a bunch of weirdos who are more interested in what is going on in your personal life (Abortions, Contraception, IVF and religion)…….so HELL NO to Trumpo and his weird band of Morons and YES to Harris and to the restoration of TRUE FREEDOM to live our lives like we want to live and not how Trumpo tells us to live.
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
I see the members of the Palm Coast Orange Messiah Club like Deb’s ramblings.
Laurel says
Dear Proud of Yourself Deb: Are you a doctor, specializing in geriatrics? Why do I think not? You stated that Harris “is an obvious idiot.” Please do explain, and give me provable examples to back up your comment. Please explain exactly where the article is “bullshit.” Be specific, where I can fact check. Also, please explain, with checkable examples, just how Harris is “incompetent.” You are so certain with your position that you should be able to respond, factually, correct?
Deb? Deb?
Shaking My Head Again says
Everybody put your hands in the air! Karen has spoken! LMAO
Laurel says
“Karen” has simply become another derogatory label. You can list it under misogynistic terms.
Ray W. says
Try it. You might find it therapeutic.
Judith G. Michaud says
I will take 10 Kamala’s over a convicted felon and sexual offender any day, but that is just my moral values! She will make a wonderful president! I cannot wait for a female to run our country !
BOB says
Deb, Great post! The Libs on this site can’t stand it. I only check this site for local information. This is the biggest Liberal place/ site in Palm Coast. It does nothing but bash Republicans. It will never change, and I just get educated on how many liberals there are in this town.
Laurel says
BOB: …and here you are. Flagler Live allows, and welcomes you. That welcoming a bad “Lib” trait?
Sherry says
@deb. . . Why in the world are you so angry? Please post “credentialled facts to prove your claim that Kamala Harris is an “obvious idiot”. Otherwise, we will all continue to understand that you, and those who gave you the thumbs up, are not capable of anything beyond angry ranting and name calling. Thanks!
BillC says
The orange self described “very stable genius” says: “You know, I do the weave. You know what the weave is? I’ll talk about like nine different things, and they all come back brilliantly together and it’s like, and friends of mine that are, like, English professors, they say, ‘It’s the most brilliant thing I’ve ever seen.’ But the fake news, you know what they say? ‘He rambled.’
Or as Dan Quale famously said long ago: “What a terrible thing to have lost one’s mind. Or not to have a mind at all. How true that is.”
Marlee says
Yes…Rump is the “Palm Beach Pumpkin”…grrrreat name!
“We Won’t Go Back!”
and……..women will Vote! Just wait!
Marlee says
and…, I question if Deb is a male in disguise on this site??????
Laurel says
To you Trumplicans with the thumbs up, please explain to me the following:
1.) Why is it that facts don’t matter?
2.) Why do you except comments with no actual back up?
3.) Do you really not see that Trump is a habitual liar, or you do see it and don’t care, and if so, why don’t you care?
4.) Why are the Trump and Vance quotes denigrating women okay with you?
5.) Why do you except that Trump flip flops around for the particular crowd at the particular moment?
Please answer my questions without insult or mentioning Harris. Walz or Biden once. I would really like to know why these men, Trump and Vance are acceptable to you. I am really trying to understand the mindset.
Thank you.
Laurel says
Not yet one response. Interesting.
Ed P says
Inflation is a major economic issue. To control inflation, it must be addressed from the supply side, not demand side. Harris’ $25,000 first time home buyer policy is a demand side policy that will exacerbate inflation, not reduce. If she wants to generate more affordable housing, she needs to incentivize the supply side, ie businesses building the homes. The fed lowering interest rates is a supply side action.
Bigger government and monetary consumer give aways are not the answer. She pledged to work with states to cancel medical debts-$7,000,000,000 debt for up to 3 million Americans. Student loan debt forgiveness will allow universities to raise tuition.
An economic agenda focused on using government money( our tax dollars) to address higher costs is almost as ridiculous as trying price controls on our food supply.
It’s futile to tell someone who can’t afford a house, a car, or groceries that inflation is falling, the economy is getting better. For them it’s not. The hard working middle American bristles at giveaways. Everyone should.
Ray W. says
See, that wasn’t that hard. Thank you, Ed P. You put out a reasoned argument.
The Trump stimulus money impacted the demand side. Much of the Biden stimulus money hasn’t been spent yet, but the infrastructure spending being approved by the administration is supposed to address the supply side, which would be good for inflation.
You might be right about the housing funding policy, the write-offs of debts policy, the university price hikes side effect, and more. Yet, our economy remains the strongest in the world, in large part because Trump and Biden spent trillions.
The imbalances created by that spending exacerbated supply chain issues. Inflation sputtered into life and then soared. Our economy is coming back into balance after a year of the Fed trying to choke down a heated economy.
Besides, her policies may never fully come to pass because of checks and balances.
But I am confused. All the economic data you are referring to is on a national scale. Trying to turn it into an individual referendum misses the entire point; it is national in aggregate. Orlando might have a sizzling economic recovery, but that doesn’t mean that Micanopy is riding high. Nor is the data supposed to mean that. It is irrational to try to make an individual situation national. You will always be right and wrong at the same time.
Despite everything I just typed, you might be the one who ends up right on some or all of the issues.
The dude says
And handing out free government funded IVF treatments which start in the $20-30k range will do what exactly?
Ed P says
Or free abortions?……
Robjr says
If you think that “they” were pissed off when Barack got elected,
then wait until Kamala is sitting in the oval office.
Pogo says
@GOP is crazy like a fox
The worshippers of mammon have one God. Justice warriors rush from one mole hill to another, the banner of one identity or another in their vanguard, and die on them all; and the pricks pulling their string laugh out loud, toss their dogs the bones, and sleep untroubled by any what they did — and do.
Maria says
I don’t care if you are a man, woman or not sure of your gender; black, white, brown, orange or any other color; Indian, Asian, or any other culture. What I do care about is voting for the most qualified American Citizen to be the leader of the greatest nation in the world. A leader who can govern literally for the the citizens of the very nation they will represent. A leader who will have the courage and strength to stand their ground when things get hard and will not be intimidated by pressure to make decisions that are politically motivated, but rather in the best interests of the United States. That is how every voter should decide. This is not a popularity contest, this is a vote for our President of the United States, an actual world leader, not a joyful woman or orange man. Vote with intelligence not emotion.
Marlee says
It should be that way but in all reality ….it is a….
popularity contest and the winner has the largest and richest donators.
Lisa says
Maria: Well said. That is why I am NOT voting for Harris.
don miller says
not any stranger than the Dems obsessed romance with homosexuality. Good pi of Emhoff=love first. like he loved his wife and family when he selfishly had an affair with the nanny who got pregnant. no one knows yet what happened to the baby but we know what happened to his marriage. And out the door he went?
Nephew Of Uncle Sam says
Don’t you know, silly the baby went to Ping Pong Pizza.
Nancy N. says
Doug Emhoff isn’t on the ballot but Donald Trump is. If Mr. Trump’s name doesn’t ring a bell, allow me to refresh your memory…he’s the guy recently convicted of 34 felonies he committed while trying to cover up one of his many extra-marital affairs. But sure, let’s talk about the guy whose job if his wife is elected will be to decorate Christmas trees. Because that is obviously more important than an actual candidate with 34 felonies and a history of sleeping with anything he can get his hands on (consensual or not).
The dude says
Did he raw dog a porn star while his wife was at home pregnant, and then get convicted of trying to launder money to cover it up?
Which reminds me, where exactly IS Melania these days?
Laurel says
BillC: And he just might learn “What a terrible web we weave once we practice to deceive.”
No genius weaving going on. Cofefe.
Mike A says
The constant hatred from the Demoncratics is unbelievable