In the mid 80s a college professor told me a (possibly apocryphal) story about a male student who wrote an essay arguing that women were inherently less rigorous writers- using George Eliot’s work as an example of the epitome of said rigorous male writing that no woman could match.

Where in this piece did the author say Talese should be dis-credited for his early work? In fact she does the opposite, she gives him his due. Does this make him above criticism.

I think I’m doing ok! But thanks!

Okay a couple of things:

*asexually reproduces more delicious cheese in appreciation.

Hi, my name’s Jonathan Franzen and I really don’t see what the uproar is all about.

She told me that she uses facebook to connect with her friends and to see pictures of people’s babies (which, fine) but it doesn’t exist outside of the world in a vacuum—I already censor my potty mouth for her benefit.

I think there’s a bit of a “running with the boys” kind of mentality too - as someone who grew up religious/conservative, you want to prove you’re not one of those whiny feminists and can take whatever is thrown at you. You want to be identified more as a man than as a woman. And you learn to place the ideology over…

Oh for sure they do.

That’s so frustrating. Why is it they don’t seem to mind bothering us with their archaic views, but if we speak up we’re being rude?

The pressure from parents was definitely a huge thing for me. When I turned 18 and registered to vote, I initially registered as an Independent, because I didn’t think I wanted to be a Republican, but knew if I registered Dem my dad would either tease me about being a naive liberal or for some reason be disappointed.

Growing up in a Republican household, this was exactly my situation. I was taught certain things were true, that a certain outlook on the world was the best outlook, and I did want my dad to think well of me. As a child that is influential and some of those concepts still linger.

Because when you’ve been raised all of your life in an environment where you’re told that’s not true and that feminists are evil you tend to believe it. It’s not brain damage, it’s forced ignorance.

I have a black, gay friend who is a Republican. I am like ?????

Where you grow up will have a huge influence on your political views. The internet and leaving your parents house will change the way you think, but those first years of your environment are hard to overcome. If your parents listen to conservative talk radio all the time and only watch Fox News and everyone else’s…

This. I was a registered Republican in my late teen and very early 20s, which is something most people can’t even imagined about me now. I was born and raised in Oklahoma, and everyone around me was a Republican so I assumed I must be too. I just didn’t understand the difference because you just didn’t have many…

Yes, absolutely true for me, and for other women I know in similar situations. That’s part of the “leaving quietly” thing. And I might get flack for it here (“be loud! You’re part of the problem!” Etc) but y’all don’t know my life and I do what I can to try to change the minds of the people around me a little bit at a…

I wonder sometimes if they (previously you?) felt pressure from their dads? Or husbands? or whomever to follow the GOP even though they have so many anti woman policies? And not pressure like “YOU MUST OBEY ME!” but pressure like I don’t want to let him down by disagreeing? I just know that my dad is republican and…

The two loud and proud Trump supporters I know are women. One of them said Trump has a good heart. Girlfriend, he needs to have a heart to even have a good one.

And yet, there are still Republican women. How brain damaged do you have to be to be part of an organization/movement that doesn’t view you as a fully realized human?