Thank you ArleneMach, Laura Grossman, Ann Kramer, Carol Jack, Patty Menke, and many others for tuning into my conversation with Nina Burleigh of American Freakshow.
Thank you Steve and listeners/viewers. I appreciate all thoughts tips and suggestions as I am starting work on a book about the right wing women who have made themselves camera-ready for Trump and Louboutin'ed their way up the power structure, becoming some of the most empowered women in America while publicly supporting a movement that seeks to dis-empower women.
I think in couch terms, this is called 'external referencing' and care what others think of them, not what they think of themselves. A destructive behavior leftover from puberty and springing from whether or not a kid has solid self esteem. Check out 'Bastard out of Carolina' by Dorothy Allison for cause and effect of this behavior...
What about stilettos, which I have for years called “the tools of the oppressor”. Another woman once said to me that I needed to buy a pair of “Come f _ _ k me” shoes, by which she meant stilettos like hers as I was wearing sandals.
I wrote a lot about “the shoe” in my book about the Trump women, and this article I wrote about Melania’s favorite shoes received some of the most ferocious pushback I’ve ever received. Like the Mar a Lago face, self-hobbling is part of the deal they cut for access and acceptance. https://www.newsweek.com/trump-melania-trump-ivanka-trump-first-lady-stiletto-649286
Terrific article. Luckily I came to adulthood when stilettos were out of style although I did buy a pair to wear to a wedding, in the early 80s, during which I was in excruciating pain. I have no clue why women wear them although my guess is that they believe the shoes make them look sexy, which brings up the whole ridiculous belief that women must “have” a man in order to believe she’s worthwhile. We’re crippled more than merely physically because of that belief.
Just wondering if you’ve heard the ads for the apps that let women know when they’re ovulating. If that’s not Gilead, I don’t know what is.
As a woman I agree with Steve, you canʻt believe everyone whether male or female. Itʻs unfortunate that this has become a political issue that you "must believe" all women. There is no simple solution to this unless everyone starts wearing a body cam at all times. However people have histories. I was involved adjudicating cases of harassment and 9 times out of 10 the individuals who were not truthful had a history of untruthfulness in unrelated situations. Itʻs not a cure-all for sure but its a place to start. For example E Jean Carroll did not have a history of being untruthful. She was believed, which was appropriate.
I’m from Iowa, I don’t know anyone nor do I see anyone around here who’s ever had any work done….normal women in general look at them as freaks, to be honest
Wow. Incredible to see two intelligent knowledgeable people like you and Nina talking about gender issues, beauty, aging, etc., that are normally verboten to talk about. Thank you so much!
They each wear a mask of power that covers their incompetence. Competent people in power need only to look like themselves. Those choosing self-mutilation may have been granted authority, but wield it only as bullies, not leaders. It's all they know. So their power is a bully's power -- it's only effective if you give them that power over you.
I've noticed the MAGA women are all fashioned to look like Melania. MAGA is a cult, it operates like any high-control group, and a typical demand of the women in any cultish group is that they must adhere to the cult leader's beauty standard. We saw it with Warren Jeffs and the FLDS, where the women all wore pastel prairie dresses and styled their hair in the same bizarre "pouff." We saw it in NXIVM and Keith Raneire's "lollipop women" -- anorexic, stick thin, so their heads become proportionally huge, with long straight hair. Even Roger Ailes' women all looked the same: helmet hair, jewel-tone tight dresses. This is cultish behavior.
These women are an embarrassment to all women. We have a new young local newscaster who has lips that are literally comical and cheeks that overwhelm her entire body. She obviously is taking a weight loss drug and now is a skeleton with this plumped up face. Yes, totally comical, nay, SAD.
From this "normal" woman's point of view, those MAGA women are variations of the "The Stepford Wives" and look like freaks! On the one hand, it’s sad to see what some of these externally beautiful women have done to themselves. On the other hand, now their external selves match their hideous internal selves.
The Mara Lago face! I am so sick of seeing women falling so low, lacking self-reliance and confidence. Unfortunately, I have seen this influence on women of all ages who appear to want acceptance and love.
I hate to see this ilk of women voluntarily give up rights for all women. We fought too hard for the limited equality we currently have.
Fascinating talk. My sister and I were both part of the hippie counterculture. We do stuff to fight gravity but perhaps we have inherited genes which make us look younger than we are. That’s really just luck. Never ever did we think that we would take a giant step backward to the 1950s mentality. Laura Loomer and her cohorts look like drag queens. The 60s counterculture was a rejection of narrow-minded attitudes about the roles of men and women. The “cultural revolution” was brought about largely through the consumption of psychedelics—mind-expanding drugs. I find myself fantasizing about dosing the lot of the MAGA elete. For instance, the Nazi-like rally at MSG in Manhattan before the election would have been a great place to do this. All that hatred, the notion that they are different from others? That shit would go by the wayside in a matter of hours. One look in the mirror would send them screaming into the night...
When this discussion comes up I'm always reminded of that quote from the film "The Women" -- the remake, not the Claire Booth Luce original. It's a terrible film but I found this nugget, spoken by Candace Bergen's character, to explain why she stayed with her philandering husband: "I wanted things, and it was easier to get status through your father than to go out and fight for it myself."
I think that beautifully explains so many of these MAGA women and "trad wives."
Trump’s ascendance and the legislated restriction on women’s bodily autonomy together reinstituted the ages-old transactional model as a viable path for many women.
Thank you Steve and listeners/viewers. I appreciate all thoughts tips and suggestions as I am starting work on a book about the right wing women who have made themselves camera-ready for Trump and Louboutin'ed their way up the power structure, becoming some of the most empowered women in America while publicly supporting a movement that seeks to dis-empower women.
The whole aesthetic is creepy
When you see the transformation of someone like Susan Dell, you wonder why they didn't use their money on better advice.
Classic example of how money doesn't guarantee happiness or security for women. Maybe for anyone.
god awful...i could have done a better job with an angle grinder and play doh
I think in couch terms, this is called 'external referencing' and care what others think of them, not what they think of themselves. A destructive behavior leftover from puberty and springing from whether or not a kid has solid self esteem. Check out 'Bastard out of Carolina' by Dorothy Allison for cause and effect of this behavior...
What about stilettos, which I have for years called “the tools of the oppressor”. Another woman once said to me that I needed to buy a pair of “Come f _ _ k me” shoes, by which she meant stilettos like hers as I was wearing sandals.
I wrote a lot about “the shoe” in my book about the Trump women, and this article I wrote about Melania’s favorite shoes received some of the most ferocious pushback I’ve ever received. Like the Mar a Lago face, self-hobbling is part of the deal they cut for access and acceptance. https://www.newsweek.com/trump-melania-trump-ivanka-trump-first-lady-stiletto-649286
Terrific article. Luckily I came to adulthood when stilettos were out of style although I did buy a pair to wear to a wedding, in the early 80s, during which I was in excruciating pain. I have no clue why women wear them although my guess is that they believe the shoes make them look sexy, which brings up the whole ridiculous belief that women must “have” a man in order to believe she’s worthwhile. We’re crippled more than merely physically because of that belief.
Just wondering if you’ve heard the ads for the apps that let women know when they’re ovulating. If that’s not Gilead, I don’t know what is.
Yes. Peter thiels company .. a “pronatalist” man. Who thinks Greta Thunberg is the antichrist.
As a woman I agree with Steve, you canʻt believe everyone whether male or female. Itʻs unfortunate that this has become a political issue that you "must believe" all women. There is no simple solution to this unless everyone starts wearing a body cam at all times. However people have histories. I was involved adjudicating cases of harassment and 9 times out of 10 the individuals who were not truthful had a history of untruthfulness in unrelated situations. Itʻs not a cure-all for sure but its a place to start. For example E Jean Carroll did not have a history of being untruthful. She was believed, which was appropriate.
Anti aging is a major impetus. The aged are also devalued in this USA.
But they are not empowered! They are hurting other women and are downright ugly outside and inside.
I’m from Iowa, I don’t know anyone nor do I see anyone around here who’s ever had any work done….normal women in general look at them as freaks, to be honest
I joke about the trend of women with those injected huge, puffy lips needing a hammock to hold them up.
😂
Wow. Incredible to see two intelligent knowledgeable people like you and Nina talking about gender issues, beauty, aging, etc., that are normally verboten to talk about. Thank you so much!
They each wear a mask of power that covers their incompetence. Competent people in power need only to look like themselves. Those choosing self-mutilation may have been granted authority, but wield it only as bullies, not leaders. It's all they know. So their power is a bully's power -- it's only effective if you give them that power over you.
And by the way, you both are very attractive!! Love seeing your natural faces!!
I've noticed the MAGA women are all fashioned to look like Melania. MAGA is a cult, it operates like any high-control group, and a typical demand of the women in any cultish group is that they must adhere to the cult leader's beauty standard. We saw it with Warren Jeffs and the FLDS, where the women all wore pastel prairie dresses and styled their hair in the same bizarre "pouff." We saw it in NXIVM and Keith Raneire's "lollipop women" -- anorexic, stick thin, so their heads become proportionally huge, with long straight hair. Even Roger Ailes' women all looked the same: helmet hair, jewel-tone tight dresses. This is cultish behavior.
Thanks for the reminder about Rainiere. YEs, there is something of that happening here too.
These women are an embarrassment to all women. We have a new young local newscaster who has lips that are literally comical and cheeks that overwhelm her entire body. She obviously is taking a weight loss drug and now is a skeleton with this plumped up face. Yes, totally comical, nay, SAD.
From this "normal" woman's point of view, those MAGA women are variations of the "The Stepford Wives" and look like freaks! On the one hand, it’s sad to see what some of these externally beautiful women have done to themselves. On the other hand, now their external selves match their hideous internal selves.
The Mara Lago face! I am so sick of seeing women falling so low, lacking self-reliance and confidence. Unfortunately, I have seen this influence on women of all ages who appear to want acceptance and love.
I hate to see this ilk of women voluntarily give up rights for all women. We fought too hard for the limited equality we currently have.
Fascinating talk. My sister and I were both part of the hippie counterculture. We do stuff to fight gravity but perhaps we have inherited genes which make us look younger than we are. That’s really just luck. Never ever did we think that we would take a giant step backward to the 1950s mentality. Laura Loomer and her cohorts look like drag queens. The 60s counterculture was a rejection of narrow-minded attitudes about the roles of men and women. The “cultural revolution” was brought about largely through the consumption of psychedelics—mind-expanding drugs. I find myself fantasizing about dosing the lot of the MAGA elete. For instance, the Nazi-like rally at MSG in Manhattan before the election would have been a great place to do this. All that hatred, the notion that they are different from others? That shit would go by the wayside in a matter of hours. One look in the mirror would send them screaming into the night...
Do you ever think about how the beneficiaries of the hard fought gains of the movement are these empowered anti feminist women?
When this discussion comes up I'm always reminded of that quote from the film "The Women" -- the remake, not the Claire Booth Luce original. It's a terrible film but I found this nugget, spoken by Candace Bergen's character, to explain why she stayed with her philandering husband: "I wanted things, and it was easier to get status through your father than to go out and fight for it myself."
I think that beautifully explains so many of these MAGA women and "trad wives."
Trump’s ascendance and the legislated restriction on women’s bodily autonomy together reinstituted the ages-old transactional model as a viable path for many women.
Hypocrites all