I had a genuine question recently: In what sense is Sarah Palin a feminist?  In what sense does she work to support the rights of women?  No one was able to answer that question.  Telling, no?

I did some digging, and here is what I have learned: Sarah Palin's feminist theory has two planks:

1.    Vote Republican!
2.    Overturn Roe V. Wade and make abortion illegal

To give her credit, Palin talks a good talk.  She uses phrases like "Moms just know."  Empty meaningless jingoist phrases which may as well be hawking peanut butter or breakfast cereal.  But when you get right down to it, you've got those two things.  Vote Republican; down with abortion.

I find this interesting, because I can easily picture Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck saying those very things.  In fact, they totally do.  But neither of them would have the guts to call themselves feminists.  You know why?  Because those two things are not feminist.

The first thing - a sort of conservative Get Out The Vote - is just a thing.  Vote for me!  Why?  Because I said so, that's why!

I support Palin in this.  It is good for people to vote.  Too many people do not vote.  Everyone should vote, even if I don't agree with them.  I am in favor of people voting.  I want to go on record as saying that.  Voting: good.

Then we get to the abortion thing.  Even though reproductive freedom is a feminist ideal which supports the right of a woman to choose what happens inside her uterus, Palin is against it.  But she still calls herself a feminist.  Wow!  My head hurts on her behalf.

Here, Palin falls back on that old saw: you're either in favor of babies, or you want to KILL THEM ALL.  You wouldn't think people would believe that anyone really wants to KILL ALL THE BABIES.  But you would be wrong.  A surprising number of people fall for this line of rhetoric.  I think they are people who watch too much television, people whose beliefs are too informed by fiction.  People who, in a nutshell, don't get out enough.

In a speech recently, Palin painted traditional (i.e. real) feminists as insisting that all women get abortions.  "[They] send this message, that 'Nope, you're not capable of doing both. You can't give your child life and still pursue career and education. You're not strong enough; you're not capable.' So it's very hypocritical."

This rings a bell with conservative crowds, who always feel like liberals are patronizing and controlling.  In other words, with people who confuse a political party with their own parents.  Well here's the thing: I'm not your mom.  You have no beef with me.  Please set aside that emotional baggage, won't you?

Palin, who is so quick to throw around the word "freedom," has only one goal with this feminist thing: to restrict women's freedom.  In other words, instead of encouraging mama grizzlies to stand up on their hind legs and roar, Palin wants to leash them.

Photo credit: Flickr/Cain and Todd Benson