| This year's Presidential and Vice-Presidential election | | | | feminists - than from conservatives. The position on |
| spotlights the important contributions made by | | | | women's rights and opportunities seems to have |
| women in our society - be they single or married, | | | | flipped as far as this issue is concerned. Some of the |
| mothers or not, young or old, rich or poor, from big | | | | most liberal feminists contend that Sarah Palin should |
| cities or small towns, in high-powered careers or | | | | not be on the ticket whereas conservatives declare |
| down-to-earth jobs. The women in this election | | | | she can balance her family responsibilities along with |
| season are as exciting and controversial as any male | | | | one of the most important jobs in the federal |
| candidates have ever been. Each has found her own | | | | executive branch. These kinds of questions have not |
| unique equilibrium between the passion she | | | | been raised when a father of five takes on |
| contributes to her chosen career and the love she | | | | enormous challenges in his work life, even today |
| bestows on her family. Of course, the woman who | | | | when fathers are more involved in the daily lives of |
| has initiated the most discussion about this balance is | | | | their children. Is this a double standard or justified by |
| Republican Vice-Presidential nominee, 44-year old | | | | the reality of family needs? Do women face unique |
| Governor Sarah Palin. Palin has been combining a | | | | pulls when they become wives and mothers? What |
| political career with motherhood for the past 16 | | | | voters need today is not a criticism of her personal |
| years. Now with five children, her candidacy brings to | | | | story but a discussion of the real policy differences |
| the forefront the continuing struggles of working | | | | between Sarah Palin and the other candidates. Tina |
| mothers. Those struggles are not just internal but | | | | Fey's impersonation of her on Saturday Night Live |
| also for acceptance with society as a whole - and | | | | brought more viewers to that show than have tuned |
| women in particular. Sarah Palin symbolizes different | | | | in for many years. With Fey as Governor Palin and |
| things to different women. To some she is the | | | | Amy Poehler as Senator Hillary Clinton, the sketch |
| ultimate ceiling breaker, the first woman on a | | | | featured the women joining together to attack |
| Republican Vice-Presidential ticket. In her acceptance | | | | sexism in the election, even as they demonstrated |
| speech at the convention, Palin said of her place on | | | | the dissimilarity in political beliefs and positions. |
| the Republican ticket it proved that, "Every woman | | | | Sandwiched Boomer women are looking for role |
| can walk through every door of opportunity." She | | | | models today as they juggle career and family - and |
| was poised and comfortable - a natural - as she | | | | wondering what direction the fight for women's |
| stepped into the spotlight of history, a woman | | | | rights will take now and in the future. Governor Palin, |
| showing her toughness, yet with a smile. At the | | | | an unlikely kind of feminist, has shown that she is |
| same time, she positioned herself as a typical mother | | | | willing to get into the trenches and join the fight for |
| acknowledging, "Our family has the same ups and | | | | herself, her party and her sex. Let's judge her |
| downs as others." But, just as a double standard is | | | | credentials on their merits and her positions on their |
| often applied to them, not all women themselves | | | | credibility - not on her status as a woman. © |
| agree that she is the right choice. For these, she | | | | 2008, Her Mentor Center |
| embodies the ultimate contradiction between family | | | | Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. and Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. |
| values and personal ambition. They wonder out loud if | | | | are founders of a website for midlife women and a |
| she can adequately mother her children while carrying | | | | Blog for the Sandwich Generation. They are authors |
| on the national responsibilities required of a | | | | of a forthcoming book about Baby Boomers and |
| Vice-President. But is this argument anti-feminist? | | | | family relationships. They offer free newsletter |
| Interestingly, due to Governor Palin's political beliefs, | | | | Stepping Stones. |
| the rhetoric comes more from liberals - traditionally | | | | |