Althouse: Is it sexist to call a female politician an "empty dress"?

September 6, 2013

Is it sexist to call a female politician an "empty dress"?

The insult "empty dress" brought the unsurprising return insult "sexist."

I'd say, given the long-time insult "empty suit," "empty dress" gets us to equality.

19 comments:

ricpic said...: Sexist is feminism's version of racist: the go to word to shutdown any and all criticism of a woman.; 9/6/13, 9:05 AM
damikesc said...: McCaskill says he used a "sexist smear" against a smart and capable woman.

So, he WASN'T talking about his opponent? Because she is borderline retarded.; 9/6/13, 9:08 AM
damikesc said...: BTW, this is why Republicans fight back with "manufactured rage". Because the Dems aren't going to stop and disarming yourself seems to be stupid.; 9/6/13, 9:10 AM
Scott M said...: Ah, but if you say "empty pants suit" about Hillary, it smacks almost immediate of insult. Not because of the emptiness allegation, but because there's something unsavory about talking about Hillary and pants suits.

Do men wear pants suits? I'd say that's an accurate description of what we wear, but that doesn't seem to carry the same weight of slight.; 9/6/13, 9:30 AM
Strelnikov said...: Who cares so long as it empty. That's what we're looking for in our "leaders", male or female.; 9/6/13, 9:36 AM
Dr Weevil said...: I agree that it's totally non-sexist and the critics are idiots. On the other hand, just because you can call a man a 'stuffed shirt' does not mean you could call a woman a 'stuffed blouse' without being sexist.; 9/6/13, 9:49 AM
Insufficiently Sensitive said...: I'd say, given the long-time insult "empty suit," "empty dress" gets us to equality.

HEAR, HEAR!; 9/6/13, 9:53 AM
Sam L. said...: How about "empty pantsuit"?

If it is, then it's sexist to call a man an "empty suit".; 9/6/13, 9:55 AM
Clyde said...: Jeez! They shouldn't get their panties in a wad over that!

It would have been a lot more insulting to her womanhood if they'd called her an "empty bra."; 9/6/13, 10:18 AM
Michelle Dulak Thomson said...: Except that every female politician I've seen in my lifetime has been wearing a suit.; 9/6/13, 10:39 AM
Anonymous said...: No, there are so many more (important) reasons why we women should be insulted.; 9/6/13, 11:02 AM
Anonymous said...: Hmmm, maybe I should say FEEL insulted. Don't want to encourage any sexists.; 9/6/13, 11:04 AM
William said...: No one would ever call Hillary an empty pants suit. Heh. Heh. Is fat ass-ism a higher form of sexism or an equitable insult. It does seem that fat asses are equitably distributed among the population but that women are made to disproportionately suffer because of fat asses. The fat ass of Ted Kennedy only added to his gravitas.; 9/6/13, 11:08 AM
Kirk Parker said...: "Who cares so long as it empty. That's what we're looking for in our 'leaders', male or female."

You mean like Patty "Osama the Daycare Provide" Murray, she of the empty head? Who our state keeps sending back to the senate [shrinks away cringing in shame...]; 9/6/13, 11:45 AM
Matt Sablan said...: Would it be sexist to say of a leaving female employee that her replacement had big heels to fill?; 9/6/13, 1:19 PM
Crunchy Frog said...: Hmmm, maybe I should say FEEL insulted. Don't want to encourage any sexists.

You shouldn't feel insulted unless you actually are insulted. Putting too much stock in how you feel is how we get disasters like the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Would it be sexist to say of a leaving female employee that her replacement had big heels to fill?

It probably would be sexist to say she had round heels to fill...; 9/6/13, 3:22 PM
Anonymous said...: No, it should be "empty suit" because even if a skirt is involved, women generally wear some form of suit. The male equivalent would be "empty pants" or similar.; 9/6/13, 5:20 PM
SGT Ted said...: I prefer "Stupid Bitch". But I am working class that way.; 9/6/13, 7:54 PM
Soxtory said...: Nicer than "round heels" or "inspector of rich men's ceilings" as was always said of Pamela Harriman.; 9/6/13, 11:45 PM