2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumHas Rachel ever called her loved one "baby?"
My guess is yes, because it is a very common term of endearment, although admittedly gender neutral, lol. Point being that Bill using the term "girl" is really no different. In fact, when seen in context with his stated admiration of what he saw as her strength and character at such a young age, was really a complement. But, more relevantly, to me at least, it revealed the deep love and tenderness, which has always existed between the two.
As an aside Woodrow Wilson's pet name for his second wife, Efith, was "little girl." This despite the fact that he did help give women the vote.
redstatebluegirl
(12,265 posts)I've been a feminist all of my adult life. To quote someone on the West Wing, " we need to worry about the real battles not the cosmetic ones."
MoonRiver
(36,926 posts)This is despite the fact that I often doggedly argue my points until he concedes or just gives up! Love, tenderness and respect can go together!
artyteacher
(598 posts)Among a lot of other things... Like baby, love, and sometimes birch.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)Not AT ALL. I gave it a half hour last night and grew thoroughly disgusted by rachel, chris and all the rest (Joy Reid was okay but hardly on at all). They are losing viewers left and right (no pun intended) - it could fail as a network at this point and I wouldn't give it a second's thought.
MoonRiver
(36,926 posts)I only know about Rachel's outburst through DU. It' like they are hunting for things to criticize.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)I turned it on after Bill Clinton's speech and the first thing I see is whining about the first half of his speech - when talking about his meeting and courting Hillary. The criticism seemed so small, so petty, I was embarrassed for Rachel. Turned it off and don't think I'll ever turn it on again.
onehandle
(51,122 posts)FSogol
(45,520 posts)Zorro
(15,749 posts)Just call her a "girl".
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)Buchanan. That was years ago.
JustAnotherGen
(31,867 posts)At my husband calling me "Bunny".
PatSeg
(47,567 posts)this morning and I loved it. I actually learned more about Hillary and her very impressive career. I think that was the first moment I started to get excited.
I really like Rachel, but for the first time I swore at the TV when she started on about the whole "girl" thing. I'm sorry, but when people of my generation talk about college students, we are inclined to say "girl" and "boy", as we did back when we were that age. That was the most superficial and totally unnecessary critique I've heard from her. Maybe media people are exposed to too many political speeches and are incapable of seeing how the rest of the world is responding.
Bill Clinton's speech accomplished what is what meant to and did it better than anyone else could. No one can "explain" things better than Bill. Well, maybe Elizabeth Warren.
mythology
(9,527 posts)Her significant other.
I do kind of get her point that in general people are predisposed to using diminutive language for women, and can see the point behind not using the word girl about a college age woman, especially in the context of the speech being about the first woman to be a major party nominee. It's a little different when the audience is millions. But I also refer those women I enter into a romantic relationship with as partner out of respect for the power of language, and my dad being a jerk in referring to my mom (and then his 3rd wife) as his "little albatross" to try to keep her down.
That said in the context of a race against a knuckle dragger like Trump who has a long documented his to of being a misogynistic idiot, it's hard for me to get that offended given that it wasn't intended to be insulting to Clinton as a woman.