Op-Ed: Are We In A New Age Of Feminism?

I'm not a hockey mom. Does that make me less of a woman? I believe in pro-choice. Does that make me on the wrong side? I think all women have the right to choose between work, home or both. I work mostly in. Does that take me out of the feminism movement?

Sarah Palin is not challenging the ideals of being a feminist out loud but public perspective seems to be changing. As a whole Republicans haven't been pro woman. Could they still be the party that puts a woman into a top position? Editorials are springing up all over the World Wide Web on the matter of feminism. More to the point on if Sarah Palin is or isn't and if in the last couple of weeks everything we knew has changed. Is the new feminist a woman with traditional leanings? One who doesn't believe in the freedom of choice? Palin is anti-abortion. Her daughter is pregnant. She's 17. Palin says she's proud of her daughter's choice to keep the baby and marry the father. But in reality if McCain-Palin win the election will other teen mothers have a choice? Will they have to have a baby and find a way to support that child without a safety net of wealth from their families? Jessica Valenti writes in The Guardian:

Ann Friedman, deputy editor of the American Prospect, wrote: "In picking Palin, Republicans are lending credence to the sexist assumption that women voters are too stupid to investigate or care about the issues, and merely want to vote for someone who looks like them ... McCain has turned the idea of the first woman in the White House from a true moment of change to an empty pander."

Is the underlining tone of this campaign sexist from here on in? Does that over rule the need for the public to understand the issues? As the SF Gate reports:

Camposano said women need to stay with issues and not get distracted by such media-created controversies.

"We're going to quickly grow weary of the accusations of sexism," she said. "Women know when they've been attacked ... and when it was questioned if (Palin) could be a good mother, that was sexism.

"But is it sexism to use these kinds of stupid phrases? It's troubling we're talking about 'lipstick on a pig' over whether Sarah Palin has any capability to bring wage equality and in ensuring health care for children and child care programs for women who work.

"It's about where she stands on the issues," said Camposano. "There, we have a real opportunity to debate."

Is Palin right for America? It depends on where you stand on women's rights issues, gun laws, the environment, the war and all of the other serious issues of this campaign. But for the time being we will be having to hear about feminism and sexism. Hopefully by the time the election gets here we can get down to the meat of the matter. If the ball is batted to Palin could she take the helm of the nation? Is the McCain-Palin ticket better for the American people than the Obama-Biden ticket?