On Tuesday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) declared, “Patriarchy has no gender.” This statement, absurd on its face, makes some sense in the right context. However, Ocasio-Cortez was accusing President Donald Trump’s counselor Kellyanne Conway of sexism over her use of the term “catfight.”
Conway had mocked the dispute between Ocasio-Cortez and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Ocasio-Cortez and three other freshman Democratic lawmakers disagreed with Pelosi over a border spending bill, and the spat between Ocasio-Cortez and Pelosi continues to heat up.
Conway mocked that this spat was a “major meow moment” and a “huge catfight.”
“‘Catfight’ is the sexist term Republicans use when two adult women happen to disagree with each other,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “The reason they find it so novel &exciting is bc the GOP haven’t elected enough women themselves to see that it can, in fact, be a normal occurrence in a functioning democracy.”
“Catfight” is the sexist term Republicans use when two adult women happen to disagree with each other.
The reason they find it so novel &exciting is bc the GOP haven’t elected enough women themselves to see that it can, in fact, be a normal occurrence in a functioning democracy. https://t.co/s6eMMmvzrd
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 9, 2019
Fox News contributor Lisa Boothe shot back, “Yes, Kellyanne is sexist towards women. That makes total sense.”
Yes, Kellyanne is sexist towards women. That makes total sense.
— Lisa Boothe (@LisaMarieBoothe) July 9, 2019
At this point, Ocasio-Cortez made the ridiculous statement. “Just when you think all hope is lost, we get a Fox News contributor to realize that patriarchy has no gender,” she tweeted, sharing Boothe’s tweet.
Just when you think all hope is lost, we get a Fox News contributor to realize that patriarchy has no gender 😉 https://t.co/sMCYk6i31I
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 9, 2019
“Patriarchy by definition is gender based,” Boothe shot back.
Patriarchy by definition is gender based. 🤦♀️ pic.twitter.com/D7JxD1o8VG
— Lisa Boothe (@LisaMarieBoothe) July 9, 2019
Technically, patriarchy involves the rule of fathers and the legal dependence of wives upon them. This is not the current situation in America. Since patriarchy is a social organization, the claim that gender is a social construct not necessarily connected to biology does not enable feminists to claim that patriarchy has nothing to do with socially-constructed gender.
Ocasio-Cortez was using the word broadly, referring to sexism in general rather than the social organization where fathers have total control. She later explained, “Being a woman does not mean you’re immune from being bad to women or genderqueer people. Just like being a man doesn’t mean you don’t have a role in the movement for gender equity! We are all in this together.”
(Being a woman does not mean you’re immune from being bad to women or genderqueer people. Just like being a man doesn’t mean you don’t have a role in the movement for gender equity! We are all in this together.)
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 9, 2019
The congresswoman is correct that being a woman does not prevent a woman from being prejudiced against women, but her description of this as “patriarchy has no gender” is absurd on its face.
Conway’s description of the Pelosi-AOC feud as a “catfight” may be insulting. It may even be borderline sexist. But it does not prove the nonsense claim that “patriarchy has no gender.”
An aside: In an instance some have described as racist, Ocasio-Cortez defended Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) nicknaming Conway “distraction Becky.”
Trust me when I say you don’t want to get caught in @AyannaPressley’s righteous fire🔥
Kellyanne is way over her head defending caging children & families in conditions that have killed almost 30 people on her admin’s watch.
She may play games with people’s lives, but we don’t. https://t.co/7LDphWno2J
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 10, 2019
Follow Tyler O’Neil, the author of this article, on Twitter at @Tyler2ONeil.
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