Feminism, Pop-Culture | Posted by Julie Z on 05/26/2009

The Art of Handling Public Affairs: Gloria Allred and Tina Brown on Elizabeth Edwards

I think it’s so easy for feminists to view a relationship in which a man cheats on a woman and say, “Girl, dump his ass.” It’s situations like these that the phrase “easier said than done,” was made for.

John Edwards cheated on Elizabeth Edwards. That’s a fact, it’s done, and at this point I’m not even sure the public should have / needs to have any more say on it. But still, we’re criticizing the way Elizabeth is handling the whole thing. It’s one of those weird moments in society where we take feminist values, then use those to beat down women.

Is she being assertive enough? Is she being a good role model for her children? Is she doing the right thing as a woman?

 Gloria Allred and Tina Brown were both asked on to the today show to combat these issues. Basically: Allred: no right way to react to an affair, but Edwards has the right to do what she needs to do. Brown: not sure why she wrote a book about it as she never took a position on the affair (weak), not a good maternal role model. See it for yourself here.

Good point by Allred: “Maybe if the husbands know that women are willing to speak out about what happened, maybe they’ll think twice before having an affair.” Women who act like doormats will be treated like doormats, got it.

*By the way: priceless description—Gloria Allred “feminist lawyer” – either she practices some new type of law or that’s the most important detail viewers need to know whilst processing what she’s saying.  

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