If This Is Sisterhood, Include Me Out!

I’ve confessed more than once that, while working with stockbrokers, I got into a bad habit of cussing; I believe I’ve referred to it as having slipped into “the sailor’s tongue.” I still indulge it — infrequently, but too often.

Yesterday we were treated to headlines about a particularly foul-mouthed tirade indulged in by a woman named Barbara Morgan, who is apparently Anthony Weiner’s spokesperson.

The Weiner story is for other blogs — I’m not interested it — but someone sent me this piece about Morgan’s apology for her outburst, and I was struck by this:

“In a moment of frustration, I used inappropriate language in what I thought was an off the record conversation,” Ms. Morgan said in a statement. “It was wrong and I am very sorry, which is what I said tonight when I called and emailed Olivia to apologize.”

I applaud Ms. Morgan for acknowledging that she was wrong and actually saying “I’m sorry”, thus avoiding the ersatz “if any offense was taken” apology that has become the political standard.

Still, her statement bothers me because it seems to imply that as long as one is engaging in an off-the-record conversation, it is perfectly fine (or only schoolmarmishly “inappropriate”) for one woman to call another woman every filthy, demeaning name in the book — the kind of deeply offensive names that could ruin a man’s career, if uttered. Good to know.

This is “sisterhood”? This is women self-actualized and “making a difference” in the world because of their uniquely feminine perspectives? If so, it looks like utter crap, to me.

The value of a philosophy can be measured by its product. So often, the product of modern feminism is revealed to be nothing more than women becoming everything they said they hated about men.

A poor product, then. Also good to know.