Women and the Tea Party

She is a mother of five, a beauty pageant queen, a hunter, a fisherman, the first female governor of Alaska, and absolutely gorgeous. Ever since Sarah Palin first stepped onto the national stage as a conservative female voice, her very existence has irked liberals on a level never seen before. Was it her fabulous style, her strong sense of self, or her hockey mom reputation that got under their skin the most? Although it is difficult to pinpoint exactly why Sarah and her family were utilized as a punching bag for liberal comedians, reporters, and bloggers, it is clear that conservative women felt the impact of the punches as if they were Sarah Palin themselves. 

For decades conservative women have been made to feel like they have no place in the modern political scene. Either you are an old, white, homophobic man in the G.O.P. or a liberal, pro-choice, pro-welfare Democrat. If you are a woman and do not fit into either of those categories, then you are out of luck. If you do not support Hillary Clinton, please sit down. They will break the glass ceiling without you since you believe in oppressing women. If you are not an enthusiast of Planned Parenthood, then step aside. You are against a woman’s right to control her own body. If you do not support socialized healthcare, watch out! You are a threat to helpless, sick children everywhere. How dare you!

Yes, conservative women have been made to feel highly uncomfortable for their political convictions.  They have even been left out of the one political movement that is all about women – feminism. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines feminism as “the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes” and “organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests.” Notice that nowhere in the definition does it say “liberal.” Nevertheless, liberal women have swept up the entire movement from right under our heels. Take the National Organization for Women (sounds bipartisan, right?), for example. NOW, which happens to be the largest organization of feminist advocates in the U.S., utilizes its website to push issues such as abortion and welfare. This could be confusing to those who did not see “liberal” written in magic ink in front of the word “women” in the organization’s title. Organizations like NOW only add to the erroneous belief that only liberal ideology could ever promote equality of the sexes and women’s rights and interests. If you Google “feminist conservatives” the first result is “Conservative Feminism: An oxymoron?” Need I say more?

So, if conservative women are not even welcome in the one movement that is all about women, then what’s left? While the Republican Party seems like the obvious choice, conservative women are not convinced. Could the fact that only 21 out of 535 seats in Congress are filled by Republican women have anything to do with it? How about the fact that there are only four female Republican governors? Maybe when George W. Bush signed the Partial Birth Abortion Act of 2003 with nine men standing behind him and zero women on the stage, conservative women were rubbed the wrong way. How about the time President Bush signed the Trouble Asset Relief Program, which would guarantee to leave our children with insurmountable debt? Whatever the reason, conservative women have felt more and more distant from the Republican Party for years. This might explain why a Gallup Poll from 2009 showed that only 27% of women identify themselves as Republicans. 

When Sarah Palin was chosen as John McCain’s running mate for the 2008 election, it seemed as if there was a glimmer of hope for conservative women everywhere. Finally, there was a strong conservative voice on the front line that women could relate to! After Republicans lost the 2008 election, many were left to wonder what was going to happen to the conservative female voice that had barely begun to make an appearance. Stacy Mott, a proud conservative, decided that she had had enough and created a blog called Smart Girl Politics. The blog instantly blew up and turned into a must see page for conservative women everywhere. Rebecca Wales, a spokeswoman for Smart Girl Politics, told Politico “For years, it has been the liberal women who have organized and been staunch grass-roots and policy advocates. No longer is it only the liberals. Conservative women have found their voices and are using them, actively and loudly.” In fact, Smart Girl Politics has been so successful that an annual Smart Girl Summit has erupted in D.C., which features speeches from conservative women such as Liz Cheney and Michelle Malkin over a two-day period. 

Closer to home, Hoosiers Mock and Daisy started the site Chicks on the Right after they “realized that this country is being taken in a completely wack direction by liberal Democrats.” Determined to give conservatism a makeover, the Chicks write about everything from how the Coffee Party makes them giggle to how “McBotox” – more commonly known as Nancy Pelosi – likes to hear herself talk. The site provides an excellent source of news for conservatives who welcome a touch of spunky commentary to brighten the recent political shenanigans.

 There is no need for the Republican Party or the Feminist Movement. Sites such as these have become tremendous sources for conservative women not only to catch up on news, but also to connect with other conservative women. After decades of feeling like they were being told to sit down and shut up, conservative women are finally speaking out. 

This enthusiasm might explain why when the Tea Parties rolled around in 2009, its male GOP reputation was quickly squashed – by Louboutins at that! In fact, a poll released by Quinnipiac University reveals that women could make up as much as 55% of the Tea Party movement. This comes as no surprise to those who regularly attend these events. Although there are no clear leaders, Sarah Palin and Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann have both been unapologetic advocates for the movement. In addition, Tea Party principles such as less government spending, no socialized healthcare, and no government bailouts have struck a chord with conservative women who will no longer accept being disregarded. Although it is unknown what will come of the new conservative female voice, it is clear that conservative women everywhere have a newfound channel for expressing themselves and truly influencing the political and social direction of our country.