Hillary Clinton accused Bernie Sanders of sexism. She's not the first one.
Bernie Sanders has said he's proud of his record on women's issues, but his rivals in the Hillary Clinton camp aren't so sure he's the rock solid feminist he claims to be. While the progressive Vermont senator has gone as far as to defend Clinton against sexist attacks, he has recently faced a rash of accusations of being sexist himself.
During the Democratic debate, for example, Sanders accused Clinton of "shouting" about gun control; Clinton later claimed that Sanders' remark was an example of sexist language. Later, Sanders' campaign manager Jeff Weaver joked that, "we're willing to consider [Clinton] for vice president... we'll even interview her," further souring the Sanders campaign in the eyes of feminists. The fact that nearly all of Sanders' top campaign strategists are men also hasn't helped his case.
Clinton and her supporters aren't alone in their accusations, however. Politico recalls that in 1986, when Sanders ran and lost against Madeleine Kunin in the race for Vermont governor, he made a point of suggesting that because his opponent was a woman, that was not a good enough reason to vote for her. "He tried to be more of a feminist than I was to appeal to the women's vote," Kunin told Politico. "I found that very difficult."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sanders also got into hot water when he was running against Diane Gallagher for mayor of Burlington in 1985. "He is setting me up to the rich bitch, the girl with the pearls, Lady Di," Gallagher told the Burlington Free Press at the time.
None of this has escaped feminists keeping watch on the current campaign. "I'm stunned that a man like Bernie Sanders, who has clearly committed his life to making the country a better place, would get sucked into this very dangerous rhetoric, which perpetuates sexist and misogynistic stereotypes," former New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, now a Clinton supporter, told Politico. "The candidate is supposed to set the tone, set the agenda. If Bernie Sanders does not want to be seen as someone who uses sexist language and perpetuates a dangerous sexist stereotype of strong women, then he should tell his people to stop. And if they don't stop, he should fire them."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Inside the house of Assad
The Explainer Bashar al-Assad and his father, Hafez, ruled Syria for more than half a century but how did one family achieve and maintain power?
By The Week UK Published
-
Sudoku medium: December 22, 2024
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Crossword: December 22, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setback
Speed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump case
Speed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdown
Speed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdown
Speed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdown
Speed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorism
Speed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about Bidens
Speed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
South Korea impeaches president, eyes charges
Speed Read Yoon Suk Yeol faces investigations on potential insurrection and abuse of power charges
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published