If Gillibrand is automatically disqualified because she called on Franken to resign...

[athena]

149. Being female is no defense.

If women couldn’t be sexist, we would be living under President Clinton. Whenever someone argues that a woman can’t be sexist, they reveal how little they’ve studied or thought about sexism.

Moreover, the argument “I would vote for such and such other woman in a heartbeat” is an empty defense, since it is by definition unprovable. We heard it from the hundreds of DUers who claimed in 2016 that they would vote for Warren “in a heartbeat” but couldn’t bring themselves to support HRC. The same people are now claiming that Warren is too old, not exciting enough, and “lacks energy”.

We all have to fight societally learned tendencies toward sexism, racism, and other forms of bigotry. It’s the person who assumes s/he is by definition not bigoted who ends up unwittingly perpetuating bigoted attitudes. Calling a female politician an “opportunist” is one such attitude. It’s hard to argue that that’s not sexist. And my opinion doesn’t matter. What matters is the truth, and it should concern you more than anyone else.