Palin and the Possesed Uterus
Posted by realityrounds on July 6, 2009
If a woman in a position of power crashes and burns, do we have to blame it on her uterus? The ancient Greeks named a mental illness after our beloved uteri, which is the word hysterical, with the root meaning uterus. How convenient it is for men who feel threatened by a woman to label her with a mental illness, especially an illness specific to femininity.
Thanks to Rachel over at Women’s Health News for bringing a certain Vanity Fair article to light that insinuated that part of the reason Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin performed so badly during the 2008 presidential campaign, was because she may have been suffering from Postpartum Depression. (If you recall, Gov. Palin had delivered her fifth child just 5 months before beginning the campaign). I have some major gripes about Palin, but they are legitimate ones. Gripes I will refrain from typing since this aint no political blog. My fingers are burning though.
Accusing Sarah Palin of suffering from Postpartum Depression is sexist. Period. The next time a male political figure acts like a goof and bumbles through interviews, I dare the pundits to say he was distracted with jock itch, or male patterned baldness, or Male Postpartum Depression, yeah that’s the ticket.
RR
takingheart said
That is no different than when my husband (earlier in our marriage) used to ask me if I was on my period when he was losing an argument. Steam would come out of my ears.
We were married ten years ago on the fourth… he’s trained now. lol.
pinky said
That reminds me, my spouse used to stop in the middle of an argument, pop into the cabinet where we kept medications and look at my pill schedule to see if I was close to my period. He has since stopped. It only served to piss me off more. It was as if my gripe had no real sustance because I was probaby PMSing.
midwest woman said
Just playing devil’s advocate here but do you think that post partum depression is a valid diagnosis? Hormones and women have always been problematic. Look at Yaz advertised for premenstrual dysphoria (paraphrasing here) severe enough to interfere with daily life. This product paints women as victims of their hormones but apparently there is a market and demand for this stuff.
Any thoughts?
realityrounds said
I do think postpartum depression is a valid diagnosis if made by a doctor or midwife who knows how to diagnose it. There is a spectrum of depression after pregnancy: postpartum blues (normal and all most all women get it), postpartum depression (severe and alters the woman’s activities of daily living. Often requires medications) and postpartum psychosis (this is where the mom may kill herself and/or her children. Obviously, very serious).
Aron said
The problem is it’s not a valid diagnosis when made by a gossip monger in a fashion magazine speculating about a person’s private medical/mental health. If Gov. Palin’s personal doctor has made such a diagnosis, and determined that she was still experiencing PPD during her campaign, AND she has chosen to make that information public then MAYBE we could speculate as to whether that disease impacted her political performance.
Akiko said
Heck, Palins’ personal OB never said she actually gave birth to that child either. Post Partum Depression would have made her unable to get out of bed, unable to function, crying jags, thoughts of hopelessness. It would not have made her say goofy things and give bad interviews. The “reporter” knows nothing about PPD.
maha said
I hate HATE the way hormones are always thrown into the mix anytime a woman is not perfectly pleasant and docile. Of course when a guy acts out, something must be provoking him, but if women act out, well, they’re just moody creatures! *pausing to let anger simmer down*
Interestingly enough, in reading about female leaders from other parts of the world (Turkey, India, Pakistan for example), I haven’t really come across media references to PMS and PPD – yet.