Life

Is It Sexist To Criticize Chelsea Clinton’s Children’s Book?

Chelsea Clinton at a November 2016 rally. Image by Getty Images

By Phoebe Maltz Bovy March 22, 2017

Chelsea Clinton has a new children’s book coming out, titled “She Persisted: 13 American Women who Changed the World.” Is this development is a positive sign of feminist #Resistance, or a groan-inducing example of a version of feminism aimed primarily at improving the lot of women who are already doing great? Does feminism demand congratulating Chelsea for each accomplishment? Or is it enough — and here’s where I stand — to refrain from berating her for being born a woman and a Clinton?

Teen Vogue ran a piece by De Elizabeth, headlined “Haters Are Going After Chelsea Clinton and Her New Book, ‘She Persisted,’” which divides response to Chelsea’s book (and to her newly-announced spot on Expedia’s board of directors) between the enthusiastic and the sexist: “While many responses to her recent dual accomplishments have been positive and supportive, there have, unfortunately, been misogynist and eyebrow-raising reactions among the praise.”

The examples of criticism Elizabeth cites — mostly coming from journalists — are indeed unpleasant: Matt Stoller, for instance, tweeted, “Oh cool. Chelsea Clinton is writing a children’s book called ‘I’m a lost soul with no idea how to use my insanely undeserved wealth/power.’” The responses in question are hardly the most vile sexism the internet has produced, but I would argue that they do hold Chelsea to a standard above and beyond what’s faced by men from well-connected families. (Remember that Canada’s beloved Justin Trudeau is the son of another Canadian prime minister.) Elizabeth notes that “a number of tweets even suggest that, as the daughter of a president and a presidential nominee, she doesn’t truly understand what it’s like to face adversity.” Elizabeth cites a tweet by Josh Barro that reads, “Chelsea Clinton wants you to know you can thrive even if only one of your parents was president.” This strikes me as at once a cleverly-phrased quip and… a silly point, as Chelsea’s book isn’t pretending to be an autobiography.

That said, there’s also a legitimate critique of the book’s existence, one it would be wrong to attribute to sexism. I’m thinking of Alex Shephard’s reaction in the New Republic:

Chelsea Clinton was not the person who was silenced by Mitch McConnell on the Senate floor, and if the mystery cameo is from Hillary Clinton and not Elizabeth Warren — who was the actual person who persisted! — then this project only becomes weirder. Regardless, this book’s profile will be raised by Warren’s speech and Clinton’s election defeat, neither of which really have to do with Chelsea Clinton.

It’s clear that Shephard’s objection isn’t to a woman feeling entitled to the public eye, but to the specifics of the situation.

Feminism doesn’t demand enthusiasm for Chelsea Clinton — for her children’s book, or for any future political ambitions on her part. Feminism does, however, require paying attention to our cultural tendency to be far more harsh to women born with silver spoons in their mouths than to their male equivalents. It’s fine — helpful, even! — to be skeptical of nepotism, particularly of the One Percent variety, as long as you’re similarly wary when sons of the elite are its beneficiaries.

Phoebe Maltz Bovy edits the Sisterhood, and can be reached at bovy@forward.com. She is the author of The Perils of “Privilege”, from St. Martin’s Press.

Phoebe Maltz Bovy is a former editor of the Sisterhood blog at the Forward. Her writing has appeared in several publications, including The New Republic and The Atlantic. Her book, “The Perils of ‘Privilege,’” was published by St. Martin’s Press in March 2017. She has a PhD in French and French Studies from New York University, and has read a lot of 19th century French Jewish newspapers for a 21st century American.

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