This was originally posted in a longer version on BitchBuzz.com.
I have a problem with the cover of Ms. Magazine’s inauguration issue – just a tiny one though, and I don’t think it’s a crazy conspiracy theory feminist overreaction either.
Obama is posed in a Superman-esque fashion, with the Feminist Majority Foundation’s token t-shirt that reads “THIS IS WHAT A FEMINIST LOOKS LIKE.” Alone, these two things don’t bother me, but together, they’re a little annoying.
Ms. magazine has posed Obama on the cover of this magazine like he’s going to be the savior of the virtually non-existent (and totally unorganized) women’s movement. Which, I think, is a pretty narrow-minded view of feminism on Ms. magazine’s part.
Obama has been hailed as a feminist hero because of his pro-repro health stances, as well as his support for numerous other women’s rights, most importantly the Ledbetter Act.
But really, to me, Obama is a crappy feminist. I mean, sure, compared to Bush, he’s the feminist of the century, but that’s not a fair comparison.
He may support racial and gender equality, but he has almost nothing to say about sexual minorities and their rights – other than striking down Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for Obama… but let’s not jump to conclusions about him just yet.
So Ms. magazine is not only hailing Obama as a feminist hero, but they’re subscribing to a narrow-minded view of feminism that is only about women and their equality with men. Sorry Ms., it’s not 1963 anymore. It’s about more than just gender now, you need to adapt.
Via Jezebel. Image from Ms. Magazine.
Welcome to feministy.com, the website of designer Liz Abinante. I like to design fashionable knitwear garments and accessories for women. I also teach. I'm best known for my original shawl pattern, Traveling Woman. I try to design each pattern with multiple options so knitters can use a different yarn, gauge, or needle to create the project of their dreams. 
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Well, you’re definitely making my 32-year-old self feel old. So I took a while to think about this before commenting, but no, I have to argue with it. What makes you think hiring 20-something editors would be such a great idea?
I haven’t read Ms in years – it’s quite hard to track down in the UK and I didn’t love it enough to subscribe – but last time I did, they were in fact looking for young columnists. Has that stopped? I think 20-something contributors definitely do have something to add to the magazine; but such young editors, well, not necessarily. Editing is a hard job where a solid dose of experience is pretty vital, for all kinds of reasons. Sure, there may be some people who are absolutely able to fill the role by age 25, but they’re not that abundant; making age a major factor in a hiring decision would probably not be productive.
And more importantly, if your concern is that Ms should be reflecting current debates and issues, that shouldn’t have anything to do with age. I wouldn’t trust a 25-year-old to have any more of a handle on the big issues, the contemporary perspective, than a 65-year-old. In both cases their age might be a handicap in some respects, a benefit in others.
Robynns last blog post..So hard to let go. So hard.