In Thirty Ways of Looking at Hillary: Reflections by Women Writers, Deborah Tannen* brings us entry #105 in Hillary Sexism Watch**:

All human relations pivot on two dimensions: on one hand, closeness/distance, and on the other, hierarchy. We ask of every encounter: Does this bring us closer or push us apart? And also: Does this put me in a one-up or a one-down position? Researchers in my field [linguistics] refer to these dimensions as solidarity and power. You can see them at work in forms of address. If you call others by their first names, you’re exercising solidarity, bringing them closer; using their titles and their last names creates distance. But forms of address also operate on the hierarchy dimension, especially if they’re asymmetrical. Calling people by their first names can indicate their lack of power, as with children and workers in service roles. Addressing someone as Mr., Ms., or Dr. can indicate either formality or the fact that they are above you on the social ladder and, hence, more powerful. This constitutes another double bind, and it brings us back to Hillary.

Why, we might ask, do we refer to Hillary as Hillary? Women are far more often referred to by their first names than are men in similar roles. This is partly because people tend to feel more comfortable with women and find them less intimidating. For a political candidate, that’s a good thing. But being referred to by a first name is also the result, and simultaneously the cause, of women commanding less respect. During the Democratic primary campaign debates, Hillary shared the stage with Kucinich, Edwards, Biden, Richardson, Dodd, and Obama - not Dennis, John, Joe, Bill, Christopher, and Barack. Of course, one obvious reason that Hillary is Hillary to us is that she shares her last name with the other famous Clinton (a choice, recall, that was pressed upon her). Another is that her name is unusual and therefore more recognizable than, say, Susan or Mary. But the name Barack is even more unusual.

If you look back through the archives, it’s plainly obvious that I alternate between referring to Ms. Clinton as “Hillary” and “Clinton”, but very rarely use first names in reference to the male candidates. Barack Obama is usually just “Obama” - even though, as Tannen points out, “Barack” is at least recognizable as “Hillary”.

Given the misogyny directed Clinton (see, for example: “she-devil”, “robot”, “cold”, “calculated”, “Sister Frigidaire”, etc.), I don’t think most people call Hillary “Hillary” because they’re overcome with warm fuzzy wuzzies and want to be one with her. (Her supporters, perhaps, but her detractors? Not so much.) Rather, in many cases I think it’s more likely that “power” (vs. “solidarity”) is the operating principle: it’s a way of infantilizing her, taking the ball-buster down a peg, cutting off another uppity bitch’s feet. Hillary doesn’t seem as powerful, as intimating, when she’s just “Hillary” - as opposed to “Mrs. Clinton” or even (gawd forbid!) “Hillary Rodham Clinton”. And what with all the jokes about castration, I think it’s more than safe to say that a good number of men feel threatened by her, some subconsciously, others more obviously so.

So what does it say of me, that I address Clinton by her first name while addressing most others by their surnames? Probably that I’ve internalized so much misogyny over my thirty years that I’m still trying to shake it off. I want to be a radfem blamer, dammit, but I’ve received the same socialization as the dudez over at the Daily Kos!

* See: “The Double Bind: The damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t paradox facing women leaders”, p. 132-133

** I know, I know, the primaries are so! over!…but the misogyny, my friends…the misogyny will last a lifetime.***

*** Along with the racism, homophobia, transgenderphobia, religious bigotry, speciesism, etc. In singling out the misogyny, I’m not discounting all the other isms, just so we’re clear, mkay?

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Tagged: 2008 elections feminism misogyny hillary clinton language linguistics books book review thirty ways of looking at hillary Deborah Tannen sexism