U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is no stranger to making a powerful statement. As the youngest congresswoman in the country’s history, she has cultivated an impactful campaign dedicated to elevating the voices of those who often go unheard, especially women and minorities. AOC has been dubbed Congress’ own “clapback queen” for fiery tweets shutting down bigotry and all sorts of hateful comments both online and in person, often having to defend herself from harsh criticism from male politicians and public figures trying to tear down her image. Though all elected officials should expect to experience some type of backlash throughout their career, recent events on the House floor have revealed the appalling truth behind the culture of one of the most powerful bodies in the United States’ government.
It all began on Monday, July 20, when Rep. Ted Yoho approached Ocasio-Cortez to discuss some of her policies. Once the conversation started, he accosted her, calling her “disgusting” and even going on to use demeaning profanities in front of the press as she went to cast a vote. After the incident occurred, Yoho denied ever having attacked her, despite the fact that his comments were overheard by journalists nearby. In a subsequent speech regarding the incident, he went on to talk about his dedication to his wife and daughters, using them as an explanation for why he could never have said something so terrible to a woman. That Thursday, AOC delivered a speech of her own in the House of Representatives to explain the story from her perspective. She pointed out that not only did Yoho never apologize for his words, he also deflected any responsibility for his actions by “using women, wives and daughters as shields and excuses for poor behavior.” Unfortunately, this is not the only occasion when the congresswoman has been publicly insulted by other men in office. The President of the United States has told her to “go home,” implying that she is not even American or does not belong in the country to begin with, and similar statements have been made against other female public officials on a regular basis.
Though Yoho’s attack was directed solely at AOC, it sheds a light on a much larger problem: the perception of women in leadership. Though we have come a long way as a society, and more women hold leadership positions now than ever before, that has not protected them from the same sexist patterns that women have dealt with for centuries. This phenomenon can be seen on levels as small as student councils and as grand as the federal government, where women with any sort of power are often scrutinized and discredited by the men around them, and many are accused of being power-hungry or undeserving of their position. I have experienced this kind of treatment myself in the classroom, an environment that is supposed to allow for everyone to learn and speak their mind without any sort of judgement. There have been times where I have been called a “control freak,” “bossy,” or my views have been deemed ridiculous whenever I took the lead in a project or discussion, and I have watched my friends deal with the same treatment for years. As for the men who said those things? They somehow managed to relieve themselves of any responsibility for the same reasons as Rep. Yoho. Apparently, having a mother or a sister is a sufficient excuse for why someone cannot be a sexist. Not only is this reasoning ludicrous, but it puts women who have been victims of sexism at an even lower level, because they too are someone’s sister or daughter, yet they are not being given that same respect.
Even in MUN conferences, female delegates who take the lead on writing resolutions or give passionate speeches are considered aggressive, and male delegates might make fun of them for this or overlook them entirely. The pervasiveness of this issue makes it seem impossible to overcome because it can be seen in almost every aspect of life where there are powerful women, but there is in fact a simple solution. In order for things to change, men need to be held accountable for their actions. While it seems simple enough, men have been able to get away with making excuses instead of owning up to their actions, shedding all responsibility before women even get a chance to speak up. It can be difficult, but by coming forward and demanding justice instead of accepting half-hearted apologies, women have the power to change the narrative and show the men around them just what has been happening for far too long. If AOC’s speech shows us anything, it is that we are not alone in this fight, and by sharing our stories and experiences, we can work towards a better culture for women everywhere.
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