Outgoing Sen. Claire McCaskill said Friday that she hopes to help aspiring young women learn how to use humor and humility to be more accepted in the male-dominated field of politics.
“I think I can really help other women understand that really difficult balance you have to have as a woman of being strong and opinionated, but very careful that you don’t go too far over the line so that you’re in the ’B-word’ territory,” the Missouri Democrat, who lost her shot for a third term this month, told NPR.
“And that’s a really hard balance, and a lot of that has to do with being willing to be self-effacing and have a sense of humor,” she added, Business Insider reported.
Asked by “Morning Edition” host Rachel Martin whether she found it “annoying” or “infuriating” that female candidates have to be more charming and funnier than their male counterparts, Ms. McCaskill replied, “Oh yeah, it’s awful.”
“But I’m just being realistic,” she added.
Some liberals on social media took issue with Ms. McCaskill’s comments, suggesting her idea that women need to change in order to be accepted by men is outdated.
In fact, all it does is erase their hard work if young women are forced to keep playing with one hand tied behind their back, backwards and in high heels.
— jess mcintosh (@jess_mc) November 30, 2018
The point of progress is to make it easier for the next gen, not to tell them to hamstring themselves because you had to.
I must admit I’m shocked by this. I really thought differently about @clairecmc and looked forward to her unvarnished honesty in the future!
— Joan Walsh (@joanwalsh) November 30, 2018
Claire McCaskill says post-Senate she’s looking forward to helping young women politicians learn how to be “self-effacing” so they won’t “cross over into B—— territory.” Also, Democrats shld compromise *more.* #withfriendslikethese
— Jeff Sharlet (@JeffSharlet) November 30, 2018
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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