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I was disgusted to hear her talk about sex work, which a woman chooses to do with her body, and trafficking, in which a woman's agency is taken away and she is forced into sexual situations for money. The essential difference between these two things is choice, which all women have a right to. Women should have the right to choose to do sex work as well as the right to choose to not do sex work equally. A "feminist" who doesn't think women are capable of choosing what to do with their own bodies doesn't sound like a feminist to me. I never have and never will vote for this woman, in particular, to represent me in any office.

I am really disappointed to hear you conflate prostitution and sex trafficking. Sex trafficking is a horrible thing, but so is the trafficking of migrant labors, caregivers, and domestic workers. However, as a SEX WORKER I must say I have not been trafficked nor have my colleagues. I think it is really important to understand the difference so sex workers can get access to the types of services we need: affordable housing, medical care, labor rights, destigmatization, and decriminalization.

yes there is such entrenched sexism and bitterness toward women - we look right through it. Well. I don't.

I am so proud and happy to have Carolyn Maloney as my congresswoman!

Impoverished women living on the street are more subject to arrest & many other problems in general. While prostitution may or may not add to the problems, it is not the CAUSE. Women need rights, the ability to access social services, less police harassment/rape.

I found this blog through another feminist blog and have found it very interesting and enlightening:

www.boundnotgagged.com

Sex positive feminism, 3rd wave, has found room for sex workers:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex-positive_feminism

I think it is really disappointing especially for feminists to discount the personal experience and voices of women speaking about their own experience by making such sweeping and general statements, playing to a lack of education by using misunderstood, seriously grave topics, further stigmatizing these women and leaving male sex workers out of the equation altogether.

(Further, I think younger feminists "get" that race and gender can't be separated and this is an annoying and useless argument. There's no wonder to me that Obama is so popular with younger voters.)

A young feminist, I was seriously disappointed that Congresswoman Maloney AND Leonard equated prostitution w/trafficking. This downplays the fact that:
1) people (not only women) are trafficked for many types of jobs (migrant, service etc) & aren't getting the money/identification/services needed, despite being the majority of trafficking because we're only focusing on sex trafficking of women, including harassing people where it is NOT happening (see pt 2). Sex trafficking is well, sexier right now & we are also not willing to admit that our consumerist lifestyles demanding cheap goods are producing the majority of the demand for trafficked labor. No question sex trafficking is WRONG & should NOT HAPPEN & needs to be addressed, but it is not the majority of trafficking (all need attention) & prostitution is not the same as trafficking. 2) some women (& men) make the CHOICE to enter sex work of different kinds. Discussing sex trafficking in Thailand, Leonard mentioned " and politicians are clients." Spitzer didn’t see a trafficked woman, that's clear! Clearly different kinds of people are clients too, even those denouncing sex work (why the DC Madam became such a salacious story). Re: the "hollow mugshots" after several prostitution arrests, these women do not represent all women doing sex work. One must use common sense & understand that there must be a comparison w/other socio-economically situated women. www.sexworkersproject.org/publications/RevolvingDoor.html

To say that gender trumps race is absurd. Honestly I think I've had more issues with white women and racism than I have with sexism. It seems that "women" really just means "white women."

As far as the presidential race goes, I believe that Hilary Clinton has every right to continue, and I think calls for her to step down are absurd, but when I hear that Obama will not get votes because he's black, not because of the issues, not because of his (lack of)experience, but because he's black, I think we still have a problem with race.

I have have heard the same thing about Clinton as well, that some people will not vote for her because she's a woman or, worse even, the wife a former president. That too is absurd reason NOT to vote for someone.

My bottom line: we still have problems, in equal measure, with race (Asian and Latino included) as well as gender, and to present one over the other is dangerous.

I think that women's opportunities have greatly improved in recent years and more women have the self confidence to fight the establishment even though they may not win. Fair pay continues to be the primary area of discrimination against women.
Economics has a lot to do with attitudes toward women. DeToqueville said that America's women were the primary source of the country's success. That, of course, was at a time when women's work was a vital source of family income. Today, as a second income becomes more necessary, I expect and hope that women will be paid what they are worth.
I am retired now but will never forget the discrimination that I once faced in the workplace. I am a graduate of a "prestige" college and have work skills that are valuable for many companies but I have always had to fight for a living wage.
I support Barack Obama because I believe he has the independence, intelligence and integrity to be a great president. I believe he will do more for women than Hillary who will always be influenced primarily by political opportunity for herself.

hm, I don't doubt that there is hatred toward Hillary due solely to the fact of her being a strong and powerful woman.

Re: Rep. Maloney--for me, everything that she does, all decisions, all statements, are discredited due to her voting "yes" for giving Bush a green light on starting the Iraq invasion. And I remember clearly, she did so with 90% of her district in clear opposition to the war. Shame on you, Carolyn Maloney, and all of your colleagues who went against the better judgment of your constituents on your pro-Iraq war votes.

What a Champiom for women we have in Carolyn Maloney. And the icing on the cake is she has a 100% rating (as does Hillary) on the Humane Society's Legislative Scorecard. She's a "keeper!"

Why did this conversation become primarily a debate on whether a) racism exists in this country or b) whether Hillary is a good candidate?

i have doubts about the "dividing the party" stuff talk. isn't there something to be said for having contested elections in more states? in late primaires being meaningful? doesn't this help get folks energized and engaged?

Hillary blew it acting like a Clinton.
Ruthless and hits below the belt.
I hope future female candidates will not use her as a guide to how to behave.

Oh for goodness sake. It's just as anti-feminist to vote for a woman BECAUSE she is a woman as to not vote for her because she's a woman. Hillary Clinton isn't my candidate for numerous reasons, none of them related to her gender. I'd love to vote for a woman for president. I just don't want that woman to be her.

Hillary blew it!
She should have taken the high-road that she wants (and Ms. Maloney wants) taken towards her.
Now, she plays a race card.
For shame!
She seems to now support the opinion that Hillary really is a _itch.
Also, one cannot forget that Clintons play dirty.
BOTH OF THEM!!!

if someone told me to iron his shirt, i would say "wait..wait..ironing a shirt is not t-h-a-t hard, and if you can't even do that, why would i let you do something harder, like, run the world?

like rumsfeld would say, 'play with the toys you have, not the toys you want.'

I orinally supported Clinton, and I still think that both she and Obama are well qualified for the presidency, but I think she has shot herself in the foot in recent months.
Although he de-emphasizes it, Obama has been the target of plenty of racist sentiment. Indeed, American society still has a long way to go, despite much recent progress.
Re Ledbetter v. Goodyear, if we don't elect a liberal Democrat, we will be stuck with the current Supreme Court or worse for a long time. It seems that this Supreme Court would reinstate Dred Scott v. Sandford and Plessy v. Ferguson if given the chance.

I don't believe the FMLA was ever intended solely to provide leave to mothers (or fathers) of children. Perhaps Ms. Maloney should reread it.

In the current unproductive debate over who has it worse -- women or African Americans -- the persistence of vicious, entrenched racism in many parts of this country isn't getting much attention (for an exception, see today's Washington Post, "Racist Incidents Give Some Obama Campaigners Pause"). But, oops, I keep forgetting how lucky Barack Obama is.

I so strongly disagree with the first caller re: why Sen. Clinton is losing in her fight for the nomination. I greatly admire what the sen has accomplished as well as her sharpness on the issues and her obvious dedication to improving life through politics. At the same time, I couldn't be more ashamed of the divisive, ruthless manner in which she pursues her goals. What's more, she has long made it clear that you cannot really trust what she says- her pandering and flip flops while strengths when dealing with the old political machinery, put her at a serious disadvantage against someone willing to resist that tactic. As a woman, I admire sen O. more for his honesty. I actually think if we women were honest with ourselves, would see in him all the arguments we always made for why we should be partners in leadership-- that we would be more inclined to peace and honesty. It may be idealistic, but it's what we've been telling ourselves.

What about the responsibility of men in US society to close the gender gap? Flex time and maternity leave are good policies and well needed, but they seem to still perpetuate the role of women in our society as primary caretakers of the home and of children. What about policies that encourage men to share in the caretaking responibilities? Perhaps something like this will help shift the roles of women in our society to a more progressive position.

I have returned to school (I am in my 40's). The school recently rescinded a scholarship offer because I will be part time. With women returning to school in large numbers, this lack of respect for part time status discriminates against those of us who have to keep maintaining home, children AND studies.

Disappointing that we now have a list of comments here from men that essentially dismiss the possibility that women are not equal in status or rights in our society.

Hillary Clinton won't win not because shes a woman but because shes a bad candidate. It's terrible that all these women just jump on her bandwagon just so they can see a woman in office. I wish that things stayed how they we're in the old days as a young woman i no longer have the choice to stay home and raise my kids. I don't want a workplace job i'd rather do my work in the home but now i need a job. There are less choices then before. Men used to make more because they we're supporting a family. Although I do agree women should make just as much as a man would now only because it's needed to survive.

Greg, I don't doubt your sincerity. There are many voters like you, but I've also seen a nasty streak in a few of the Obama supporters. The offenders tend to be older males, and college age men AND women.

I've seen men of all races in these nationally televised "joe-on-the-street" interviews laugh about how they or their friends would never vote for a woman. Apparently, this is still acceptable comedic fodder.

You do have to realize that you will probably never walk in a woman's shoes, and therefore might not be sensitive to the subtle injustices that still plague us on a daily basis. I wouldn't expect you to be...we can't be blamed for not having a firsthand perspective, but we can listen to others' experiences.

There's a perception in this country that women are equal -or more than equal- to men that makes men really resentful, and makes women, particularly young women, afraid of alienating men. I think women have been complicit since the Reagan era in burying the equal rights fight so men don't dislike them. Men who dislike their wives hate Hillary; women who dislike their lives hate Hillary. A woman who stands up for herself is seen as uppity. There's something about powerful women that fills people with rage. Really sad that these subconscious impulses are pushing down the achievements that women fought for last century up through the 70s.

Read my BLOG (SOS-newdeal.blogspot.com)
for info on WHY I think we need:

Federally paid DAY care starting at 6 months
A federally paid ma/paternity leave for total of 6 months...

essentially it will help our educational system.

I am sick and tired of the comparisons between Blacks and Women in regards to discrimination in society. I suspect 80% of the people in the U.S would prefer to be a white woman than a black man.
And I suspect over 95% of black women would prefer to be a white woman than a black man.

Signed,
Struggling black man

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this show. Thank you Congresswoman Maloney for voicing my exact thoughts on air.

I am not a supporter for Sen. Clinton as President. I am a supporter for Sen. Obama. Does that make me a sexist? Because if Sen. Obama does not win the nomination, I would, even if it's only reluctantly, vote for Clinton.
However look at how many people, expecially those who listen to this station, have openly declared that though they are life-long Democrats, though the idea of four more years of a Republican presidency should send any fair-minded person into fits, shout that they would either vote for McCain or stay at home than pull the lever for Obama. To me that speaks more of racist mentality still alive and well in this country than a sexist one.

Obama ahead in the presidential race due to being a man? Absolute bunk. I and millions of New York state residents wholeheartedly voted Hillary Clinton in to the Senate. I, for one (among many, I'm guessing) never once had a moments' hesitation due to her being a woman back then. Barack Obama has earned his status and it is unfair to say that his lead is due to gender. And remember: he's a man of color and never had time in the White House--he's built his candidacy from the ground up.