If you think men would’ve never gotten away with that kind of tokenism – I’ve got two words for you: Dan Quayle. (He was VP under Bush I.)

You make cogent points and yes in a perfect world it should be about paying it forward and thanking those who helped you get where you are. What I’m sensing is that younger women are clueless about the bad, old days and the way it used to be. When I tell women in their 30s there used to be listings in the job ads for “Male Wanted” and “Female Wanted” and all the female jobs were pink collar ghetto stuff – they think I’m making it up.

I agree it wasn’t about turning women into men – but a lot of ‘em sure as heck tried: remember all the shoulder pads in the 1980s suits? And the proclamations that womens’ bodies were as physically strong as a man? It’s a different kind of strength – men have that explosive power. Women have long-range endurance.

Feminism though also comes with some responsibilities – to be honest with yourself and others, to take responsibility for your own commitments and the keeping thereof, to respect the equality and potential of others. It was never about becoming a man – it was about having equal opportunities and status…..and responsibility. She would have never gotten away with her lack of experience, insight etc. had she been a man – this was tokenism at its worst. If anything she was a sacrificial lamb for the political party’s desperation.

There will always be the range of women in 5th generation feminism (it’s not over yet!) just as there was pre feminism (Eleanor Roosevelt v. Betty Boop; Queen Elizabeth v. Marilyn Monroe) ) I just think she’d benefit from a consciousness raising group to perhaps become more aware of her whole self v. the civil and political beauty contestant life strategy she seems to have stalled out in. Not a question of like or dislike – just a very underdeveloped person doing the best she can.