The sexist double standard of being Hillary Clinton

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The sexist double standard of being Hillary Clinton

A Daisy Bernard illustration

Imagine living a life where your every action seems to be a small step towards the White House. Attending two of the best schools in the nation on merit, working on a political campaign in the 60s, practicing as a high-level lawyer, observing how state and federal government works from as close as you can get, serving as a senator and then Secretary of State.

Imagine everything you’d done in your career qualified you to be President – and when you finally earn your party’s nomination, you’re under intense scrutiny for things that have nothing to do with your ability to lead the country, just because you’re a woman.

I’m a white middle-class man. I’ve never experienced this. But if you’re Hillary Clinton, it’s your daily reality.

It’s often said that women have to work twice as hard to get the same plaudits as a man would for the same work – and nowhere is this disparity more pronounced than in how Clinton and her opponent Donald Trump are described. After last night’s bloodbath, debate analysts on several networks pointed out how Hillary was “held to a higher standard, which she exceeded” – a point which the Clinton camp have made throughout the campaign.

To show how seemingly a female candidate for President can do no right, Tab illustrator Daisy Bernard, known globally for her sexist double standard oil paintings, has depicted Hillary in the same light, annotated with comments about her from reporters, comedians and her opponents.

Daisy said: “Whether you’re for or against Hillary – you have to admit she’d be on the receiving end of different criticisms were she was a man. She wears a pantsuit, she gets called manly. She wears a blouse, people judge her for having visible cleavage. When she’s stern, she’s called a cold, brittle woman, but when she laughs people call her fake.

“As a politician, it’s pretty hard to please everyone – but for Hillary it’s even harder.”

@mattjpfmcdonald