You've probably heard about all the times interviewers asked Hillary Clinton about her appearance, but she recently revealed another instance of sexism she experienced out of the public eye: Back in the '70s, Hillary Clinton was denied a credit card and told to use her husband's instead, she said during a recent appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. She continued, "And so this is not like ancient history. And I was making more money than he was and I actually was ready to have my own credit card." This happened after the Equal Credit Opportunity Act was passed in 1974, by the way, even though the act made it unlawful for any creditor to discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, or age. Apparently the credit card company didn't catch onto that fact.
The interview also goes into Clinton's campaign for the democratic nomination — she'd be one of the oldest Presidents, she joked, but she'd be the youngest woman — and her new granddaughter. And, as any good interview ends, they danced the Nae Nae.
"I think it's just a reality that [women are] held to a higher, different, double standard. And it gets a little old, to be honest, but you just forge ahead," she told Ellen. Then she turned to the audience: "All these wonderful, beautiful young women who are here: Don't get discouraged. Don't give in. Don't give up. Don't quit."
If anyone knows what it's like to be held to double standards, it's Hillary Clinton. Here are some other instances of ridiculous sexism she has faced that you may not have read about.
1. Four Percent Of Americans Said The Worst Thing About Clinton's Presidency Would Be Her Gender.
In a March 2014 Gallup poll, four percent of Americans responded to the question "What would be the worst or most negative thing about a Hillary Clinton presidency?" with "Don't want a woman president." Biases against women in leadership are usually more covert than that, but these respondents laid it all out there. The most common response, provided by six percent of Americans, was "Not qualified/Would not succeed." So eight years as a senator and four as Secretary of State don't qualify her? Talk about "higher standards!" While we're at it, I'm also calling out the three percent that said, "Just don't like her" and the one percent that said, "Too old."
2. During The 2008 Election, There Was A Facebook Group With Over 23,000 Members Called "Hillary Clinton: Stop Running For President And Make Me A Sandwich."
And another called “Life’s a bitch, why vote for one? Anti-Hillary ’08” with over 13,000 members. And another called “Hillary Clinton Shouldn’t Run for President, She Should Just Run the Dishes" with over 2,000 members. Sure, some people may have joined these groups as a joke, but all 38,000? Unlikely.
3. John McCain (And Many Others) Called Clinton "Emotional."
When asked by ABC about Clinton's involvement in Benghazi, McCain turned his attention to the "emotional" way she supposedly addressed the incident: "Remember when she said, ‘Well, who cares how this happened’ in a rather emotional way?” What she actually said was “What difference at this point does it make?... It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again.” Also, it's funny how Clinton can be deemed so "emotional" and yet so "cold and calculating."
4. Rush Limbaugh Asked, "Will This Country Want To Watch A Woman Get Older Before Their Eyes On A Daily Basis?"
And while we're on the topic of conservative radio hosts, Glenn Beck asked his audience, "She is like the stereotypical bitch, you know what I mean?... [Won't] every man in America go insane?"
5. A Heckler Yelled "Iron My Shirt!" At Clinton During A Speech.
He had a corresponding poster and everything. When the heckling got too loud for her to ignore, Clinton requested that lights go on so he could be caught and commented, "Ah, the remnants of sexism, alive and well. As I think has just been abundantly demonstrated, I am also running to break through the highest and hardest glass ceiling." Thankfully, the audience cheered for that.
The list could really go on. Even Clinton's opponent Bernie Sanders admits that she is subject to criticism he does not face because he is a man. If you need any more reminding that the 2016 election is not gender-blind, you can check out The Guardian's "Top 10 Sexist Moments in Politics." But personally, I'm already more than convinced.
Images: Bill Knitter/Facebook
