Mrs. Clinton?

William Shakespeare once wrote, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Such is not the case for presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton. Throughout the extensive coverage of the presidential preliminaries, Hillary Clinton is referred to as “Mrs. Clinton.” Hold up. A prospective presidential candidate, not to mention first viable female candidate in history, is a Mrs.? In this, our post-women’s liberated world?
Throughout their lives, men are referred to as “Sir” and “Mr.” regardless of their age or martial status. Women, however, do not have the same simplistic luxury. Young girls are referred to as “Miss” and sometime between college and menopause, we graduate to “Madam.” However, there is an unappealing age stigma attached to “Madam.” For example, my fifty-year-old mother detests being called “Madam” by grocery cashiers, retailers, and the like. But can you really call a middle-aged professional woman “Miss” either?
During the after effects the 1970’s Women’s Lib movement, the prefix “Ms.” was born into the national dialogue. “Ms.” allows a woman of any age to remain ambiguous regarding martial status. For example, Ms. Melissa Robinson could either be single, or Mr. Robinson’s wife. Thus, women gained equal ground with men if only nominally.
Enter Hillary Clinton. This woman is perhaps the most prominent women in American politics to date. In the current presidential polls, she leaves misters Barack Obama and John Edwards in the Iowa caucus dust. The fact that Hillary is a “Mrs.” shouldn’t matter, right?
Clinton began her married life as Hillary Rodham. However, things changed for Ms. Rodham when husband Bill Clinton ran for office in Arkansas. When political advisors persuaded the new First Lady of Arkansas to take her husband’s surname, Rodham conceded and was addressed as Mrs. Bill Clinton. Wouldn’t want to offend the housewives of Arkansas with such progressive nonsense like keeping your name.
In her efforts to court the traditional housewives of middle-America, Clinton seeks camaraderie (read: votes) with the women she may have alienated during her quest for power in Washington and what these particular women feel is a departure of the traditional role of the First Lady (read: nothing). The title “Mrs.” is safe for Americans because we don’t want our women to be too independent or too successful. Simply, we want them to stand by their man, a lesson Hillary knows too well.
Hillary will continue to encounter criticism based solely on her gender. However, she is a Senator, a mother, wife, and now presidential candidate. A woman of that stature deserves to be addressed as Ms. because she embodies all opportunities and choices available to women today. Perhaps one day we’ll be calling her Madame President.

by elsa quaint