American Media is Gas Lighting Hillary Clinton – and All Women

By Jodi Smith | Politics | September 13, 2016 |

If you’ve read or watched any news in the last few days, you know that Hillary Clinton has pneumonia. It didn’t stop her from paying tribute to the fallen at a 9/11 memorial, but her illness was still the focus of the media. Was the focus that she’s dedicated and should be held up as a standard to which all other political servants should be held, powering through illness to show commitment to the things important to the people of America?

No. Don’t be stupid. Clinton is clearly unfit for office because she doesn’t have an immune system that can shut something like pneumonia down before it begins. You know, like women’s bodies shut down rape or whatever. She might die because she has something common like pneumonia and free healthcare that can treat that sort of thing, because women. Also, why didn’t she come right out and tell everyone that she had pneumonia? Why the cover up?

If you think I’m reaching for that last moronic question, then you haven’t seen the lead story on The Atlantic.

Never mind the previous male Presidents who served while battling polio, Alzheimer’s (kept secret), morbid obesity, strokes (also kept secret), heart attacks, colitis, prostatitis, Addison’s disease, and straight up puking on a Japanese Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump didn’t research foreign policy before a Presidential debate, let alone before running for President. He gets a pass. Trump’s rallies are filled with violent, screaming, hateful individuals caught on tape being their darling selves. Clinton calls their actions deplorable and is raked over the coals for “name-calling.” A Trump non-profit donated money to the campaign of Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi in order to have her drop a fraud investigation of Trump University. No one cares.

Trump contradicts himself at every Tweet and sound bite, but no one calls him shady. Trump refuses to release tax returns. No one bats an eye. He refuses to release his physical until a deal is made to reveal the results on Dr. Oz’s talk show. Trump has been accused of rape by several women, including his first wife. But, you kids, Clinton got a bad cold (that also affected several younger members of her staff), but you know …

If you, like me, are wondering what in the actual hell is happening here, I have terrible news. The media is actively gas lighting Hillary Clinton and, by extension, all of the women of the United States. They are clearly ignoring information that we can all see in favor of continuing to berate and belittle Clinton. They are condescendingly shaking their heads at us and saying, “Silly women, there you go making up stuff about men in power again! Remember how weak and useless you are and stop thinking you can hold the highest office in our country. Go make me a sandwich.”

Clinton’s health is another attempt at a sleight of hand that has used an email ‘scandal’ that was found to be unworthy of criminal charges. There is misdirection by pointing to Clinton’s demeanor, appearance, and even voice. Clinton is being held to an impossible standard and being picked apart like every woman has been since we first dared to leave our homes and create an equal footing with men in this world.

Clinton’s treatment in this Presidential election cycle should be an affront to every political affiliation. It should cause every woman to second-guess the end goal of the men in power in this country. Personal attacks should not overshadow or outweigh actual, proven, illegal activities just because a man is the one breaking the law. Ignoring real problems and truths in pursuit of stepping on the neck of a woman in search of power, in a world skewed to favor men, is not making America great again. It is keeping us stagnant and continually breeding anger, sadness, and hopelessness that got us into this mess in the first place. A mess made by the men in power.

Jodi Smith is a Senior Reporter, Film & Television at Pajiba. You can email her or follow her on Twitter.