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Chargement... A Feminist in the White House: Midge Costanza, the Carter Years, and America's Culture Warspar Doreen Mattingly
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"A feminist, an outspoken activist, a woman without a college education, Midge Costanza was one of the unlikeliest of White House insiders. Yet in 1977 she became the first female Assistant to the President for Public Liaison under Jimmy Carter, emerging as a prominent focal point of the American culture wars. Tasked with bringing the views of special interest groups to the president, Costanza championed progressive causes even as Americans grew increasingly divided on the very issues for which she fought. In A Feminist in the White House, Doreen Mattingly draws on Costanza's personal papers to shed light on the life of this fascinating and controversial woman. Mattingly chronicles Costanza's dramatic rise and fall as a public figure, from her initial popularity to her ultimate clashes with Carter and his aides. While Costanza challenged Carter to support abortion rights, gay and lesbian rights, and feminist policies, Carter faced increased pressure to appease the interests of emerging Religious Right, which directly opposed Costanza's ideals. Ultimately, marginalized both within the White House and by her fellow feminists, Costanza was pressured to resign in 1978. Through the lens of Constanza's story, readers catch a unique perspective of the rise of debates which have defined the feminist movement and sexual politics to this very day. Mattingly also reveals a wider, but heretofore neglected, narrative of the complex era of gender politics in the late 1970's Washington--a history which continues to resonate in politics today. A Feminist in the White House is a must-read for anyone with an interest in sexual politics, female politicians, and presidential history"-- Aucune description trouvée dans une bibliothèque |
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Google Books — Chargement... GenresClassification décimale de Melvil (CDD)305.42092Social sciences Social Sciences; Sociology and anthropology Groups of people Women Role in society, status History, geographic treatment, biography BiographyClassification de la Bibliothèque du CongrèsÉvaluationMoyenne:
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I had heard Costanza's name but was not really familiar with any aspects of what she had (tried) to do under Carter. Through Mattingly's account readers will both admire Costanza for her ethics and efforts while at the same time be angered by a political system, embodied in this case by Carter's administration, that puts what is right or wrong on a back burner behind political expediency. While most of us know that not all issues can be tackled at once and that some end up pushed aside because of "popularity" it is still frustrating to read about what this woman went through while simply trying to do her job.
There are a lot of very interesting bits of information here about how some talking points that still exist originated in high level meetings. Most important, I think, is placing Midge Costanza front and center as an early activist in many of today's popular culture wars. A remarkable woman during a remarkable time.
Definitely for those interested in sexual and gender politics as well as the working of the presidency.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. ( )