Carrying Water for the Patriarchy

"Women who carry water for the patriarchy always drown first" - Jennifer Welch, IHIP News.

Dear Ms. Liberty,

What do you think? You never carried water for the patriarchy. Instead, you "owned" the water, whether in the United States or France. And this isn't about hating men; it's about being disgusted with women who try to set other women back a few centuries. I was reminded of this after the death of Gloria Steinem, while conservative women in the media were trashing Gloria as they enjoyed the positive changes that Gloria made in many women's lives. So, what does this all mean? 

The Meaning of "Carrying Water for the Patriarchy": Women doing the invisible, foundational, or defensive labor that upholds male-dominated or oppressive systems, often with little to no credit and possibly left with a false sense of security.

Common Examples: 
Enforcing beauty standards: Telling other women they must wear makeup, shave, diet, and wear tight or revealing clothes to be respected or at least get the attention they seek. We have seen in this current administration that there is a "look" for women. Some media has called it the Mar-a-Lago look.
Excusing bad behavior: Defending sexist remarks by passing the remarks off as "locker room talk" or "boys being boys." I read this a lot on social media, even from some locals I recognized, who excused the "grabbing p*ssy" comment and were willing to overlook this behavior, always using the "locker room talk" and "boys will be boys" excuse. I remember asking one woman why she was okay with the grabbing p*ssy comment, and she told me to watch my dirty mouth after she had excused the"boys will be boys." Double standards, much? 
Workplace pressures: Expecting female coworkers to overwork or suppress their physical needs to fit into rigid, male-designed corporate cultures. Your monthly menstrual cramps get in the way. 
Policing behavior: Telling women to smile more, stay quiet, or accept unfair treatment to keep the peace.

So, I may get criticized as if I should back up "my sisters" who carry the water, but it is impossible, as they choose to ignore their boss as he calls women reporters (who are doing their job for the American people) names such as "stupid" and "quiet piggie." No question is stupid when you're asking on behalf of the American people.  

And their vote has real-life dangerous consequences, and especially has set back women's rights for a few years. Sadly, when Gloria Steinem died, everything she worked for so all women, no matter their religion, race, and political status, could choose their own healthcare. Unfortunately, SCOTUS removed this right in 2022 with a five-conservative-male and one-conservative-female vote. And now there are religious leaders with ties to this administration that want to remove women's rights to vote. 

There's quite a long list of women carrying water, but below are a few of the more recent: 

In this recent administration, former Chief Intelligence official Tulsi Gabbard, former DOJ official Pam Bondi, and former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem were the first three Trump appointees to leave. They lied to the American public to protect the administration, covered for the commander-in-chief, and received their rewards. Interestingly, the men in the administration who faced some of the same scrutiny were never dismissed. And men also replaced those empty positions. Buh-bye. 

Elise Stefanik was elected as a moderate Republican to represent New York's 21st congressional district. In the end, she got "paid" for all the water she carried, while earning a reputation as a liar.  During Trump's first term, Stefanik sharply criticized his rhetoric and policy positions, and after a congressional break, she came back from recess miraculously as one of his staunchest loyalists. Those who knew Stefanik personally said, "She left D.C. in a BMW convertible, and came back in an old Ford F-150 pickup."
Stefanik thought she was smarter than most of us while defending him, but it caught up with her. And we could always tell when she was lying for the patriarch, because the left side of her cheesy wide grin twitched. 
When Trump's second term began, she thought he would reward her loyalty with a cabinet role. Instead, he nominated Stefanik to a lower-tier role as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and later withdrew the nomination. She had a short-lived, unsuccessful New York gubernatorial run, which later led Stefanik to announce she would vacate Congress and not seek re-election. Buh-bye. 

(Another water carrier, former Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt had previously worked for Stefanik, which could have been her first lesson on how to be a "liar-liar-pants-on-fire.")

Lisa McClain is a newcomer to the den of water carriers. She is a U.S. Representative from Michigan who serves as the Chairwoman of the House Republican Conference in congressional leadership. I first noticed her shortly after Speaker Mike took office. Because of her chairwoman role, she often stands next to him when he speaks from his podium to the press, and I watched her fawn and giggle over the occupant of the Oval Office. She's quite animated, and her tone is overly condescending. When she stands next to Johnson, and he makes some exaggerated or false claim about what the Democrats "think," McClain puts on a big old frownie face and shakes her head disapprovingly, as if she were standing in front of a group of toddlers during story time.  I suspect that as the disapproval rate of this current administration keeps falling, she will get her "comeuppance." 

Then there's Susan Collins, Maine's senior senator since 1997. Between her vote for Brett Kavanaugh and the current occupant of the Oval Office, she has proven she will carry the water in a bucket with a big hole in it and do it over and over. 

Last but not least are the Moms for America, a national movement that believes it is reclaiming its culture for truth, family, freedom, and the Constitution by empowering moms. Ummm... Yeah. Right. And moms that endorse the current administration and cite Trump for his past and supposed glowing record regarding families. With that endorsement, should anyone be surprised that the "Moms" recently gave Ohio Representative Max Miller an A+ for promoting the importance of family? And if you need a reminder on who Max Miller is... 

Miller has ongoing domestic abuse allegations. His former wife alleged in court documents and interviews that Miller was physically abusive during their marriage—including claims that he threw hot water at her and held a gun to her head. Also, alleged that the former couple's two-year-old daughter suffered a broken collarbone and a handprint-shaped bruise while in Miller's care. He also allegedly exposed in public an unredacted, "private" photo of their toddler daughter. Miller has faced additional accusations of aggressive or violent behavior from other women, including a high-school acquaintance and former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, who recently filed a restraining order against him. 
Miller's former father-in-law is Benny Moreno, a Senator from Ohio. Moreno says his former son-in-law is unfit for office and should resign amid allegations of severe domestic and child abuse. Congressman Miller has denied all allegations. 

And for those women who, with purpose, carried water for the patriarchy, shouldn't be surprised when they become "persona non grata," and their former "sisters" just happen to run out of "life jackets."