Problems With the 'Dems Are Mothers / GOP are Fathers' Meme

Body and Soul: Our president, the mammoth snack

We need mature men and women who know how to co-operate, how to bring the community together so we're all contributing. We need leaders who can get others to work with us, because when you have real, dangerous, complicated problems, the more people you have on your side, the better off you are. The Democrats have always been the party of the community, the party that does its best to make use of everyone's talents, rather than sending each man off with his own puny little tools to face big problems. And in a dangerous time, that is exactly what we need.

Part of Digby's criticism is that the frame is dishonest; it sets up a dichotomy -- father and mother -- but doesn't carry through. I agree. Lakoff is trying to use a gender metaphor that the Republicans created, but he's afraid to go there. I'd even add a criticism. The whole idea of government as either mother or father is offensive. What does such a metaphor make us -- the kiddies?

The second part of the criticism is more disturbing though -- if you set up a frame that has clear gender implications, leaving Democrats with the feminine role, Democrats lose, because, fair or not, most Americans still don't think of women as leaders.