On Binders
The catchphrase that emerged from the second presidential debate was undoubtedly Romney’s “binders full of women” — used by the governor to fill top-level positions with specifically female employees. This phrase spawned many memes, tweets, and facebook pages within minutes, pervading both news sources and pop culture for days. Though entertaining, we voters and citizens must look beyond the surface humor. What does this comment really mean about Mitt Romney’s beliefs and policy?
Many of Romney’s critics cite this comment — not to mention the broader answer about compiling an all-female dossier — as sexist, claiming that Romney is stuck in the “1950s view” of women. By contrast, Romney supporters assert it was all taken out of context and he actually did more than most politicians to ensure women have opportunities to fill high level positions while still having the chance to fill more traditional family roles.
In my opinion, the truth falls somewhere in the middle, and Romney’s main problem was not necessarily his views but his articulation. “Binders full of women” creates the connotation of female objectification. Though, I’m not convinced this was Romney’s intention or belief.
Furthermore, Romney’s anecdote about allowing his chief of staff to work more flexible hours in order to be home when her children returned from school meant well — intending to show his willingness to incorporate the importance of family in the work place — yet it was the way in which he singled out a woman which touched a nerve for many. Perhaps some of Romney’s male staff members also wanted to cook dinner for their children when they got home from school, and perhaps Romney even gave them more flexible hours as well, but the viewers don’t know this because Romney only highlighted women needing to limit their work in order to tend to a family.
Ultimately, Romney’s principle problem with his answer to the question about women’s issues was the careless way in which he responded, leaving room for many interpretations, most negative. I don’t believe Romney is a raging sexist. But either way, a more carefully constructed answer focusing on gender equality as opposed to special female circumstances would have appeased viewers and presented Romney in a better light.