Binders Full of Women

No, Mitt Romney!  I'm a real woman!  I don't fit in a binder!

(This binder was published by the Democratic Party on Facebook and shared by 28,000+, among them Americans Against the Tea Party , where I first found this photo.)

Romney did NOT say "binders full of women's resumes" or "binders full of women's names", either of which would have been much less offensive.  He said "binders full of women".  Which objectified and offended.

Perhaps some men don't understand why a competent woman would not want to be considered as stuck in a a "binder" somewhere.  Perhaps there are some women who didn't react as I reacted; after all, I don't like Romney anyway..  

But for me and hundreds of thousands like me, and for hundreds of thousands of supportive men, it made a difference, a big difference.

The Story Behind the Binders

The full story of these "binders full of women" is coming out, and it isn't quite as Mitt Romney said.  Apparently a group in Massachusetts in 2002 (when the governor's race was ongoing) concerned about the lack of women in higher level state jobs, searched out competent women and put together a series of binders containing the resumes of the competent women that they found.  It was a non-partisan project, and they intended to give the binders to whoever was elected governor, Republican or Democrat.  But Romney didn't send out people from his incoming administration to find these women; he already had these binders full of competent women's names and resumes. 

Just a misspeak, say the Republican apologists.  He just made a minor gaffe, they prattle.  We all know that he meant "binders full of resumes of women", and that 's a good thing because it meant that he was reaching out to put women in his administration.  

Well, buy that malarkey if you wish; I don't.  No, Romney's gaffe means much more:  As governor of Massachusetts, he knew he should put women into many more administrative positions, not necessarily because they were competent, but probably because it was "the politically correct thing to do".  He just didn't have that many names of women to nominate for these positions at his disposal.  We don't know why.  So he went to the "binders" to pick out a few.  You know, just pull out a few names, like some guy looking for a mail-order foreign bride.     

As Jennifer on Facebook put it:

I love the way he said this remark makes it seem like they kept binders full of token women in the unlikely event of suspected employment discrimination. Hurry up and hire some broads! We have too many men and we can't afford a lawsuit!

Right, Jennifer, that's the way it sounded to me as well.

Ray wrote:

I almost fell off my chair. A Republican who doesn't like affirmative action suggesting he supported quotas on women. Priceless, lies......

A great status from  The Saul Alinsky Elite French Foundation on Facebook:

Letters from the binder....

Seriously, I'm trapped in here and I can't get out. Someone send for help. My husband needs me to make dinner, since he's incapable of doing it himself. I'm afraid he may burn down the house or lose a few fingers if he tries. HELP! 

Just a few stories and links about the "binders full of women" stuff:

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• How Mitt Romney Had Whole Binders of Women for Staff Positions 
• "Binders Full of Women" website  by the American Bridge 21st Century PAC:

"Mitt Romney says he has “binders full of women,” but maybe he should try listening to what actual women have to say. We want to make that happen.

If you donate $10 or more right now, American Bridge will deliver a binder full of FACTS about women to Mitt Romney’s campaign headquarters."