The explanations of many political scandals that involve sexual
affairs invariably involve men – rather than women – committing a
breach of marriage, morals, common decency or some combination
thereof. Nevada Sen. John Ensign, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford,
and Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons are recent examples.
But some conservative women say that men aren’t the only ones to blame.
“The feminist movement has always supported all kinds of free sex,”
said Phylis Schafly, President of the Eagle Forum and someone many
consider to be the original “anti-feminist.” She said that animosity
many feminists have for sexual relationships remaining inside the
commitment of marriage is part of the reason these affairs have
occurred.
“Feminists have worked hard to eliminate the specific benefits of
marriage, and particularly, of the full-time homemaker… they have
encouraged very loose morals about sex,” she said.
Schafly blames sex education in a post-feminist world for removing the
blame of women from the narrative of an affair.
“It’s certainly the fault of the man. But no one is really telling the
woman that they should ‘just say no,’ or that they shouldn’t have sex
until they’re married,” she said.
Recent sexual misconduct, such as that publicized through David
Letterman or Roman Polanski, have placed even more emphasis on men’s
debasement of women. Gov. Sanford proclaimed his love for his lover
instead of his wife on national television. Continued blackmail by his
lover’s husband has put Sen. Ensign’s potential ethics violations at
the forefront of the story while sidelining the crime of infidelity.
But that doesn’t translate into sexism, said Carrie Lukas, Vice
President for Policy and Economics at the Independent Women’s Forum.
"We have a cultural problem that has created so many David Letterman
or Ensign or John Edward type situations,” said Lukas. "We all need to
consider how to create a culture that creates greater respect for
women, and for marriage, for that matter so that scandals in which
women are used and abused aren't commonplace like they are today."??
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