More Female On Female Misogyny: Joy Behar & Sharron Angle

Men and women can be victims of sexism by the other gender. However, it also occurs between people of the same gender. Sometimes, women themselves are the biggest offenders of sexism towards other women. I explored that topic earlier and its worth revisiting again. 

Recently, Joy Behar, one of the commentators on the television show "The View," called the Republican challenger to Harry Reid, Sharron Angle, a "bitch" who should go to "hell." Watch the clip below:

The interesting thing about this event is that feminist groups from both the left and the right end of the political spectrum are outraged over Joy Behar's sexist comments:

Amy Siskind, president of the feminist group The New Agenda, told The Daily Caller she was appalled by Behar’s language calling it sexist and insulting.

“I think the remarks are completely and utterly unacceptable and I think she should — by tomorrow — be on the air with an apology to Sharron Angle and to the women of this country,” Siskind said. “The ‘b-word’ has no place in our national dialogue, and especially when she was using it in a very pointed way here to demean another woman.”

The president of a more conservative women’s group, The Kitchen Cabinet, Sonja Eddings Brown, was similarly distressed by The View co-host’s language, chalking her sentiment up to politics.

“We thought Joy Behar was a classier act than this,” Brown wrote in an e-mail to TheDC. “What is it that makes conservative women, who work inside and outside of the home, such a threat to liberal women like Joy? What has Sharron Angle done to deserve being described so profanely by Ms. Behar?”

Sharron Angle had a different response to Joy Behar's sexist comments. The female candidate kindly sent Behar some flowers along with a note that read, "Joy, Raised $150,000 online yesterday. Thanks for your help. Sincerely, Sharron Angle." Apparently, Joy was surprised Sharron Angle's show of kindness.

I find this fascinating because liberal and conservative women were so quick to condemn Joy Behar for her comments; yet, Meg Whitman got a different response from feminists when she was called a whore by Jerry Brown's wife. In that situation, conservative women were outraged whereas liberal feminist were split on their outrage over Mrs. Brown's comments. The local chapter of NOW was troubled about it but ultimately called Meg Whitman a "political whore" whereas the national organization was upset by Mrs. Brown's comments and declared that anyone who uses that term ought to be fired.

Anyone care to explain the difference why feminists on the left and the right were united in their outrage against Joy Behar yet divided in on Mrs. Brown's sexist statement?

Update 10/28/10: Joy Behar apologizes to Sharron Angle for calling her a bitch. See the video below: