In an interview by Harper’s Bazaar magazine, the US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton says:
“I do love a good handbag; I think could be either a great divider or unite. I’m on the unite side. I think no one should make fun of anyone else’s handbag choices. I think we should be united in our support of one another. Because this is like a deep psychological need. It is a desire to kind of organize and contain that which is important to you in your daily life.”
Clinton continues to say that she has a philosophical view about handbags and adds, “I have this Ferragamo hot-pink bag that I adore. My view was that I would carry it around only in spring, but it makes me so happy, I’m even now lugging it around in January. I mean, how can you be unhappy if you pick up a big pink bag?”
It is a very interesting philosophy about handbags expressed by the US Secretary of State, I wonder what would have Aristotle, Plato, Kant, Satre or Simone de Beauvoir said about handbags, or the very well known and the most prominent contemporary German feminist Alice Schwarzer?
Especially about handbags and the colour pink! These comments are enough to make a women cheer and not to be unhappy according to Clinton’s philosophy. But honestly US Secretary of State don’t you think what you say is a bit stereotypical for women?
I agree, almost all women like or love using bags as part of their outfits that come in different shapes and colours, but I do not think it should be, alone a reason, to be happy just holding a pink handbag. Perhaps your philosophy counts only for young girls aged between 4 and 9 years old. Almost all girls above that age range want to be seen as cool and the colour pink can be really “embarrassing and girly” for them.
On the other hand, the system in which we live, unfortunately women are invanably forced to use handbags as all the women clothing does not have enough or not at all any pockets relative to mens’ clothing. Women do need a handbag to put their purses, mobiles etc unlike men who use their adudent inner pockets to keep their belongings.
How will the handbag industry survive, if the manufactures added pockets to women clothing? Should that not be included as part of your handbag philosophy too Mrs. Clinton?
Yes, it is very easy to get a pink handbag as the industry wants women to carry pink handbags. As I have written last year in an article to commerate the International Women’s Day; “On another level, as these monolithic shopping centres offer you almost everything under one roof, you cannot but help notice that many luxury designer shops that dominate the market do not offer any briefcases or business bags for women to purchase. A woman is welcome to buy a designer bag, any colour and any design but there are no briefcases to be found. An oddity in the current market and reinforcing a gender divide with a clear signal how women are perceived as commodities by the large fashion houses of Europe.”
Have we forgotten Mrs Clinton, what did Simone de Beauvoir once said, ‘ One is not born but rather becomes a woman!’
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Semra Eren-Nijhar 