Dominionist Watch - Bachmann's Rules For Girls

Dec 9th, 2011

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Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) worked hard earlier this year to spin remarks she had made about the bible and spousal submissiveness. Just last month, the Washington Post got her to go on the record again for clarification:


"Since Bachmann was elected to Congress five years ago, the primary caregiver for their oft-mentioned kids has been her husband, Marcus Bachmann, back home in Minnesota. "We’ve been a tag team," she says. Only, her husband has been "it" for the past five years, hasn’t he, despite her Bible-based belief that wives should be submissive to their husbands?

"My husband is the head of the household," she says, but "we’re equals. If it came down to it, I’d probably let him have the last word." But in 33 years, she adds, this has never happened. "Every decision has been a negotiated settlement."

There are many, relatively mainstream Christians who don't find these statements particularly objectionable. I am not among them. The argument I have made since this flap started in July was that her willingness to project these views in a political setting exposes deeper and more dangerous beliefs; Antiquated notions of traditional marriage are likely the least repressive of her philosophies regarding gender. Which brings us to her most recent interview on Hannity's radio show. Alex Seitz-Wald reports via ThinkProgress:

"While promoting her new book on Sean Hannity’s radio show this afternoon, Rep, Michele Bachmann (R-MN) said she doesn’t let her daughters ask boys out on dates. Apparently embracing antiquated notions of sexuality and gender relations, Bachmann suggested women should have to wait to be asked out. Otherwise, they’re out of luck if they never are. No word on Sadie Hawkins exceptions:

BACHMANN: People do find out [in my book] that I did not get asked to my senior prom.

HANNITY: Well, neither did I. And nobody would go with me.

BACHMANN: Well, in my time, girls didn’t ask boys to prom. If you didn’t get asked, you didn’t go.

HANNITY: Yeah, well let me tell you, I have a 13-year-old son. Those days have changed big time.

BACHMANN: And our girls are not allowed to do that in our house. They have to wait for the boys to call."

Should women also walk behind their husbands if they are told to do so? What does Bachmann think? It's a legitimate question.