Big Girls Don't Cry (book)

Big Girls Don't Cry is divided into twelve chapters, telling a roughly chronological recount of the 2008 election. Interwoven throughout the book are Traister's own experiences and perspective, as well as analysis from other political commentators. She focuses on four key women involved in the election: Hillary Clinton, Sarah Palin, Michelle Obama, and Elizabeth Edwards.^[5]

In 2008 Clinton, a Senator and candidate for the Democratic Party presidential nomination, became the first American woman to win a presidential primary.^[6] Traister discusses Clinton's political campaign, which did not focus on her gender, and the misogynistic reactions she received from the media and political opponents—on both sides of the aisle, though primarily from the Republican Party.^[7] She argues that the Democratic Party's lack of response to the sexism of Clinton's opponents led a large number of liberal female voters to abandon the party,^[8] and blames Mark Penn for advising Clinton not to advertise herself as a feminist.^[4] Although she originally supported John Edwards' candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination, she became a strong supporter of Clinton.^[9]

Palin was the Republican Party nominee for Vice President and then-Governor of Alaska. Traister criticises Palin's "faux feminism", as she claimed to be a feminist despite running under a party whose policies did not align with feminist ideals.^[7] Traister argues that Palin's strong conservatism led Clinton supporters to back Barack Obama rather than John McCain after Clinton's withdrawal from the race. Despite this, Palin was celebrated by Republican women voters; Traister argues that this inspired a wave of feminism which focused on political empowerment but neglected other values such as reproductive rights.^[5]

Traister also discusses the wives of men involved in politics: Michelle Obama, the wife of the Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, and Elizabeth Edwards, the late wife of John Edwards, another candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination. Traister contrasts the Obamas' relationship with that of Hillary and former President Bill Clinton. She argues that Michelle Obama's candidness led many women voters to feel they had more in common with her than Hillary Clinton. On the other hand, Traister compares Elizabeth Edwards' public image to that of Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton, and criticizes her for "enabl[ing] her husband's deception" about his extramarital affair.^[5]

In addition to female political figures, Traister also discusses women in the media who played influential roles in the election coverage. These women include: Rachel Maddow, whose political commentary led to a surge in her popularity; television journalist Katie Couric, who led a critical interview with Sarah Palin; and Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who parodied Palin and Clinton, respectively, in several Saturday Night Live skits.^[7][8]

The book is written from a feminist perspective; Traister recounts her own experiences with the women's liberation movement, identifying with neither second-wave nor third-wave feminism.^[7] She notes the various responses to the election and candidates from different generations of feminists, and argues that for older feminists the main priority was the election of a female President, while younger women were less inclined to automatically vote for a female candidate.^[6] Traister concludes that the 2008 election marked the year that "the women's liberation movement found thrilling new life".^[4]

Big Girls Don't Cry was deemed a New York Times Notable Book of 2010 and the winner of the Ernesta Drinker Ballard Book Prize.^[10] The book also received positive reviews from critics. In a review for Foreign Affairs, Walter Russell Mead described Traister as "one of the most powerful voices in a new generation of American feminist writers",^[11] while Liesl Schillinger of The New York Times called the book "a passionate, visionary and very personal account" of the 2008 election.^[7] Maureen Corrigan of NPR praised the "superb" book, and concluded that "Girls, these days, can not only run for president; they can brilliantly analyze presidential campaigns, too."^[12] The Washington Post critic Connie Schultz felt that at times Traister's writing seemed to "alienate every female reader over 40", but wrote that the book was "in its best parts ... a raw and brave memoir".^[9] A writer for Kirkus Reviews praised Traister's arguments and described the book as a "nuanced look at how the recent election shaped—and was shaped by—gender".^[6] Lynda Obst wrote for The Atlantic that the book served as a satisfying explanation to "mystified" Obama supporters "what the hell all the crying was about" after Clinton conceded from the Democratic primary.^[8] While Slate reviewer Hanna Rosin questioned the relevance of some chapters but overall concluded that, "Traister can be clever, caustic, wickedly funny, and as cynical as the next blogger, but it's always clear that in her heart she cares."^[4]