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I heard a liberal Democrat yesterday gloating about the reality that Mitt Romney would be the Republican nominee for President in 2012.  He was, according to this particular individual, the “quintessential Republican: wealthy, out of touch and totally oblivious to the needs of the middle class.”  While I disagree with the assessment, I understand the excitement Democrats feel in being able to easily paint such a picture of Romney – he fits the mold.

Along those lines, I hope every woman in America takes time to read the recent piece by British journalist, Laurie Penny.  If there has ever been a better embodiment of modern liberal feminism than Ms. Penny, I don’t know who it would be. 

If you’re unsure who this is, Penny was the lady who was recently saved from walking into oncoming traffic by Hollywood star (and apparent “Dreamboat”) Ryan Gosling (of “The Notebook” fame).  According to Taylor Bigler at the Daily Caller, Ms. Penny isn’t the most grateful for his help.  In fact, she’s downright perturbed about being made into the innocent girl saved by the dashing man.  That’s just way too paternalistic for her, apparently.

So, to set the record straight, Ms. Penny decided to write an article to tell everyone how she’s no damsel in distress.  She’s woman...hear her roar:

Everybody needs to calm down about Ryan Gosling saving me from a speeding car.

It was a curious thing that happened to me on the way to somewhere else. I had just bought a nice pink wig to wear to a friend’s party. I was thinking about an article I’m writing about birth control and the importance of reproductive freedom to women’s rights, and I didn’t remember to look the right way. An actor happened to be passing and stopped me from getting run over by a car. I said “thank you.” And that was that.

This is why I think that every woman in America needs to read this piece.  Liberal feminists love to pretend that they speak for all women.  But how many average American women go walking around town thinking about birth control and the importance of reproductive freedom?  Not many.  Most are thinking about their families, their jobs, their homes, their friends, and the typical routine of life.  People like Laurie Penny are the ones who are out of the mainstream – the ones who are out of touch. 

And it was only because she was so caught up in thinking and dwelling upon these crucial matters of significance that she was about to step out into traffic.  Luckily she was saved by “some actor” who happened to be nearby – undoubtedly the positioning and providence of a concerned universe that knew we could not survive as a people without her literary contributions to the important causes of reproductive freedom.

So enough with the praising of Ryan Gosling, ladies.  Instead, adorn Laurie Penny with your praise – for without her, the cause of birth control would have one less champion.  Penny closes her smug piece this way:

But as a feminist, a writer, and a gentlewoman of fortune, I refuse to be cast in any sort of boring supporting female role, even though I have occasional trouble crossing the road, and even though I did swoon the teeniest tiniest bit when I realized it was him. I think that’s lazy storytelling, and I’m sure Ryan Gosling would agree with me.

First of all, what the crap is a “gentlewoman of fortune?”  Can we please stop pretending that meaningless, dumb phrases are meaningful and constitute intellectual conversation?  Secondly, this is the perfect encapsulation of the mindset of modern liberal feminism – it is beneath the dignity of a woman to be protected by a man.  And even when it happens, ‘tis better to pen some condescending, shrill lecture about gender roles than just be grateful you aren’t part of the New York City concrete.

I just don’t think her attitude comes close to representing the views of modern American women.  But it does represent the views of modern feminist leaders at Planned Parenthood, NARAL, NOW and all the liberal organizations that claim to speak on their behalf.  How about we start talking about the war on true femininity – and these modern feminists are leading the charge.