'Slut' Walk Feminist Won't Say If She'd Want Daughter To Dress Like One

June 6th, 2011 8:27 AM

This column makes a living lambasting Mika Brzezinski for her liberalism. So let's give the Morning Joe co-host credit when she dares deviate from the lefty line.

On today's Morning Joe, Mika persistently questioned Jessica Valenti, a feminist proponent of [their term] "Slut Walks," as to whether she'd want her daughter to dress like one.  Valenti, happy to push others out into the streets in skimpy clothes, twice dodged Mika's question, the second time with a particularly lame line.

View video after the jump.



Valenti is the author of a much-read article in last week's Washington Post celebrating the so-called Slutwalks. According to Valenti, women are taking to the streets in minimal garb as a means of "demonstrating to fight the idea that what women wear, what they drink or how they behave can make them a target for rape."


So, asked Mika in essence, do Slutwalks start at home?

MIKA BRZEZINSKI: I just wonder: would you want your daughter to wear those clothes?  And why wouldn't you, if the answer's "no"?

Valenti rambled on with a non-answer answer.  But Brzezinski brought her back to the question.

BRZEZINSKI: To go into the uncomfortable area of this conversation, would you want your daughter to go into the city at night wearing those clothes?  If the answer is "no," why?

Cornered, Valenti ventured the lamest of dodges.

VALENTI: You know, I think I'm going to have to answer that question once she's of that age.  I think it's a difficult thing.

That brought derisive laughter from Joe Scarborough and a straight answer from Mika.

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Huh!  Once she becomes a teenager?  Let me help you with that one.

BRZEZINSKI: My answer is "no," because I don't want her to have unnecessary risk.