Audrey Bilger

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Laughing All the Way to the Polls

Do Female Politicians need a New Punchline?

Article by Audrey Bilger, appeared in issue Fun & Games; published in 2005; filed under Social commentary; tagged female politicians, funny, gender roles, Hillary Clinton, humor, jokes, politics, power, presidents, voters.

Once upon a time, politics was serious business. These days, however, presidential merit is measured as much by frat-house standards as by traditional approval ratings (apparently, American voters would rather have a beer with Bush than with Kerry), and a well-timed joke can sometimes sway public opinion more effectively than a reasoned argument.

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The Common Guy

One Seemingly Benign Phrase Makes a Man Out of All of Us

Article by Audrey Bilger, appeared in issue Transformation & Reinvention; published in 2002; filed under Social commentary; tagged Alice Walker, internalized sexism, language, pc, politically correct, visibility, you guys.

Oprah says it. My yoga instructor says it. College students around the country say it. The cast of Friends says it, as do my own friends, over and over again. At least 10 to 20 times a day, I hear someone say “you guys” to refer to groups or pairs that include and in some cases consist entirely of women.

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