From a feminist’s point of view Stokowski’s frustration may be understandable. But I still find her piece astonishing. No German politician in high office has ever said anything as radical as Obama’s statement that “we need to keep changing the attitude that punishes women for their sexuality and rewards men for theirs.” Our previous chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) is more likely to be struck down by lightning than to make such a statement. Nor is it likely that Angela Merkel (CDU) will ever be so outspoken on women’s issues. If she has any feminist leanings, she’s hidden them well so far. Reading Obama’s essay I agree with Cindi Leive who said that it felt like a "very modern moment”.
Obama finishes his treatise with “That’s what twenty-first-century feminism is about: the idea that when everybody is equal, we are all more free.” And here I agree with Stokowski that his words ring hollow. In a world where most societies are becoming more and more unequal, where a rising number are desperately poor and a handful are getting ever richer, the idea that we are making huge progress towards equality is absurd. The inequality between men and women now often pales in comparison to the inequality between peoples and classes. Maybe Stokowski was right after all and Obama could have been more daring? Possibly, but that seems too much to ask considering Germany hasn’t had a single prominent male politician who has been so openly supportive of women’s rights.