Hillary Clinton Should Have Smiled More, Shouted Less — Says Male Pundits

Impact

If you're a woman, chances are you've been told to smile by a man at some point while walking down the street. Whether he realizes it or not, it's an attempt to police a woman's body — its own form of sexual harassment — which is often brushed off as innocuous, innocent or friendly. 

Even Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, who has plenty of experience in the political spotlight, is not immune to this degrading demand.

Read more: Hillary Clinton Defeats Bernie Sanders in Illinois Primary, Solidifying Delegate Lead

After her massive successes in Tuesday night's primaries a number of male pundits were taken aback by Clinton's demeanor during her victory speech, deriding the candidate for "shouting angrily."

Her voice was audibly fatigued, an occupational hazard of nonstop campaigning. But others just heard her "grate."

MSNBC's Joe Scarborough and Fox's Howard Kurtz and Brit Hume all had something to say:

Members of the greater Twitter population chimed in with similar sentiments:

The commentary drew the ire of feminists across the internet: 

Hume made matters worse when he defended his tweet and celebrated the moment Clinton finally put him at ease by smiling. There, don't we all feel better now?

This type of criticism has long been a thorn in the side of Clinton's campaign. Many have commented on Bernie Sanders' being beloved for his rough-around-the-edges demeanor, while Clinton is not given the same pass.

Sanders' appeal as authentic is largely derived from his looking like a "hot mess," the Washington Post's Catherine Rampell noted in February. "This is, of course, a form of authenticity that is off-limits to any female politician, not just one with Clinton's baggage," she added.

But ladies, remember: It's all in good fun. Smile!

Watch Clinton's victory speech here: 

Get the five stories that will challenge you to rethink the world by signing up for MicCheck Daily.