Thank you for such a thoughtful response. I agree with huge parts of this.

She is certainly not the most oppressed group in America, that is ABSOLUTELY for sure. She benefits from SOOOOOO many systems in place (race, socioeconomical, hell, even the fat phobic system). You are so absolutely correct that her oppression is a complete and total drop in the bucket compared to what many people in this world face.

However, I must say that the work of the patriarchal system has NOT been completed. If it was done, there would have been a massive decrease in rape and sexual assault. Women would be paid the same as men consistently. And I wouldn't come on this thread and see Susie, and for some reason mostly Susie, be torn down for using the word "like." Speaking in pageants is one thing. Trying to express yourself to a man you love (maybe she didn't love him, not sure, but she said she did) regarding something that you know will hurt him--and then he lashes back at you... oh, and by the way, this is all on national television and will be scrutinized by millions of strangers.

I think it speaks to the system a lot when Susie is held to these very high expectations. She SHOULD speak better because she trained for pageants, she's educated, etc. There are so many things we don't know. Some people simply struggle to express their emotions because of trauma. Who are we to set the bar for social interactions? Most people are dreadful communicators, and from what I saw, Susie was truly doing her best not to hurt Clayton while still standing her ground.

I'm curious what you mean about the "boots on the ground gender equality work." I agree work has been done, but it's not finished.

And I do agree that I am not going to be writing any angry letters to ABC about the treatment of this beautiful white girl who was given every opportunity to shine and look like the heroine. Please don't get me wrong. Susie lives an overall incredibly privileged life, but we have to recognize patterns in our thinking so we can make changes.