Jews getting into trouble- In defense of gender roles and orthodoxy

I know, I know, what else is new?

If you haven't yet seen, there's this floating around the internet:
http://www.boingboing.net/2011/05/09/brooklyn-based-newsp.html
http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?ID=219660&R=R1
http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/2011/05/hasidic-paper-removes-hillary-clinton-from-osama-picture-567.html

Oy. Its pretty obvious from reading these articles, and from viewing the photo, that whoever the editor is at this yiddish newspaper...
1. Has entirely too much time on his hands. He photoshopped IN the guy next to Hilary's entire torso. A better use of that time might have been finding a different photo that doesn't have women so as to both not picture women in their newspaper AND not cause the entire world to hate Jews again, some more.
2. Is likely in some legal trouble for altering the photo against the original photo's direct terms of use.
3. Has never heard of journalistic integrity.

However, I am far more concerned by a what the rest of the country is thinking right now, not what the nutjobs who decided the post the doctored picture think. Quite frankly its scary. Jews in America, and the world overall, have a bit of a PR problem. Even before this, people see orthodox Jews as crazy, backwards, sexist, cultish. Read some of the comments on those articles linked above, and you will see that a manageable PR problem has possibly gotten a WHOLE LOT worse.

A selection:

Women covering their hair may seem strange to you - it isn't oppressive or sexist.

A rule that applies to one sex? That seems a little sexist.

It was an action taken by them alone - and does not reflect hasidism, Orhtdox Judaism or religion as a whole.

They did it for reasons of religious belief, but it doesn't reflect religion?

they'll see the truly offensive things are their own presumptions and prejudices.

No, religious piety is what is truly offensive.

Simply the best article to observe how fanatic jews and fanatic muslins are so alike .Does anyone sincerely see any diference in this kind of behavor ? not me , both create their own trueths , both want to impose their views , both use lies , both consider woman as an inferior human . I think this tell everything. Maybe because extremists like these , in both sides are in the power , the problem in the midle-east remains.

I think the Hasids are ridiculous in regard to their views on sexuality and women. I do not think we should abridge their right to believe and act how they wish.

There is a difference between thinking something is sexist, wrong, or ridiculous and abridging people's right to be sexist, wrong, or ridiculous.

They have the right to be however they want. I have the right to call them archaic. They can believe they are right; I can believe they are wrong, and say so.

Now, granted, some people are sticking up for Jews ("not all Jews think this") and some are defending the right of Jews to be as backwards as they want to be (like that last comment above), but I still fear the backlash.
Also it makes me angry, time and again, to see people go from "They cover their hair" to "they are sexist and oppressive."

Which brings me to my points:
1. Modesty is not such a bad thing. I'm sure alot of the fathers out there would be happy to teach a little more modesty to their daughters and a little less objectifying women to their sons. These women who dress this way are NOT oppressed, they are happy. At my shul there are women who wear wigs, women who wear hats, and women who let their hair out. Nobody is persecuted for whichever practice they choose- the men freely socialize with women who show their hair, and their husbands do not berate them for it. The level of modesty, like all matters of observance, is a personal choice.
2. Encouraging women to cover their cleavage is not disrespectful of women. I dare you to tell me you get more respect from a man when you wear a low cut shirt than when you cover your boobs. I have never felt more respected by a man staring at my breasts than one staring at my face. When I attend shul I feel respected for my ideas and my intellect without feeling that I must either defend my body from objectification or expose my body in order to garner attention, my physical appearance is of no relevance to my worth.
3. Equal does NOT mean the same. Or, alternately, different does NOT mean lesser. I will not use racial segregation as an allegory, however many detractors of the Orthodox practices do... black people during segregation really were treated as lesser and it was wrong. Jewish women are not. Let me instead use these analogies... One: When a woman goes to the beach or swimming pool she must wear both bottoms and a top. Women may not be strolling the beach topless. However, men can wear just trunks, chest exposed for all to see, with nobody taking any notice. Is this sexist? Two: When the men come to console, they are expected to wear button down shirts and either a tie or jacket. If a man were to come in short sleeves, or with no jacket or tie he would not be considered appropriately dressed. When I come to console I rarely wear long sleeves, a jacket, or a tie (never a tie). Is this sexist?
Are women lesser because they are expected to cover their nipples in public. Are men lesser because they are expected to wear a tie. No. There are simply sometimes different rules for genders based on natural characteristics or cultural norms. If you were to stand up and say that men's formal apparel is sexist and you demand that all men from here out where skirts, v-necks, and heels so that their attire be equal to women... people would think you insane. It is no different to stand up and say "Orthodox women being forced to dress modestly is sexist and they should be allowed to wear miniskirts and tanktops." First you assume that they are forced, that they would want to do other. Second you assume that because their rules are different, they are somehow being treated as lesser. I know of few men who would wish to trade their ties for high heels, and I know of few Orthodox women who would wish to trade their wigs for sluttery.

In conclusion, to sum up that giant paragraph above... This paper is not representative of all forms of Judaism, nor is its omission of women or other Jewish laws concerning the dress and behavior of women de facto sexism. Those who are opposed are pushing their own agenda onto others for their own purposes and are not taking the needs or wishes of those actually accepting the rules into account. Nobody is asking you, commenters listed above, to wear wigs and long sleeves so it does not concern you what others do. But if you really must push your agenda, go put some men in skirts and leave us alone.