I am at serious risk of coming across as a blowhard on my Social Media accounts. But I was so moved by the White Women for Harris Zoom call yesterday I felt compelled to post this, and so far, my friends from my former home state Utah haven't flipped out on me:
Last night I joined the ‘White Women for Harris’ Zoom with 146,000 other women…
I am at serious risk of coming across as a blowhard on my Social Media accounts. But I was so moved by the White Women for Harris Zoom call yesterday I felt compelled to post this, and so far, my friends from my former home state Utah haven't flipped out on me:
Last night I joined the ‘White Women for Harris’ Zoom with 146,000 other women. This is a tricky topic, it can be triggering. But they shared some interesting data that I didn’t know. We, as white women, are actually the largest voting block. And historically, we largely vote Republican. It could be said that white women actually played a decent role in electing Donald Trump in 2016.
I was actually really surprised to hear this, it got me thinking a lot. What I know for sure is that whatever historical/biological forces are at play here, they’re largely subconscious, they’ve been inherited and engrained.
So, here I am on my small platform again :) In my humble opinion, we are truly at an historic crossroads this election, one that is not about Democrat vs. Republican. One that is about maintaining a safe system of government. And in this moment, it is worth all of us opening up this topic and really breathing through it, exploring it, challenging any old ideas and feelings.
I’d also humbly ask you to watch to things.
Watch Donald Trump’s recent rally in North Carolina. He says again and again that Kamala Harris is a socialist socialist socialist (not true, she is manifestly a centrist working on kitchen table issues for Americans). But more than that, there’s a moment when he says ‘This country is not going to elect a socialist. Especially not a woman.” Listen to the way he says ‘woman.’ It is literally dripping with disdain. My Sisters, those are the attitudes – that’s what this is about.
And then, please watch VP Harris’ speech to the Teacher’s Union yesterday. Her competence, her strength, her optimism. Her leadership. She has been showing up since Roe v Wade was overturned, representing our rights. Ensuring we aren’t being controlled by the government. Leading for us. Remember when she asked Brett Kavanaugh in his hearing, “Do you know of any laws that give the government the power to make decisions about the male body?” He stammered a while but then ultimately answered that no, no he couldn’t.
Kamala Harris was an Attorney General, a Senator, and is now a Vice President. She has a platform that is about kitchen table issues, protecting the middle class. She is eminently qualified. She is our ally and our Sister.
European countries have elected female leaders multiple times. There is absolutely no no no reason why we can’t too. I personally hope we can all seize this historic moment and make our country safe in the process.
“It could be said that white women actually played a decent role in electing Trump in 2016.” No Sarah, white women DID elect Trump in 2016 - 53 f-ing percent of them. And it wasn’t just the stupid ones, the religious ones, the FOX filth eating ones or the ones browbeaten by their husbands. I thought I was friends (past tense) with many of them who refused to vote for Hillary out of sheer, petty jealousy. We’re talking about accomplished lawyers and other professional women who couldn’t stomach the idea of Hillary outshining them or surpassing their own accomplishments. I was simply astonished and thankfully many with this mindset are dying off (Baby Boomers and older). I have to believe the younger generations of women have each other’s backs and my 35 year old architect daughter believes that to be true. Donald Trump and his Republican Party are misogynistic, hypocritical, mendacious, women controlling, self hating, morally, ethically and intellectually bankrupt idiots incapable of governance - and have been for well over 50 years. I’m truly delighted you finally figured that out. Kamala Harris is the one who will actually make this nation great again because she has the brains, the skills and the fight to fix all the horrors the Republican Party, the minority party, has inflicted upon us for over half a century.
Preach! Thank you for your clear headed insights. I’ve also seen 30-something and younger folks who were sorta disengaged taking a new interest especially this week.
There was an excellent, if brief, recap of the event on Deadline White House this afternoon. In my own personal observation, many white women are financially dependent to at least some extent on white men (or they'd like to be) and that leads to their internalization of white male supremacy. Overthrow of Roe appears to be the hammer that broke through.
Thanks for this, Suzanne. I'll look for that because it feels like we could make a big difference in the election if we could somehow break through on this. Another big aspect of what they talked about last night is what amazing organizers black women are and how as white women we have a responsibility to be joining them in it. It was very inspiring, but I fully recognize none of this is easy -- these are long-standing and I think largely subconscious attitudes. I'm encouraged to hear your thinking that Roe is breaking through, I'm keeping the faith that our collective voices can make a difference.
Yes, subconscious is the key word. I think the availability of legal abortion made it very easy for many white women to not recognize their second-class status in American conservative/Republican 'thought.'
From my own personal experience, I am a white woman (stay at home mom) and am financially dependent on my husband's salary. We have a severe non verbal child, so my staying at home was largely beyond my control but I view it differently. I grew up in a small town in west Texas. So I am pretty familiar with the white, woman voter that supports Trump. I think it has more to do with Evangelical teachings and Christian identity, than with financial dependence. There are still a lot of churches out there, especially in the south, that teach woman are meant to be subservient to their husbands. I know plenty of very accomplished white women, who vote Republican and sort of hold this view of being put on Earth to support their husbands. My die hard Republican sister in law is one of them and she is a rocket scientist at Rathion. I am not saying that being financially dependent isn't a factor, it's that the driving force is their Christian belief system.
I do think that Roe is something that breaks through though. Even with women who are largely against abortion. These women are typically against abortion as a method of birth control but understand that abortion is more complicated than that. When we had Roe, they were able to say they were pro life because they viewed abortion as something irresponsible women did as a means of birth control. Having to get one because of a medical complication didn't count. Now, that Roe has been over turned, there is no meaningful distinction. The morality of an abortion changes when you are choosing between the life of your daughter, who has become septic because of a fetal complication.
Obviously some of the GOP are very concerned about women. That's why there is Project 25 and vice presidental candidates like Vance. They see women as a threat to their power. Historically, men have always tried controlling women with reproduction. I think there is a big concern among some conservatives over reproductive rates going down among white women. They resent working women because of this and why these types are now pushing the idea of Trad wives and saying truly vile things about women without children.
Dear Shanna - first, you are an absolute hero for being a mom at home tending to a disabled child. My sister has a nonverbal, severely cognitively disabled son, and honestly, I don't know how she manages. It is a feat far behind the capabilities of my own patience and forbearance.
As for financial dependence and Christian teaching, don't you think they are intertwined? I was raised Catholic but have been an atheist as long as I have been sentient so have never been motivated to read the Bible cover to cover, but is there anything in there that supports the idea that women should be subservient to men? Or 'complementarian,' which I believe is the preferred language of many American Christian churches. I'm not an expert on Christian doctrine by any means, but from what I've read, this language is fairly specific to American evangelical churches, and it appears to me that it has been developed specifically to keep women believing that they are dependent on men, financially and otherwise, regardless of their education levels or earning potential.
You are spot on with the concerns among many white men about white women's reproductive rates - this has been going on since the 90s, when Rush Limbaugh was ranting about 'the wrong women having abortions.' Absolutely disgusting stuff, but it was very easy for many white women to look away from it and not see how that rot was taking over the formerly GOP until now.
Like you, raised Catholic, parted ways. In my 8 years of Catholic school we didn't read much bible (were just told what was in there). Have read more in the past few years; don't like to quote scripture at people though.
There are passages that show Jesus' examples of elevating women beyond what that time & culture accorded, according them equal treatment, honoring their wisdom and faith.
I'm no expert either. I am willing to follow the ways of Jesus on this: "love your neighbor as yourself"- a remarkably simple guide. Admittedly hard to do, easy to slip, but there's nothing there that excludes any gender.
LOL, we didn't read much directly from the Bible, either, in my weekly Catechism classes. But no one ever suggested that literally everything in the Bible was true - that would have been considered seriously fringe, if not deranged. And there was no crazy talk about 'End Times' - sure, the Last Judgement was a thing, but pretty vague and the main message was more along the lines of 'be a good person and you'll go to heaven.'
Re: Jesus and women - from a number of things I've read, in its early decades, Christianity was in fact seen as a religion for women and children, specifically because it called for protection of the weak and those in need. 'Real men' worshipped Jupiter and Mars, lol. Somehow, things seem to have gotten reversed, at least in the American evangelical version of Christianity.
I have a relative who lives in the sorta environment you describe. Somehow she grew out of her man’s influence but would never risk telling him! She confided to me that it’s been a comfort to her to know she’s canceling out his vote.
Thank you for sharing your story and insights. Blessings to you and yours.
Please reframe one thing: you're aren't "hoping" we can seize the moment. Last night on that call, today posting your encouragement for us - you ARE seizing this moment!! You are doing the WORK!! And WE are NOT going back!
I am at serious risk of coming across as a blowhard on my Social Media accounts. But I was so moved by the White Women for Harris Zoom call yesterday I felt compelled to post this, and so far, my friends from my former home state Utah haven't flipped out on me:
Last night I joined the ‘White Women for Harris’ Zoom with 146,000 other women. This is a tricky topic, it can be triggering. But they shared some interesting data that I didn’t know. We, as white women, are actually the largest voting block. And historically, we largely vote Republican. It could be said that white women actually played a decent role in electing Donald Trump in 2016.
I was actually really surprised to hear this, it got me thinking a lot. What I know for sure is that whatever historical/biological forces are at play here, they’re largely subconscious, they’ve been inherited and engrained.
So, here I am on my small platform again :) In my humble opinion, we are truly at an historic crossroads this election, one that is not about Democrat vs. Republican. One that is about maintaining a safe system of government. And in this moment, it is worth all of us opening up this topic and really breathing through it, exploring it, challenging any old ideas and feelings.
I’d also humbly ask you to watch to things.
Watch Donald Trump’s recent rally in North Carolina. He says again and again that Kamala Harris is a socialist socialist socialist (not true, she is manifestly a centrist working on kitchen table issues for Americans). But more than that, there’s a moment when he says ‘This country is not going to elect a socialist. Especially not a woman.” Listen to the way he says ‘woman.’ It is literally dripping with disdain. My Sisters, those are the attitudes – that’s what this is about.
And then, please watch VP Harris’ speech to the Teacher’s Union yesterday. Her competence, her strength, her optimism. Her leadership. She has been showing up since Roe v Wade was overturned, representing our rights. Ensuring we aren’t being controlled by the government. Leading for us. Remember when she asked Brett Kavanaugh in his hearing, “Do you know of any laws that give the government the power to make decisions about the male body?” He stammered a while but then ultimately answered that no, no he couldn’t.
Kamala Harris was an Attorney General, a Senator, and is now a Vice President. She has a platform that is about kitchen table issues, protecting the middle class. She is eminently qualified. She is our ally and our Sister.
European countries have elected female leaders multiple times. There is absolutely no no no reason why we can’t too. I personally hope we can all seize this historic moment and make our country safe in the process.
Thank you so much for hearing me.
“It could be said that white women actually played a decent role in electing Trump in 2016.” No Sarah, white women DID elect Trump in 2016 - 53 f-ing percent of them. And it wasn’t just the stupid ones, the religious ones, the FOX filth eating ones or the ones browbeaten by their husbands. I thought I was friends (past tense) with many of them who refused to vote for Hillary out of sheer, petty jealousy. We’re talking about accomplished lawyers and other professional women who couldn’t stomach the idea of Hillary outshining them or surpassing their own accomplishments. I was simply astonished and thankfully many with this mindset are dying off (Baby Boomers and older). I have to believe the younger generations of women have each other’s backs and my 35 year old architect daughter believes that to be true. Donald Trump and his Republican Party are misogynistic, hypocritical, mendacious, women controlling, self hating, morally, ethically and intellectually bankrupt idiots incapable of governance - and have been for well over 50 years. I’m truly delighted you finally figured that out. Kamala Harris is the one who will actually make this nation great again because she has the brains, the skills and the fight to fix all the horrors the Republican Party, the minority party, has inflicted upon us for over half a century.
Preach! Thank you for your clear headed insights. I’ve also seen 30-something and younger folks who were sorta disengaged taking a new interest especially this week.
“There’s something happening here… 🎼”
There was an excellent, if brief, recap of the event on Deadline White House this afternoon. In my own personal observation, many white women are financially dependent to at least some extent on white men (or they'd like to be) and that leads to their internalization of white male supremacy. Overthrow of Roe appears to be the hammer that broke through.
Thanks for this, Suzanne. I'll look for that because it feels like we could make a big difference in the election if we could somehow break through on this. Another big aspect of what they talked about last night is what amazing organizers black women are and how as white women we have a responsibility to be joining them in it. It was very inspiring, but I fully recognize none of this is easy -- these are long-standing and I think largely subconscious attitudes. I'm encouraged to hear your thinking that Roe is breaking through, I'm keeping the faith that our collective voices can make a difference.
Yes, subconscious is the key word. I think the availability of legal abortion made it very easy for many white women to not recognize their second-class status in American conservative/Republican 'thought.'
Yes yes yes
From my own personal experience, I am a white woman (stay at home mom) and am financially dependent on my husband's salary. We have a severe non verbal child, so my staying at home was largely beyond my control but I view it differently. I grew up in a small town in west Texas. So I am pretty familiar with the white, woman voter that supports Trump. I think it has more to do with Evangelical teachings and Christian identity, than with financial dependence. There are still a lot of churches out there, especially in the south, that teach woman are meant to be subservient to their husbands. I know plenty of very accomplished white women, who vote Republican and sort of hold this view of being put on Earth to support their husbands. My die hard Republican sister in law is one of them and she is a rocket scientist at Rathion. I am not saying that being financially dependent isn't a factor, it's that the driving force is their Christian belief system.
I do think that Roe is something that breaks through though. Even with women who are largely against abortion. These women are typically against abortion as a method of birth control but understand that abortion is more complicated than that. When we had Roe, they were able to say they were pro life because they viewed abortion as something irresponsible women did as a means of birth control. Having to get one because of a medical complication didn't count. Now, that Roe has been over turned, there is no meaningful distinction. The morality of an abortion changes when you are choosing between the life of your daughter, who has become septic because of a fetal complication.
Obviously some of the GOP are very concerned about women. That's why there is Project 25 and vice presidental candidates like Vance. They see women as a threat to their power. Historically, men have always tried controlling women with reproduction. I think there is a big concern among some conservatives over reproductive rates going down among white women. They resent working women because of this and why these types are now pushing the idea of Trad wives and saying truly vile things about women without children.
Dear Shanna - first, you are an absolute hero for being a mom at home tending to a disabled child. My sister has a nonverbal, severely cognitively disabled son, and honestly, I don't know how she manages. It is a feat far behind the capabilities of my own patience and forbearance.
As for financial dependence and Christian teaching, don't you think they are intertwined? I was raised Catholic but have been an atheist as long as I have been sentient so have never been motivated to read the Bible cover to cover, but is there anything in there that supports the idea that women should be subservient to men? Or 'complementarian,' which I believe is the preferred language of many American Christian churches. I'm not an expert on Christian doctrine by any means, but from what I've read, this language is fairly specific to American evangelical churches, and it appears to me that it has been developed specifically to keep women believing that they are dependent on men, financially and otherwise, regardless of their education levels or earning potential.
You are spot on with the concerns among many white men about white women's reproductive rates - this has been going on since the 90s, when Rush Limbaugh was ranting about 'the wrong women having abortions.' Absolutely disgusting stuff, but it was very easy for many white women to look away from it and not see how that rot was taking over the formerly GOP until now.
Like you, raised Catholic, parted ways. In my 8 years of Catholic school we didn't read much bible (were just told what was in there). Have read more in the past few years; don't like to quote scripture at people though.
There are passages that show Jesus' examples of elevating women beyond what that time & culture accorded, according them equal treatment, honoring their wisdom and faith.
I'm no expert either. I am willing to follow the ways of Jesus on this: "love your neighbor as yourself"- a remarkably simple guide. Admittedly hard to do, easy to slip, but there's nothing there that excludes any gender.
LOL, we didn't read much directly from the Bible, either, in my weekly Catechism classes. But no one ever suggested that literally everything in the Bible was true - that would have been considered seriously fringe, if not deranged. And there was no crazy talk about 'End Times' - sure, the Last Judgement was a thing, but pretty vague and the main message was more along the lines of 'be a good person and you'll go to heaven.'
Re: Jesus and women - from a number of things I've read, in its early decades, Christianity was in fact seen as a religion for women and children, specifically because it called for protection of the weak and those in need. 'Real men' worshipped Jupiter and Mars, lol. Somehow, things seem to have gotten reversed, at least in the American evangelical version of Christianity.
I have a relative who lives in the sorta environment you describe. Somehow she grew out of her man’s influence but would never risk telling him! She confided to me that it’s been a comfort to her to know she’s canceling out his vote.
Thank you for sharing your story and insights. Blessings to you and yours.
Thank you for sharing your story and it's really interesting to hear your thoughts. I appreciate it and yes, I hope Roe is breaking through.
So nuanced and well said Shanna. Thank you.
Eloquent & heartfelt, mi amiga. Thank you.
Please reframe one thing: you're aren't "hoping" we can seize the moment. Last night on that call, today posting your encouragement for us - you ARE seizing this moment!! You are doing the WORK!! And WE are NOT going back!
Thank you :)