Since the 1950s, a majority of white women have voted Republican in all but two presidential elections. But if we mobilize, we can help elect the first woman, a Black and AAPI woman, as President
Thank you for the article and would love to read a deep dive into VP Harris’ work on gun control. As a physician/surgeon (and cis hetero white woman and mom and Appalachian and former Republican), I’m going to push back strongly against the misinformation being spread in the comments about trans people. Surgical intervention on under-18s is extremely rare and mostly in late teens. Hormonal intervention is mostly puberty blockers, which are also used in tens of thousands of other kids for other indications, Most transitions are social in young people. Trans athletes are rare in competitive sports and usually lose most advantages from prior gender after starting medication. Nearly all competitive athletes have variable genotypes and phenotypic differences which make the different from
the average person. Given the prevalence of intersex conditions, were we to DNA, genital scan, and hormone test every single competitive athlete, bet we’d have some surprises. There are stalls in bathrooms for a reason and peeping or assaults are illegal regardless of the genders of the people involved. Transphobia is a red herring in this debate. Let’s focus on integrity, honesty, reliability, domestic and foreign policy, and ability to lead the country for the next four years.
I see; that’s what you were honing in on. Shannon is more than capable of explaining her own thinking. I imagine at least in part it has something to do with voting for people who have taken away women’s rights to bodily autonomy. Is that not an important self-interest for you?
You imagine, and anyone else that reads her post can only imagine, because she never explains anything. All she says is vote for the black woman because she’s not a white man.
Insulting anyone who finds her thoughts offensive are simply low-intelligence means of deflecting from any logical debate.
Deleting comments is a wonderful way to state that you have no logical argument.
I would implore All women to vote on the merits of each candidates Policies! Being a woman or being black are not 'earned' credentials, its just what identifies you as a person. Don't be bullied into the feminist crap and racist bs being sold here. Use your God given inte lligence to guide your votes. Whats best for your family? Have the past 3 years been beneficial for you? Be honest and make your individual decision. Listen only to yourself.
What positives did you find/have during the Trump administration? What policies has he laid out that make you want to vote for him? Let's have a serious discussion. No mud slinging.
What about Kamala Harris’ stand on trans ideology? As far as I know, she is for the trans cult, hook ,line and sinker! What should any woman , white or black say about that?
Because of the title, I assumed this was a parody account. This type of rhetoric is why so many are now turned off by the Democratic Party. I have been a lifelong Liberal Democrat, but I will not be voting for anyone in November. You're all superficial trash who have abandoned the poor and working classes - of ALL races and genders.
This 69-year old white recovering Catholic is proud to give my vote and raise my voice in support of Kamala Harris for President . loved Obama. Loves Biden! Love Kamala! Thanks for this inspirational post of how to help. I will also be working the polls this election, as I have since 2020. We need more young people to train and work this election so we can vote. Please sign up.
In addition to the insanity of men competing in women's sports and the mutilation of children in the pursuit of the unattainable, the issue of women’s privacy is equally troubling.
In my opinion the worst aspect of the Democrats’ new Education Act Title IX regulations that go into effect on August 1 of this year is that boys and men will be able to to shower with high school and college girls (including my 17 year old granddaughter).
They will have no shame in doing that when it's perfectly legal. Unless Kamala disavows this new rule she deserves to lose the election on this issue alone.
Here's an analysis of the new regulations by the Foundation Against Intolerance and
Racism (FAIR):
"The Final Rule is likely to result in sex-integration of all bathrooms and locker rooms because it prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity. After August 1st, if a school requires students to use facilities that align with their biological sex (which they are currently allowed to require under Federal law and regulations), a transgender student may file a discrimination complaint alleging that the school has violated Title IX by preventing him or her from using the bathroom that aligns with their gender."
Oh Shauna, we know. Everyone who believes in science and logic is a bigot because they don’t believe in your ideology. Get over yourself. Grow up. Bring a logical argument to the table instead of the same boring insult we’re alll immune to now.
Catherine, I think we have to resign ourselves to having this sort of right wing bigotry trolling on Substack now. They really are exercised because they are being confronted with their own bigotry, and they’re very much afraid that their bigotry is not going to rule in this country any longer. (About fucking time, imho.) @Substack when I have blocked for this kind of content, I still see it. Is there a way to improve your block feature? Because we are being flooded with trolls now. It might as well be Twitter.
It is not bigotry to not support someone’s frank and literal delusion about themselves. It is tantamount to encouraging an alcoholic to drink . And please don’t use the argument that supporting( enabling!!!) trans people doesn’t hurt anyone. It hurts society. It hurts women, the very people you are proposing to defend. A man is not a woman just because he says he “ feels” like one. How would he even know? These men say they are “ more woman “ than I am because they had to work for it. And you back them. It’s preposterous. We are not sisters. The men I know who support me and support real womanhood know this. Not your ersatz idea of “ womanhood”. I would gladly give up the right to abortion on demand to defend this as well as the ridiculous CRT and DEI standards that are burning this country down. Oh, and let’s not mention the shredding of the Constitution. Please.
Cathrine: I obviously cannot speak for women but the several women in my life are unanimous in being disgusted by the mere idea of men entering their locker rooms and showering there as are most women. You clearly are a rare exception.
I would ask you the same question: is the person you love most in your life a trans person? Because my only child is a trans man, and I agree with Dave. The pampering of trans women (who are male by definition) has fueled a backlash against all trans people, including trans men like my son. Your "allyship" is doing terrible harm. Do you actually believe Lia Thomas has "helped" trans people???
Again, ignorance. Trans people do not want or need any attention. This is not YOU or some bubba coming in. Good grief. Let me know how many trans people are in your life and how you treat them. You create fear because of your own bigotry. Keep stirring the pot of hate and fear. It's all you have.
The person I love most in the world is my son, a trans man. And I agree with Dave. Trans women are trans women, not women. Trans men are trans men, not men. There are vitally important sex differences that cannot and should not be erased by law.
The gutting of Title IX has HARMED trans people, not helped them. Your support for sex denial in law has fueled a backlash that you will not suffer from at all, but I fear my son will.
I would never force anyone to have surgery they don’t want to have. Aside from that, prisons are entirely different situations, where anyone different is targeted for abuse. But I cannot, then, imagine you would want your child using a bathroom where they would be uncomfortable.
Catherine: Children can no more "consent" to have their healthy breasts and genitalia removed or take puberty blockers than they can "consent" to have sex with an adult.
Similarly, parents and doctors can no more approve such permanent mutilation simply because a minor child desires it than they can approve pedophilia.
Ultimately society will see the truth and ban the practice as we have banned female genital mutilation. Do people support that practice if the parents consent? I truly hope not
It is monstrous to believe otherwise and those who do will ultimately be held to account for their actions.
NO! I would never want a man in our locker room and neither would any woman ever! Males ,even if they “ identify “ as women, belong in male locker rooms. Or else, just stay home!
From what I've seen in various gyms I belong to -- and the women's locker rooms -- that might well have to be a gym decision with FAIR AND OPEN discussions. Women's locker rooms tend to have more privacy overall (from what my BF tells me), but I'm sure that's not always the case. At my current gym, any complaint about locker room behavior results in pretty immediate loss of membership.
What a beautiful essay. I especially loved how there wasn’t any mention of qualifications, or admiration for skills and talent. Because as we all know the most moral and righteous among us only judge others based on skin color and gender.
Yes this also kind of left me scratching my head. I'm Australian and have been reading widely across Substack and independent media to try and understand what's going on over in the US, and came across this article. But aside from the fact that Kamala Harris is black, asian and a woman, what actual characteristics make her the right person for the job, and what are the Democrats doing well that should see 'white women' rushing out to vote for them? I read it a couple of times and figured that this whole article boiled down to race as a reason to both vote for someone (Harris) and go out to vote (white women)?
Stacy, you are obviously not looking very hard for this information because it is all over on YouTube and other social media. You just do a simple Google search for VP Harris’ history of accomplishments prior to becoming vice president and since becoming vice president. By the way, rising to become the first woman vice president in the United States and helping lead the most productive Democratic administration since FDR is quite an accomplishment and itself.
your country and many others have had female presidents or Prime Minister for many years, but for some reason that’s been difficult to achieve in the US. Many people believe this is because of the enduring bigotry here and the fear that white men (and their subjugated women) have of losing power. That is why the GOP has been suppressing votes gerrymandering, etc. because they know that’s the only way they can hold onto power. Maybe you don’t follow US history too closely, but to rise to the position of vice president is pretty damn difficult for a woman to do, much less a woman of color. This nomination is historic just Obama’s nomination was. This is why the demographics are being discussed so much right now. We Americans know we have a long history of racial bigotry and white supremacy; we are excited to think that we are making progress on that front. It’s only been 48 hours; it’s still breaking news.
As I say, Kamala Harris is eminently qualified in numerous ways. I’m sure she would love if we could shift to discussing her qualifications so I suggest that you listen to her speeches which are easily available to learn some of that stuff, if you’re interested. The corporate media in America is going to make this all about race because 1)we haven’t gotten over our racial bigotry problem yet and 2)the media have no shame and are stirring that pot to boost their falling ratings.
Kamala Harris would not be vice president if she were not fully qualified to be President on a moments notice. Her support is not just about demographics. We cannot say the same of the GOP’s misogynist nominees, neither of whom is fit to serve in the White House.
I suggest everyone listen to VP Harris’ speech at her Delaware campaign headquarters yesterday for a brief intro; she talks not at all about race, only about her background and accomplishments.
Yes Australia had a female prime minister once. She wasn't widely liked, not because she was a woman, rather because of the way she backstabbed the sitting prime minister to take over the job. It wasn't a good start. I didn't mind her though and thought her party at the time passed some good policies.
But anyway, yes thank you I'm aware of how Google works and I have had a look at her qualifications. I've watched her on Youtube and haven't been super impressed, not because of any 'internalised misogyny' like many in the comments condescendingly suggest, just that I find her to use nonsensical word salad talking points. Her interview regarding the border was pretty horrifying to be honest. She appears to me as an outsider to be a typical polished politician, which is why I've turned to Substack and independent media for analysis to see what I'm missing. My sense is part of the allure of Trump is his unpolished demeanour. People worldwide are fed up with the obfuscation and frankly, bullshit, politicians and corporate media offer. My point - and maybe I didn't make myself clear enough - was that the author of this article does not say "these are the characteristics that make Harris a good fit, and why everyone should just get out and vote for her". It boiled down to white women and demographics overall, which is not a good reason to vote for someone on its own. The world is so divided along indentity lines, and despite your response, I still fail to see why this should be an important reason to vote for someone in this day and age.
Thanks for replying. But you are misunderstanding what I said - or at least misrepresenting it. I said that the Harris candidacy - if indeed she does become the candidate, that is not final yet - is historic. Especially in a country with our a disgraceful history of racial bias and bigotry, for a woman to rise to the position that she has before age 60 is, in itself, quite an accomplishment. I did not suggest anyone should vote for her BECAUSE of her race. I know a lot of Americans from diverse demographics are excited about the opportunity to vote for someone who is extremely talented, very well-qualified and NOT the same white, male, connected, elite career politician we usually have to choose from here in the US.
I don’t really follow Australian politics much, so I don’t know why your one female chief was disliked, if that is indeed true. I do know Australia, too, was long overdue in opening up its government and over oming its own history of racial bias; I hope it’s not very long before another woman is given a chance there. The world will be a better place when powerful western governments are less patriarchal, more diverse and less corrupted by corporate money.
Honestly, I don't care if the next Prime Minister is female, asian, Indigenous or a white man. It's not important. I really just hope we get a competent government. Women really aren't of a lower status than men anymore.
I disagree that diversity is an important thing to aim for in and of itself. Merit is. Competence is. But I do understand these concepts of diversity and patriarchy as I used to think this way as well. I no longer do. It's just another way to group us into identities and have us all divided. I do however agree that corporations (and media) are allowed to meddle far too much.
As a white woman, I am rather insulted to be told that all my past voting choices were wrong because they didn't align exactly with the author's viewpoint at all times. I'm sorry. We have freedom in this country to vote ANY WAY WE CHOOSE AT ANY ELECTION! I can vote red, blue, or purple! But it's my choice!
Not in this thread but the essay itself. The author said that white women who voted Republican in the past voted against their own self interest. Um nope.
Kamala Harris is more than qualified. People won’t vote for her because of her gender and race, either because of their own prejudices or because of the fear of others’ prejudices. This essay is to encourage us white women to speak up and quiet the naysayers and apathetic folks.
Instead of leveling accusations on others focus on just speaking for yourself, otherwise projection may be what you truly see and narcissism may be what’s guiding you. As Friedrich Hegel once said, “Evil resides within the gaze that sees evil everywhere.”
I agree that there are people who won’t vote for her because of her gender and race, either because of their own prejudices or because of the fear of others’ prejudices, and there are people who will vote for her only because of her gender and race, either because of their own prejudices or because of the fear of others’ prejudices. Judging and valuing people based on externalities marginalizes people into categories, and treats people as monoliths. This is the foundation for discrimination. Additionally, when you attempt to silence and demonize naysayers, you’re also silencing and demonizing yourself, because instead of embracing curiosity and open mindedness, you’re choosing to be close minded and to driven by simplistic narratives.
YES!!!! All of what you said Shannon. I am so fired up to get our VP Kamala Harris voted to be our first FEMALE Black/South Asian, President of our country. I have been having the hard conversations with people for 8 years now and now I will have them even more with my fellow white women.
I don't believe that our task is really about converting Orange's voters, they are gone. Instead, we need to be trusted messengers in our social groups, be knowledgeable about the facts and most importantly, get women off the sidelines. 2016 happened bc millions of White women simply did not vote. I think that is part of what Shannon is addressing here.
Also, speaking as an info literacy librarian, I can say that the tactic of prebunking is very important - warn folks that the disinformation is coming and what it might look like. For example, I would look for the "KH is not a citizen" stuff to start today if it hasn't already. In 2020, we were warned about the danger of false info about voting by mail being spread on social media - and it was. But because we knew it was coming we did not fall for it and we voted by mail.
So start talking to people about that - I would also expect them to dig into every single case she's tried. Know where to look for the facts on this stuff. But we've already seen over the last couple weeks that mainstream media, sadly, is now fairly unreliable. So please do not just Google it, consult Wikipedia and click the links to go to the original source. And think carefully about sharing things on social media - please get in the habit of fact checking. See if anyone else is reporting the story, especially if it seems wildly different from the current headlines.
But most importantly - turn off the TV, put down the device, and meet your neighbors. Be the trusted source in your neighborhood/friend group/family. We can do this, ladies. Together, we will win.
Thank you for the article and would love to read a deep dive into VP Harris’ work on gun control. As a physician/surgeon (and cis hetero white woman and mom and Appalachian and former Republican), I’m going to push back strongly against the misinformation being spread in the comments about trans people. Surgical intervention on under-18s is extremely rare and mostly in late teens. Hormonal intervention is mostly puberty blockers, which are also used in tens of thousands of other kids for other indications, Most transitions are social in young people. Trans athletes are rare in competitive sports and usually lose most advantages from prior gender after starting medication. Nearly all competitive athletes have variable genotypes and phenotypic differences which make the different from
the average person. Given the prevalence of intersex conditions, were we to DNA, genital scan, and hormone test every single competitive athlete, bet we’d have some surprises. There are stalls in bathrooms for a reason and peeping or assaults are illegal regardless of the genders of the people involved. Transphobia is a red herring in this debate. Let’s focus on integrity, honesty, reliability, domestic and foreign policy, and ability to lead the country for the next four years.
I see; that’s what you were honing in on. Shannon is more than capable of explaining her own thinking. I imagine at least in part it has something to do with voting for people who have taken away women’s rights to bodily autonomy. Is that not an important self-interest for you?
You imagine, and anyone else that reads her post can only imagine, because she never explains anything. All she says is vote for the black woman because she’s not a white man.
Insulting anyone who finds her thoughts offensive are simply low-intelligence means of deflecting from any logical debate.
Deleting comments is a wonderful way to state that you have no logical argument.
And who needs free speech anyway?
Wow, Shannon, the MAGA zombies have reached Substack and it seems like you’ve triggered quite a few! 💙🌊
I would implore All women to vote on the merits of each candidates Policies! Being a woman or being black are not 'earned' credentials, its just what identifies you as a person. Don't be bullied into the feminist crap and racist bs being sold here. Use your God given inte lligence to guide your votes. Whats best for your family? Have the past 3 years been beneficial for you? Be honest and make your individual decision. Listen only to yourself.
What positives did you find/have during the Trump administration? What policies has he laid out that make you want to vote for him? Let's have a serious discussion. No mud slinging.
And we are voting republican
Yes same. White woman here.
What about Kamala Harris’ stand on trans ideology? As far as I know, she is for the trans cult, hook ,line and sinker! What should any woman , white or black say about that?
Not the way to get folks onboard
Because of the title, I assumed this was a parody account. This type of rhetoric is why so many are now turned off by the Democratic Party. I have been a lifelong Liberal Democrat, but I will not be voting for anyone in November. You're all superficial trash who have abandoned the poor and working classes - of ALL races and genders.
You’re not a liberal.
Compliments accepted, Shauna. Thank you. It’s so much better just being a person.
She IS a liberal, a classic one.. Just not a leftist
Relax...
This 69-year old white recovering Catholic is proud to give my vote and raise my voice in support of Kamala Harris for President . loved Obama. Loves Biden! Love Kamala! Thanks for this inspirational post of how to help. I will also be working the polls this election, as I have since 2020. We need more young people to train and work this election so we can vote. Please sign up.
In addition to the insanity of men competing in women's sports and the mutilation of children in the pursuit of the unattainable, the issue of women’s privacy is equally troubling.
In my opinion the worst aspect of the Democrats’ new Education Act Title IX regulations that go into effect on August 1 of this year is that boys and men will be able to to shower with high school and college girls (including my 17 year old granddaughter).
They will have no shame in doing that when it's perfectly legal. Unless Kamala disavows this new rule she deserves to lose the election on this issue alone.
Here's an analysis of the new regulations by the Foundation Against Intolerance and
Racism (FAIR):
"The Final Rule is likely to result in sex-integration of all bathrooms and locker rooms because it prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity. After August 1st, if a school requires students to use facilities that align with their biological sex (which they are currently allowed to require under Federal law and regulations), a transgender student may file a discrimination complaint alleging that the school has violated Title IX by preventing him or her from using the bathroom that aligns with their gender."
If Kamala stands for women on this, she may get my vote..
I’m a woman and NONE of that bothers me. You’re just a bigot. 🖕
How do you know you're a woman? What is a woman?
Oh Shauna, we know. Everyone who believes in science and logic is a bigot because they don’t believe in your ideology. Get over yourself. Grow up. Bring a logical argument to the table instead of the same boring insult we’re alll immune to now.
Catherine, I think we have to resign ourselves to having this sort of right wing bigotry trolling on Substack now. They really are exercised because they are being confronted with their own bigotry, and they’re very much afraid that their bigotry is not going to rule in this country any longer. (About fucking time, imho.) @Substack when I have blocked for this kind of content, I still see it. Is there a way to improve your block feature? Because we are being flooded with trolls now. It might as well be Twitter.
It is not bigotry to not support someone’s frank and literal delusion about themselves. It is tantamount to encouraging an alcoholic to drink . And please don’t use the argument that supporting( enabling!!!) trans people doesn’t hurt anyone. It hurts society. It hurts women, the very people you are proposing to defend. A man is not a woman just because he says he “ feels” like one. How would he even know? These men say they are “ more woman “ than I am because they had to work for it. And you back them. It’s preposterous. We are not sisters. The men I know who support me and support real womanhood know this. Not your ersatz idea of “ womanhood”. I would gladly give up the right to abortion on demand to defend this as well as the ridiculous CRT and DEI standards that are burning this country down. Oh, and let’s not mention the shredding of the Constitution. Please.
Cathrine: I obviously cannot speak for women but the several women in my life are unanimous in being disgusted by the mere idea of men entering their locker rooms and showering there as are most women. You clearly are a rare exception.
Dave, this is a sincere question: have you or the women in your life met anyone trans?
Bethel: Yes I have, both good people. Read today’s NYT which captured my views pretty well. Are they bigots?
https://messaging-custom-newsletters.nytimes.com/dynamic/render?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20240723&instance_id=129508&isViewInBrowser=true&nl=the-morning&paid_regi=2&productCode=NN®i_id=73078697&segment_id=172901&te=1&uri=nyt%3A%2F%2Fnewsletter%2F9f12fa4b-d9b0-5fcf-9964-8c7de3d72f8e&user_id=6cdfa35605c1d70df8cc1ffea1019b08
I would ask you the same question: is the person you love most in your life a trans person? Because my only child is a trans man, and I agree with Dave. The pampering of trans women (who are male by definition) has fueled a backlash against all trans people, including trans men like my son. Your "allyship" is doing terrible harm. Do you actually believe Lia Thomas has "helped" trans people???
Again, ignorance. Trans people do not want or need any attention. This is not YOU or some bubba coming in. Good grief. Let me know how many trans people are in your life and how you treat them. You create fear because of your own bigotry. Keep stirring the pot of hate and fear. It's all you have.
The person I love most in the world is my son, a trans man. And I agree with Dave. Trans women are trans women, not women. Trans men are trans men, not men. There are vitally important sex differences that cannot and should not be erased by law.
The gutting of Title IX has HARMED trans people, not helped them. Your support for sex denial in law has fueled a backlash that you will not suffer from at all, but I fear my son will.
I would never force anyone to have surgery they don’t want to have. Aside from that, prisons are entirely different situations, where anyone different is targeted for abuse. But I cannot, then, imagine you would want your child using a bathroom where they would be uncomfortable.
Catherine: Children can no more "consent" to have their healthy breasts and genitalia removed or take puberty blockers than they can "consent" to have sex with an adult.
Similarly, parents and doctors can no more approve such permanent mutilation simply because a minor child desires it than they can approve pedophilia.
Ultimately society will see the truth and ban the practice as we have banned female genital mutilation. Do people support that practice if the parents consent? I truly hope not
It is monstrous to believe otherwise and those who do will ultimately be held to account for their actions.
NO! I would never want a man in our locker room and neither would any woman ever! Males ,even if they “ identify “ as women, belong in male locker rooms. Or else, just stay home!
From what I've seen in various gyms I belong to -- and the women's locker rooms -- that might well have to be a gym decision with FAIR AND OPEN discussions. Women's locker rooms tend to have more privacy overall (from what my BF tells me), but I'm sure that's not always the case. At my current gym, any complaint about locker room behavior results in pretty immediate loss of membership.
Fabulous content and call to action!
Love this message and the suggestions. Thanks for the encouragement.
What a beautiful essay. I especially loved how there wasn’t any mention of qualifications, or admiration for skills and talent. Because as we all know the most moral and righteous among us only judge others based on skin color and gender.
Yes this also kind of left me scratching my head. I'm Australian and have been reading widely across Substack and independent media to try and understand what's going on over in the US, and came across this article. But aside from the fact that Kamala Harris is black, asian and a woman, what actual characteristics make her the right person for the job, and what are the Democrats doing well that should see 'white women' rushing out to vote for them? I read it a couple of times and figured that this whole article boiled down to race as a reason to both vote for someone (Harris) and go out to vote (white women)?
Stacy, you are obviously not looking very hard for this information because it is all over on YouTube and other social media. You just do a simple Google search for VP Harris’ history of accomplishments prior to becoming vice president and since becoming vice president. By the way, rising to become the first woman vice president in the United States and helping lead the most productive Democratic administration since FDR is quite an accomplishment and itself.
your country and many others have had female presidents or Prime Minister for many years, but for some reason that’s been difficult to achieve in the US. Many people believe this is because of the enduring bigotry here and the fear that white men (and their subjugated women) have of losing power. That is why the GOP has been suppressing votes gerrymandering, etc. because they know that’s the only way they can hold onto power. Maybe you don’t follow US history too closely, but to rise to the position of vice president is pretty damn difficult for a woman to do, much less a woman of color. This nomination is historic just Obama’s nomination was. This is why the demographics are being discussed so much right now. We Americans know we have a long history of racial bigotry and white supremacy; we are excited to think that we are making progress on that front. It’s only been 48 hours; it’s still breaking news.
As I say, Kamala Harris is eminently qualified in numerous ways. I’m sure she would love if we could shift to discussing her qualifications so I suggest that you listen to her speeches which are easily available to learn some of that stuff, if you’re interested. The corporate media in America is going to make this all about race because 1)we haven’t gotten over our racial bigotry problem yet and 2)the media have no shame and are stirring that pot to boost their falling ratings.
Kamala Harris would not be vice president if she were not fully qualified to be President on a moments notice. Her support is not just about demographics. We cannot say the same of the GOP’s misogynist nominees, neither of whom is fit to serve in the White House.
I suggest everyone listen to VP Harris’ speech at her Delaware campaign headquarters yesterday for a brief intro; she talks not at all about race, only about her background and accomplishments.
Yes Australia had a female prime minister once. She wasn't widely liked, not because she was a woman, rather because of the way she backstabbed the sitting prime minister to take over the job. It wasn't a good start. I didn't mind her though and thought her party at the time passed some good policies.
But anyway, yes thank you I'm aware of how Google works and I have had a look at her qualifications. I've watched her on Youtube and haven't been super impressed, not because of any 'internalised misogyny' like many in the comments condescendingly suggest, just that I find her to use nonsensical word salad talking points. Her interview regarding the border was pretty horrifying to be honest. She appears to me as an outsider to be a typical polished politician, which is why I've turned to Substack and independent media for analysis to see what I'm missing. My sense is part of the allure of Trump is his unpolished demeanour. People worldwide are fed up with the obfuscation and frankly, bullshit, politicians and corporate media offer. My point - and maybe I didn't make myself clear enough - was that the author of this article does not say "these are the characteristics that make Harris a good fit, and why everyone should just get out and vote for her". It boiled down to white women and demographics overall, which is not a good reason to vote for someone on its own. The world is so divided along indentity lines, and despite your response, I still fail to see why this should be an important reason to vote for someone in this day and age.
Thanks for replying. But you are misunderstanding what I said - or at least misrepresenting it. I said that the Harris candidacy - if indeed she does become the candidate, that is not final yet - is historic. Especially in a country with our a disgraceful history of racial bias and bigotry, for a woman to rise to the position that she has before age 60 is, in itself, quite an accomplishment. I did not suggest anyone should vote for her BECAUSE of her race. I know a lot of Americans from diverse demographics are excited about the opportunity to vote for someone who is extremely talented, very well-qualified and NOT the same white, male, connected, elite career politician we usually have to choose from here in the US.
I don’t really follow Australian politics much, so I don’t know why your one female chief was disliked, if that is indeed true. I do know Australia, too, was long overdue in opening up its government and over oming its own history of racial bias; I hope it’s not very long before another woman is given a chance there. The world will be a better place when powerful western governments are less patriarchal, more diverse and less corrupted by corporate money.
Honestly, I don't care if the next Prime Minister is female, asian, Indigenous or a white man. It's not important. I really just hope we get a competent government. Women really aren't of a lower status than men anymore.
I disagree that diversity is an important thing to aim for in and of itself. Merit is. Competence is. But I do understand these concepts of diversity and patriarchy as I used to think this way as well. I no longer do. It's just another way to group us into identities and have us all divided. I do however agree that corporations (and media) are allowed to meddle far too much.
Anyway good luck with your elections!
How lovely it must be for you to feel you are so much more highly evolved than lesser folk.
As a white woman, I am rather insulted to be told that all my past voting choices were wrong because they didn't align exactly with the author's viewpoint at all times. I'm sorry. We have freedom in this country to vote ANY WAY WE CHOOSE AT ANY ELECTION! I can vote red, blue, or purple! But it's my choice!
I don’t think anyone told you your past voting choices were wrong in this thread. Could you please point out where that happened?
Not in this thread but the essay itself. The author said that white women who voted Republican in the past voted against their own self interest. Um nope.
Kamala Harris is more than qualified. People won’t vote for her because of her gender and race, either because of their own prejudices or because of the fear of others’ prejudices. This essay is to encourage us white women to speak up and quiet the naysayers and apathetic folks.
Exactly. White people are very very touchy about the issue of race. (I’m a white woman by the way.)
Instead of leveling accusations on others focus on just speaking for yourself, otherwise projection may be what you truly see and narcissism may be what’s guiding you. As Friedrich Hegel once said, “Evil resides within the gaze that sees evil everywhere.”
I agree that there are people who won’t vote for her because of her gender and race, either because of their own prejudices or because of the fear of others’ prejudices, and there are people who will vote for her only because of her gender and race, either because of their own prejudices or because of the fear of others’ prejudices. Judging and valuing people based on externalities marginalizes people into categories, and treats people as monoliths. This is the foundation for discrimination. Additionally, when you attempt to silence and demonize naysayers, you’re also silencing and demonizing yourself, because instead of embracing curiosity and open mindedness, you’re choosing to be close minded and to driven by simplistic narratives.
Kamala was my first original pick back in 2020, and I am fired up and ready to go!
YES!!!! All of what you said Shannon. I am so fired up to get our VP Kamala Harris voted to be our first FEMALE Black/South Asian, President of our country. I have been having the hard conversations with people for 8 years now and now I will have them even more with my fellow white women.
I don't believe that our task is really about converting Orange's voters, they are gone. Instead, we need to be trusted messengers in our social groups, be knowledgeable about the facts and most importantly, get women off the sidelines. 2016 happened bc millions of White women simply did not vote. I think that is part of what Shannon is addressing here.
Also, speaking as an info literacy librarian, I can say that the tactic of prebunking is very important - warn folks that the disinformation is coming and what it might look like. For example, I would look for the "KH is not a citizen" stuff to start today if it hasn't already. In 2020, we were warned about the danger of false info about voting by mail being spread on social media - and it was. But because we knew it was coming we did not fall for it and we voted by mail.
So start talking to people about that - I would also expect them to dig into every single case she's tried. Know where to look for the facts on this stuff. But we've already seen over the last couple weeks that mainstream media, sadly, is now fairly unreliable. So please do not just Google it, consult Wikipedia and click the links to go to the original source. And think carefully about sharing things on social media - please get in the habit of fact checking. See if anyone else is reporting the story, especially if it seems wildly different from the current headlines.
But most importantly - turn off the TV, put down the device, and meet your neighbors. Be the trusted source in your neighborhood/friend group/family. We can do this, ladies. Together, we will win.