It’s Time For a Woman President, And It’s Not About Identity Politics

Last updated on: May 4, 2019 at 9:45 am by Erin Wathen

It’s Time For a Woman President, And It’s Not About Identity Politics 2019-05-04T09:45:20-07:00 Erin Wathen

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Joe Biden announced his run for President this morning. As much as I admire him as a leader—and as much as I think the whole touching foreheads/lack of personal space deal has been blown WAY out of proportion, given the transgressions of the one currently occupying that particular office at the moment—I just can’t get excited about having yet another white man in the White House in the near future.

I’m just going to say it, and let the trolls have at me. Our next President needs to be a woman. Or a person of color. Preferably, both.

I’m not just saying this because I adore Sen. Kamala Harris (which I do). It’s not even because I think it’s high time we exhibited more diversity in our upper echelons of leadership—which I also do. Representation is equality, and you can’t have one without the other. So that would be a valid enough reason. But it’s more than that. The reality is, a woman or a person of color—or someone who is both of those things—has likely weathered a maximum level of adversity in their career, and therefore they would bring some unique qualities and perspectives to their role as a leader. Those are qualities and perspectives we sorely need right now.

It’s not about identity politics. It’s an endurance test.

I just can’t excited about having yet another white man in the White House.

Let’s talk about the give-a-shit levels that it takes to be a woman minority person in a public role. A white man can run for office—any office at all—at zero cost. You can be Donald Trump, care nothing for your country or the people you represent, and rise all the way to the dang presidency. Because America is used to seeing people like you in positions of power.

Let’s say you are a woman, or a person of color. You have to work harder to get your foot in the door. You have to challenge long-held assumptions. You have to deal with some bullshit trolls and some bullshit patriarchy at every dang turn. Possibly there are threats to your safety, and that of your family. If you are going to walk into that battle, you have moderate to high give-a-shit levels about your country and its people. I mean, you HAVE to. Why would you put yourself up front to be a target otherwise?

Now. If you are a woman who is ALSO a person of color? You have to work harder, run faster, talk louder and wear your moral conviction like a suit of armor, every day. MAXIMUM GIVE-A-SHIT levels. Not to mention, once you achieve whatever authority position you are after, you have to absorb even more bullshit patriarchy while also doing your job. And you have to outperform your white male counterparts by a thousand miles in order to justify your seat at the table.

So when I say I want a woman of color to be the next president, I am not playing identity politics. It isn’t about what she looks like; it’s about what she represents; who she represents; and the qualities and skills she’s had to develop to get this far in the first place. That kind of strength, resilience and courage are sorely needed in our country’s leadership right now. Not to mention the communication skills that it takes to get elected as a non-traditional candidate. I mean, it takes more than a midnight word salad Tweet.

Sen. Kamala Harris

I know it’s early days in the primary field, and a lot can happen between now and election day. But in current field of Democratic presidential hopefuls, Sen. Harris gets a whole lot of dang bonus points for even showing up. If you can jump through the hoops we put in front of women AND people of color; if you can navigate the many public landmines that come with public office; and then speak with the kind of conviction we heard in Monday’s town hall appearance (she got to preaching about four minutes in, and it was something to see); then you have clearly got the guts, the stamina, and the moral courage to be the kind of leader that we so desperately need right now.

We talk a lot these days about being mindful of white privilege, and male privilege. Cultivating that awareness is not just about recognizing the societal deficits that often keep people of color from succeeding while simultaneously pushing white folks forward. It’s also about recognizing that minority people, and women, in high levels of authority have had to navigate a whole lot of garbage just to be here. While holding space for all the ridiculous challenges our culture has placed in front of them, we come to realize the truly extraordinary nature of their excellence. What could that kind of strength achieve as leader of the free world? I’d sure like to find out.

Before you folks on the right can ask: Does all this mean that I would vote for a woman of color at the top of the ticket if she happened to be a Republican?

You know what … I just might. Try me.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

April 19, 2019

Failing Lent: And Other Spiritual Disciplines

Next Post

May 6, 2019 Unlikely Pulpits: The Legacy of Rachel Held Evans

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category a good week for progress Advent and Christmas Being a Person desert life faith and community Good News for Progressives Lent and Easter Marriage and Family S*^! Jesus Says sabbatical road tripping Spirituality in Culture Talking to Strangers the "Best Stuff I Ever Ate" diet travel Uncategorized writing Writing Prompt Wednesday

Select a Month January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 February 2011 July 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

Select your answer to see how you score.

TRUE FALSE