Mary Elizabeth Fabian and the Gender Bias of Politics

Last updated on: October 19, 2018 at 7:55 am by JoAnna Wahlund

Mary Elizabeth Fabian and the Gender Bias of Politics 2018-10-19T07:55:03-08:00 JoAnna Wahlund

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.

Mary Elizabeth Fabian is an online friend of mine. We met via a Facebook due date group when we were both pregnant with our youngest daughters (my Laura was born January 2017; her Claire was born February 2017).

She’s a small business owner as well as a mom, a member of my Catholic Working Mothers Facebook group, and the Republican candidate seeking election to the Colorado House of Representatives to represent District 18. You can read all about her and her campaign here.

Recently, Fabian chatted with me about her experience thus far as a political candidate. The most surprising aspect of her candidacy, so far, are some of the comments she has received about her family. Specifically, she has been asked/told:

Where are your children going to be while you are off playing lawmaker?
How can you possibly be a legislator when you have three kids?
What will happen to your children while you are pursuing politics?
I feel bad for your family if you win because you will ignore them.

These weren’t online drive-by comments — the first three questions were asked in-person (the first two by men and the third by a woman); the fourth was left in a voicemail (by a woman).

How much do you want to bet that Fabian’s Democrat opponent, Marc Snyder, has not been asked these questions?

Fabian’s experience is a clear example of gender bias in politics. If a male candidate has several children, he is never asked how he will balance his political career and his family. He isn’t told he is abandoning his children by pursuing political office. No one raises the issue of his children as an example of why he can’t be a legislator.

Why is Fabian getting these questions? If it is impossible for a woman to be a legislator without neglecting her kids, why isn’t it similarly impossible for a man to be a legislator without neglecting his kids? Is a male politician with a family merely “off playing lawmaker”?

Her husband, James, is currently and will continue to be a full-time stay-at-home-dad while he attends college on the GI Bill. These questions aren’t only insulting to Fabian — who is fully capable of being an engaged, involved parent while representing the citizens of her district — they are also insulting to her husband, because they imply that he is incapable of parenting his own children. If a man is capable of being a politician and a father, surely he is also capable of being a stay-at-home-father while also pursing higher education.

I’ve only seen a few episodes of the show Parks & Recreation, but I think this clip epitomizes what’s wrong with pigeonholing women into specific and limited roles when it comes to politics.

Women, like men, have diverse talents. Some women, like Amy Coney Barrett and Marjorie Dannelfelser and yes, Mary Elizabeth Fabian, feel called by God to use those talents within the political sphere to work for and advocate for the rights of all citizens. If God believes them capable of being mothers and also judges or lobbyists or lawmakers, who are we to say otherwise?

If you’re a member of House District 18 in Colorado, vote for Mary Elizabeth Fabian!

mary elizabeth fabian

politics

Previous Post

October 17, 2018

The Road We Traveled to Arizona

Next Post

October 25, 2018 Last Time I Checked, Lying Is Evil

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abuse Scandal Advent Book News Book Reviews Catholic Teaching Catholic Witness Chesterton Christmas Commuting Cooking Cosplay CWM Profiles Daycare Family Gender at Work Giveaways Good Friday History Household Management Humor Instant Pot Life as a Catholic Working Mother Marriage and Family Maternity Leave Meal Planning Media Recommendations Miscarriage NFP Politics Pregnancy Pro-Life Pro-Life Pumping Racism Religious Education Reluctantly Working Rules and Regulations Sacraments Saints Scams TV Show Review Uncategorized Vocation Working for the Church

Select a Month January 2020 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 November 2017 October 2017 July 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 October 2016 May 2016 April 2016 February 2016 December 2015 November 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz