The 21st Century SAHM

One more day. 24 hours. And then maybe we can all chill the frick out and return to normalcy. Or not. Maybe there will be chaos. Mayhem. It’s hard to know, in such an unpredictable, unprecedented election year, what will happen at any turn.

Regardless, I’m hoping to celebrate.

I’m hoping to celebrate because I think my candidate is going to win. And, this will come as a shock to pretty much no one… #imwithher.

I know that much of the world thinks feminists like me are voting for her because she is a woman. Maybe some are. But I’m not. I’m voting for her because she’s incredibly qualified. She’s ready. And I believe she will claw her way through her tenure as president to do her best.

Hillary knows what’s at stake. Despite women holding the highest office in nations around the world for centuries… (good job pulling up the rear on that, America), Hillary knows that if she effs up, anyone who doubted her abilities can have a good old belly laugh at us. She knows how badly so many want her to fail. So yeah, I think she’ll work as hard if not harder than any president before her to prove her abilities and that she deserves this honor.

But don’t worry, she’s used to having to work harder. Just look at this election. Her opponent has been able to to insult veterans, the disabled, women, immigrants, and people of color. He can sound completely unstable on social media, admit to sexual assault, and flippantly throw around the possibility of nuclear war. But he’s good. He’s fine. Can you imagine if a woman (since we are apparently too emotional, irrational, and unstable to hold the highest office in our country) pulled any of this shit? Hell no.

Women can’t be sexual.

Women can’t show that they are unstable.

Women can’t make poor business decisions.

Women can’t make statements showing their lack of experience or knowledge or ability to lead.

We can’t do any of these things, even for a split second. Because we are still proving ourselves. But a man? Sure. He can do any and all of these things, time and time again, and maintain nearly half of the population’s support the last few months.

So yeah, she’s ready for this. She’s used to being put down. And told to sit down. But she gets back up. Every. Fricking. Time.

You’re damn right #imwithher. Because she’s a woman? No. Don’t believe me? Don’t believe most of us who say #imwithher? Ask us. Ask about our views. Ask about the policies that matter to us. Ask us why we are #withher.

However. I may not be voting for her because she’s a woman, but I am ready to celebrate my paint suit off when she wins tomorrow. I am ready to look into my daughter’s eyes and say, “See? You can do anything. Anything.”

Because growing up, most of us girls didn’t really believe we could do anything. We were still shuffled into the literature track in school, away from math and science. Because that was really for the boys. We weren’t pushed in sports. We were told to be skinny, pretty, and quiet. We heard our entire lives that girls were too emotional and too fragile and needed to be protected and told how to think and what to wear. And we sure as hell didn’t believe we could run the country. I want to go back to 6-year old me and tell her she’s wrong. That she can. And that when she’s 36, she’ll finally believe it.

I’ll be celebrating tomorrow with Sylvia Schulman, Alyse Laemmie, Julia Cook, and Gladys Hindes, all of whom were born before the final state ratified the 19th amendment. I will be celebrating with generations of women who have fought. Who have bled. Who have been imprisoned. To get us here.

And I’ll probably cry. Like a girl.