Warren, the Incidental and Integral Feminist

[babylonsister]

Warren, the Incidental and Integral Feminist
Robert Kuttner
June 11, 2019
Warren's issues are deeply and integrally feminist, but she doesn’t advertise them—or herself—as Feminist with a capital-F.


Have you noticed that Elizabeth Warren is not quite running as a feminist? Her feminism is, rather, integral to who she is.

For instance, Warren’s basic story tells of how her mother had to take a paid job for the first time after her father’s heart attack, and how she kept saying amid sobs, “We will not lose this house, we will not lose this house.” What kind of story could be more quintessentially female? Every woman in the audience gets what that’s about.

And in the narrative of her own rise, as a young mother desperate to attend law school, all that stands between Warren and her dream is decent day care and toilet training:

Finally, finally, less than one week before classes were starting, I found a place that seemed nice. Cheerful teachers, a good playground, it smelled good. That thing matters, you know. There was only one problem: They only took children who were "dependably potty trained." Man, I filled out that application, I said "Sure. Dependably potty trained. Got it! We are so on this." And I left there knowing I had five days to turn my not-quite-two-year-old into a ready-to-go, dependably potty-trained partner. And I just want to say that I'm here today courtesy of three bags of M&Ms and a cooperative two-year-old who loved chocolate. That's my story!

Now again, is there any working mother who cannot relate to this? Conversely, can you imagine a man telling that story?

Warren works the need for quality child care into her speeches, not as a policy thing, but as a deeply personal human need. She doesn’t have to point out the special resonance for women, because it is so heartfelt and palpable.

more...

https://prospect.org/article/warren-incidental-and-integral-feminist

[loyalsister]

1. YES!!

She doesn't have to say anything about feminism because she's genuine.
And she doesn't have to prove working class cred because she has truly lived it.

[Hekate]

2. I like her so much. She has a wonderful way with a story ...

...and yes, she has a plan for that.

[uawchild]

3. K & R

[Ohiogal]

4. I just love her and the way she relates to the common person.

[dragonlady]

5. We used her method too

Although we used chocolate chips.

[customerserviceguy]

8. It's a good illustration

of how actually motivating children to potty train works. When I hear about three and four year olds who are not potty trained, I shake my head. We had our three kids trained by a year and a half, because we cared to work on it. I recall that my firstborn was motivated by Underoos. He was shown superhero Underoos, but was told that he could not have them until he was trained. It made the difference.

[ms liberty]

6. She impresses the hell out of me

She has a vision and purpose, and she knows how to explain them in a way everyone can relate to and understand.

[crazytown]

7. " Running for president. That's what women do!"

[Politicub]

9. She's awesome

It’s great to see her popularity continue to grow.

[List left]

10. What wonderful role models we have running for president! nt

[lovesfruit]

11. I can relate

As a woman who divorced very young, with a toddler, I can relate to her. She's really hitting all the right marks with my female friends in my age group too. Childcare is such a huge struggle - affording it, finding it, ensuring it's a quality childcare. Ugh. So many parents can't afford to work because of the daycare costs, but they can't afford not to work, because of all the other day to day expenses of having a family.

If her proposal for universal childcare is eventually realized, it will be long after it would benefit me directly. But I support it. I don't want to see more young families continue to struggle the way I and most of my peers have struggled.

[pecosbob]

12. Anyone that listens to her speak for five minutes knows her

She sort of reminds me of a line from that Townes Van Zandt song...

"He wore his gun outside his pants for all the honest world to feel"

[BeckyDem]

13. That she is.

Warren 2020