Lady & the Tramp
The First Lady's head shot was a headline in this week's news, even by respected news outlets. Her husband is bumbling around the White House, surrounded by his KKK friends and under investigation, but Melania looked great I'm told. She's smart enough to generally stay out of the spotlight, and even managed to stay out of the White House entirely, which seems fiscally responsible for a Republican president. *eye-roll* But there are still rumblings of "what cause she will advocate for" in her new role, that, like her husband, she doesn't seem too interested in. As far back as Lady Madison, first ladies have been known to take on certain "women's issues". Cute, right? Although presidents often claim they'll represent all of us, it's pretty obvious they are mostly talking to men and more specifically men that look like them. The rest of us (which coincidentally make up a majority) are thrown together in the undesirables pile with the hope we'll get chosen by a first lady to champion for us. And many first ladies have indeed fought for women (Hoover, Ford, Bush), children (Madison, Hoover, Bush, Obama), people of color (Lincoln, Hayes, Roosevelt), people with disabilities (Hayes, Carter), veterans (Lincoln, Hayes, Obama),or people with health concerns (Ford, Clinton, Obama). Somehow these issues have been tagged as "identity politics" or "gender politics". Because the only way a person can bother herself with these issues must be because of those darned lady parts. Jesus Christ. They're all politics. Not lady politics. Not identity politics. Not gay politics. Not Asian politics. Not fucking veteran politics. (Shout out to the goddamn hypocrites that send these people to war and abandon them when they get back.) They are all politics. And these political issues shape our domestic and world view. I don't want to have to rely on a fucking first lady making sure her husband behaves and includes all of us in his policies and budgets. If I did, I would just put her name on the fucking ballot. Not his. Oh wait. I did that. In 2016. With millions of my friends. It was a huge landslide. Despite Comey and Russia and skinheads. We got sick and tired of old, white guys fucking it up and figured hey, let's try out this woman who actually wants to represent us and fight for some type of equality. Because statistically speaking, members of minority groups tend to be fairer than old, white guys. If you don't feel like Googling the studies, may I direct you to the current shitstorm of an administration? See how noninclusive that's turned out to be in an impressively short amount of time? Yeah, that's why the would-be first ladies started running on their own. They didn't want to get stuck with some generic "woman's issue" when the the systemic racism, sexism and class-ism continues. Look, I'm sick and tired of the tradition that the first lady (or apparently the first daughter) is the only sounding board for a male president on "lady" topics. It's pretty clear Melania Trump doesn't want anything to do with this. And instead of criticizing her for not taking up a full-time job that she did not campaign for, perhaps hold Drumpf accountable for his own goddamn actions. Or in his case, inaction. His incompetency is not her fault. It's his own. If you aren't smart enough to do the job you campaigned for, at least surround yourself with some people that have a clue. Perhaps try putting some goddamn women in your transition team, your cabinet, or any part of your entire staff. One Kellyanne Conway a diverse team does not make. One female does not represent all females. (If you're new, also one black person does not speak for all black people, etc.) But if you at least make a pathetic attempt at replicating the last census minority percentages in your administration, you may just be exposed to other viewpoints aside from the wheezing whispers of Steve Bannon or the smug soundbites of Mike Pence. We need to stop relying on first families to pick up the slack and only put names on the ticket that can get the job done without their spouse or children pointing them in the politically correct direction. From city council to the presidency, it's time to smash up the traditions...and of course, the patriarchy.
