An Un-mothered Hillary Supporter

Women across the internet have shared their thrill at finally seeing a woman run as a major party’s candidate for president. It feels good to see that there is such a thing as “it’s her turn,” for a woman in politics. Even if, obviously, “it’s her turn” is only for this one, white, wealthy, connected woman. But, overall, I share in the joy of the women around me and the ones I see but do not know, posting pictures of happy multigenerational groups of mothers, sisters, grandmothers who never thought they’d see the day. And, I am jealous.

The women of previous generations in my family were, and are, disgusted by Hillary Clinton. These classic WASPy, Nixon/Reagan California Republicans have never wanted anything to do with her. I am quite confident that they would not even concede her nomination is historically significant. For me, without the women in my family, her victory cannot be “our victory”. For them, it’s not a victory at all.

It’s possible that this makes me feel alienated because it is one more brick in the wall between myself and the female elders in my family. Of course many people have profound political differences with their relatives, but this one, for me, seems very personal. I’m a femme woman, married to a woman. The women who taught me how to be a woman do not value women.

#ImWithHer, but in my line, that means I am alone.