Oft Bitten, Never Shy

My Electoral Smile is Cracking

Among raptors, the females are usually larger and better at hunting. (Photo by Jason Mowry on Unsplash)

This morning I woke up with an ache in my jaw and sitting up rubbing sleep from my eyes I realized I had been grinding my teeth all night. I am anxious. Like many Americans my life and future success hinges on this election.

For white men this may be somewhat abstract. Under Trump the economy and our international reputation will fail and people will continue to die from the pandemic. But for women like me and for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ individuals the stakes are considerably raised.

And we’ve been here before. This is possibly the worst part for me personally and for a lot of other Americans. We have danced specifically this dance before. Every election people’s lives are on the line because like it or not the personal is political. But the problem is the lives in question belong to underrepresented demographics.

There are many accomplished Black women out there kicking butt and taking names and yet the minute one of them raises her hand and says she’d like a shot at leading the country actual millions of white men start scouring her sex life.

How is this just?

Women make up very nearly 51% of the population. And yet in congress we don’t even have a fourth of the seats. What the hell is that? And how many people of colour have been…