Can girls be President?
I was in the park today with my four year-old daughter when she asked me where mama was. I told her that she had gone to vote which led to a long conversation about election day and how whomever gets the most votes gets to be President.
“Maybe mama will win!” she exclaimed.
I explained that mama wasn’t running and answered many astute questions about the folks who were. She asked if it happened every year and I explained that Presidents only run every four years. This led to many more astute questions about who ran in 2004.
“When I grow up I want to be President, or maybe a policeman” she said. And then, after a thoughtful pause, it came.
“Can girls be President?” she asked intensely.
Of course I told her yes, if she worked hard and led an honorable life she could be President one day, but I couldn’t bring myself to talk about bigotry and how throughout history woman were considered the “lesser sex”, and still are in many cultures. I think though, judging from the direction and intensity of her questions, that she already senses it, even at four years old.
It felt a bit dishonest and icky to avoid addressing the questions she was really asking, but the idea of having that conversation, a conversation that could potentially undermine her self-confidence at such a tender age… well, it just breaks my heart.
I chose instead to hope that by the time she’s old enough to learn the truth about these things those truths will be, at least partially, behind us.
BTW, if you haven’t already done so, I beseach you, please get out and vote.
Posted Nov 4, 2008, 4:53 pm by Randy in Politics
One Comment
Something to say?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Good job dude!