The response to Sarah Palin's candidacy has me thinking about
many things, one of which is childcare.
While I wrote on Friday about how we need to think
about voting for allies instead of voting for symbols, I also find the
notion of questioning her ability to be vice president in light of the
number of children she has to be particularly anti-woman.
Has fatherhood every been seen as a barrier to being the president?
I have another question for you. How many children does John McCain
have? Off the top of my head. I don't know.
But, I can tell you that Ms. Palin has five because it has been reported over
and over again since last Thursday.
Notwithstanding the thinness of her resume, that she has five children
and is currently a public servant is further evidence of her ability organize
and run arguably anything.
This systematic devaluation of maternal caregiving is despicable,
anti-woman and wreaks of patriarchy.
Which leads me to my next question, What if all the women (and men
who supported them) went on strike for one week in this country
for the purposes of demanding federal and state supported childcare?
Childcare is an issue that affects all of us regardless of ethnicity
and class and it would provide a great opportunity organize people
across a broad range of backgrounds.
Childcare is expensive and necessary in a capitalist economy where
parents work outside of the home. All of us are affected by it
either directly because we have children, or indirectly because
we care for our family members children, or because our co workers
miss work in order arrange for, or provide, childcare.
How would this country look if (the majority of) women went on strike
for a week and remained home?
6 comments:
It would look like this...
I guarantee you in that one day, enrollment for organized sports (especially girls full-contact football) would skyrocket.
Why would we play sports?
This is the media's presidential vetting process and apparently nothing is off limits. I do notice the media's tendency to paint Palin as just a soccer mom who happened to be a small town mayor and now Alaska's governor. That also reminds John Kerry's wife demeaning statement about Laura Bush.
If women went on strike? Popular culture some times loves the helpless, unorganized portrayal of fathers needing monitored supervision from women. People often buy into that cliche. Remember the film Mr. Mom?
Fatherhood has not been viewed as a barrier for a political office because it is largely ignored. The role that a father plays is often devalued especially in family courts.
Sports?!? Please ya'll play sports! :)
The role that a father plays is often devalued especially in family courts.
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No SHIT and it irks my ass.
just a soccer mom
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These are the same people that love "welfare queens"....I ain't fagot shit.
Oh I knew we play sports...I was just looking for the link.
Oh - this is critical! People who do not see that infrastructure that early care and education creates take for granted what it does to keep every day intact. If the roads and bridges created by teachers and childcare providers (some of whom are men) fall down, everyone would feel the shock waves of that devastation. We take too much for granted, especially if it is considered to be "women's work."
As an early childhood educator (whose husband is a stay-at-home father), I thank you for calling it out.
We take too much for granted, especially if it is considered to be "women's work."
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Your welcome.
And thank you for commenting.
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