History { HERstory?} Being Made

 

                             Photo of VP-Elect Kamala Harris' parents. Unknown source for photo. 

     For the first time, the United States of America will have a Vice-President who is :

     ~ A Woman

    ~ A Person-of Color. 

Now I know that some well-meaning people in my life will say" But Gender does not matter." 

 It matters. I'm in my mid-40's and this is the first time a person of my gender will be ' a heartbeat away from the Presidency." Harris' candidacy is not the FIRST time a woman was on the Presidential ticket. I remember both Geraldine Ferraro and Sarah Palin on tickets. The Mondale-Ferraro ticket happened when I was in elementary school. Like Penny Kirkman in the show _Designated Survivor_, I thought that it would be great to maybe have a Vice President who was a " girl". 

Other people whom I know and love will insist that Kamala Harris' skin tone is "not a big deal"  Ask a Black or Brown woman if seeing someone who looks like them attain the second-highest office in the nation matters. I may be White as snow-- but I am a proud Aunt to a beautiful mixed-race little girl { and her equally adorable brother}  Little " Miss L" can look at the incoming Vice President and see a woman who looks like her. 

   Our incoming VP is also the child of two immigrants. Unless we are of 100 percent First Nations DNA-- ALL Americans are descended from immigrants. Some people either do not know their own family history-- or choose to think that their Whiteness excluded them from " descended from immigrants" status. Those of us , such as myself, who are descended from 100 percent European ancestors also have an advantage. 

I understand if people do not agree with Harris' politics, but to disparage her because she is  woman-- or a woman-of-color is disgusting. She'll never hear these foul remarks or read the tasteless and juvenile  yard signs I've seen here in Northwest Florida.  For instance, the guy who lies across the street from the home of one of my best friends kept a yard sign up that read Say NO to Joe And The Hoe. 

No , I am NOT exaggerating. It honestly says those sexist words. The sign is displayed so that ANYONE going by the house is seeing it. It saddens me that girls & women were subjected to those uncouth words on a constant basis. The First Amendment is NOT for name-calling. While it is within people's RIGHTS to post signs in their yards, it should be a RESPONSIBILITY shared by all for the content of their signs. Don't like Democrats? Fine. But to place a sign that disparages a candidate simply for her gender is irresponsible. 

I'm glad that I helped make HERstory with this election. 

~Sarah