Politics and parenthood

So some close-minded idiot publicly questioned my ability to run for office as a mother of small children.

Why does no one ask this question of fathers of young children?

Does motherhood make one less deserving of representation? Are children less deserving of time spent with fathers? Does working to represent my family’s interests in the political sphere diminish in value because of the more traditional mothering time I might sacrifice?

Currently, the one person representing my particular interests in this state who has young children is state representative Erin Herbig, and I am very grateful for her presence. City Council’s currently youngest member does have school-aged children but they are significantly older. Poliquin, Thibodeaux, Arrison, and our mayor - people I see as ostensibly my other representatives - are so far removed from my position in life the idea of them representing any perspective of my family is ludicrous.

That also brings up the income class discrepancy. I am part of a working middle class family on the east side. Like many similar families, I have credit card debt, and Stafford loan debt, plus exorbitant childcare costs in order for us to work to pay off that debt, our mortgage, and our bills. We do not have any investments or savings. We have an extra credit card for emergencies and we are blessed with good health insurance through both of our employers. That’s better than many.

And it’s an accurate representation of my side of town, and my income class in this oligarchical caste system. Not one single Belfast City Councilor has to deal with this. Not one of them must cope with childcare costs. Nor do any of them fall into an income class level below upper middle class.

Is this a horrible thing? Is it a crime to be more financially successful than I currently am? Assuredly not. I look up to all of these people with hope for my own future. But how can they possibly represent my interests, struggles, challenges, and needs, when they are personally so far removed from my current position in life?

If I wait to represent parents - yes, even mothers - of young families, I will lose valuable perspective, because the challenges that face any given population change from year to year. And if I wait to represent the working class - hell, we’ll never be represented accurately. Because who else is raising their hand in my age group AND income class?

I want my children to know that they matter. I want to empower both my four year old daughter and my seven year old son to advocate for themselves and their neighbors. I will keep hugging them, I will continue to take them lots of places, I will continue to make cakes and casseroles, and I will go to their school functions. And the ones I can’t make because of whatever political path unfolds? Oh, that’s right, they have a second parent who loves them just as much as I do. Just like sometimes I attend school functions solo because of his job, sometimes he can attend solo because of mine, and our kids will learn balance by example.

So, disrespectfully, to hell with you, sir. When we met at City Hall for a public hearing and you said you were considering running for Ward 5, I encouraged you to do it. Apparently you are still considering it, despite, as far as I can see, you having never even attempted volunteering for a city committee. You should still go for it. And by all means continue to suggest that being a mother of young children means I shouldn’t run, as well as bring up my volunteer participation on a city committee that I ended up feeling was a waste of my time. You just keep going there, bud.

Bring. It. On. I’m a working class mother of young children. And I’m going to win.