I want to thank the defenders of misogyny

[Starry Messenger]

26. Yep.

In 2008, I would have said, why would gender matter? It's policy. I have no issue with my support of Obama in 2008 (--saving his education policies, a sore point with me) and wouldn't change anything about my past electoral choices.

However, this past 7 years I've seen a few things that have changed my views:

*The dramatic erosion of women's reproductive rights, which is an attack on women's social status.

*The ease in which some liberal men throw those rights under the bus because it isn't their issue--the fights over inclusion of abortion and birth control in the ACA were eye-opening.

*The roll-back of voter protections, which is a lateral attack on women, especially women of color, who drive much of progressive voting.

*The unrelenting attacks on teachers, a largely female, unionized, workforce.

There are others, but those are the biggies. Will a woman in the White House fix all of those things? No. No more than a Black man in the White House fixed racism. But all things being equal, a woman in the White House could be a qualitative difference that will move the needle.

So, do I feel Bernie Sanders wouldn't be for those things that I outline? No, I don't feel that way--I know he's an ally. But, if this is a moment to move the needle on gender and equality, via the election of a woman for US President, I feel it is worth going for.