Having watched the complete Democratic Nationwide Conference, I awakened the day after Kamala Harris’s inspiringly patriotic nomination acceptance speech discovering it laborious to grasp how we’ve something near a neck-in-neck race for this presidency. It’s laborious to think about that individuals on this nation are as far aside as we’re about issues that matter so much- like democracy, equal human rights for all, truthful elections, and fundamental kindness and decency. Nevertheless it’s not laborious to think about that some individuals on the pinnacle of white male privilege, energy, and misogyny are rattling positive not going to let a BIPOC girl change into President with out a number of ruckus.
That apart, I’ve by no means felt extra longing for my nation than after the Democratic Nationwide Conference this yr. Hope is a harmful factor. These of us with numerous marginalizations have dared to hope before- and with hope comes the danger of crushing disappointment. Hope is a danger. Hope means getting excited sufficient that you just is likely to be devastated when hope is dashed.
However I’m selecting to take that danger. I hope you’ll too. As a result of whereas false hope may cause us to be reckless, actual hope can encourage actual change, and actual change on this country- actual social justice-oriented, democracy-oriented change- is what we People want.
I do know what a few of you will say. “Keep in your lane, Lissa.”
Some individuals solely need me to jot down about mind-body drugs, trauma therapeutic, relationships, artwork, and memoir writing. I don’t want to deliberately alienate anybody who appreciates, helps, and advantages from my public work on the earth. However I additionally don’t wish to be anticipated to maintain my political opinions non-public.
Once I revealed my endorsement for Kamala Harris, my workforce was shocked on the quantity of hate mail we acquired. The viciousness of the individuals who subscribe to my mailing listing however who are not looking for me to endorse Kamala Harris is surprising to me, given the whole lot I stand for and have been public about for my total public profession.
However as an American doctor who cares about public well being, our politics is a public well being concern at this level in our historical past. This IS my lane, so hear me out, please.
I’m educated as an OB/GYN. Preventing for ladies’s rights is one thing I’ve been doing since I used to be an adolescent. I’m additionally the sister of a BIPOC girl. Preventing in opposition to white supremacy and for Civil Rights can be one thing I’ve devoted myself to since I used to be an African American Girls’s Research main at Duke College, finding out underneath the mentorship of Toni Morrison and Henry Louis Gates and studying Alice Walker and Zora Neale Hurston. I’m additionally the niece of two Methodist ministers and the granddaughter of one other Methodist minister who’ve a legacy of bucking the church to struggle for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ rights and defending ministers who had been defrocked for marrying queer individuals. My household is a household of card carrying ACLU members and members of the family who’re queer, out, and proud. And I’m proud to say that my household has full unity in our settlement that Kamala Harris is strictly the President we’d like proper now.
So in fact I’m voting for Kamala Harris, and naturally I’m going to shout it from the rooftops.
As a result of silence is violence.
If I don’t leverage my affect to face for my core values, I’m standing with the oppressor- on this case, the Republican Celebration and its Donald Trump loyalists.
As a result of let’s face it. At this level within the political course of, in the event you’re not voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, you’re voting for Donald Trump and JD Vance, which implies you’re voting for MAGA extremists, destruction of democracy, the elimination of free and truthful elections, the top of decency and decorum, and the institution of a vindictive authoritarian dictatorship hell bent on oppressing BIPOC, ladies, immigrants, veterans, and anybody who shouldn’t be a MAGA loyalist.
Now that RFK, Jr is out of the race (I used to be not a fan of this anti-vax Disinformation Dozen Covid denialist to start with), voting for Donald Trump is the one actual various to voting for Kamala Harris. And meaning voting for white supremacy, misogyny, grabbing ladies by the pussy, stripping ladies of their reproductive rights, homophobia, blocking job creations and infrastructure planning, xenophobia, and pardoning convicted January 6 insurrectionist felons.
However you all know that. So let’s speak in regards to the pleasure reverberating across the nation due to the Democratic Nationwide Conference. My sister in legislation despatched me this article about a therapist commenting on the distinction between the feminine and male youngsters he sees in his remedy apply proper now. The women are lighter. Their eyes brighter. Their hope sparked. The boys…not a lot. It moved me to think about all of the little women on the market and all of the BIPOC youngsters who’re seeing somebody like themselves probably rising to the highest place of world management. What a distinction it makes when we’ve even a crack within the basis of the systemic oppression of white supremacy and patriarchy!
My complete household watched the Democratic Nationwide Conference, with an lively textual content thread between us, and I haven’t felt this quantity of hope since Obama was operating. I haven’t seen this a lot variety on the DNC ever earlier than. The sheer glory of all these BIPOC ladies basking of their energy, expertise, intelligence, justice-seeking equity, and inside/ outer magnificence made my coronary heart sing. And all that BIPOC male Democratic expertise and musical expertise. And a brand new breed of masculinity modeled by Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and Kamala Harris’s operating mate Tim Walz.
I used to be in tears time and time once more.
So in the present day, I’m relistening to the playlist my DJ Zaza half made to rejoice Joe Biden’s handing of the torch to Kamala Harris.
You can listen to Kamala Harris For President tunes here.
I might be instructing an IFS and Memoir Writing retreat in Malta in the course of the election. (There’s still room to join us- sign up here!) So I’ll be sure you submit my absentee poll whereas I’m in another country.
For any of you already dedicated Trump voters, please don’t waste your time writing me hate mail. I don’t learn it and it upsets my workers. Train your proper to vote and vote for whoever you need. That’s what democracy is about.
However in the event you’re nonetheless undecided, please watch Kamala Harris’s acceptance speech from the DNC. Compare it to Trump’s acceptance speech at the RNC.
Vote out of your coronary heart.
Let freedom ring.
As a result of I care,
Lissa
