Incredibly, babies have become trophies in the increasingly ugly race to become the next U.S. president. Being childless—for whatever reason—is considered unpatriotic by some Republicans.
Trump and Vance say they see women as equals. The truth is, they only value certain types of women. The breeders, the stay-at-home moms, the women who walk a step behind their husbands.
JD is a “traditional” man (married, with kids) who presidential candidate Kamala Harris portrayed as one of those “childless cat ladies” – one of those Democrats who (according to him) “make everyone’s life miserable” because they haven’t bred a next generation.
Vance asks, “How does it make sense that we turned our country over to people who actually have no direct interest in it?”
A low blow, portraying the childless as unfit and somehow imperfect.
Kamala Harris is a proud stepmother to Ella and Cole, children from her husband Doug Emhoff’s first marriage. Vance’s comments (made in 2021) have sparked outrage: Emhoff’s ex-wife and her daughter Ella have spoken out against “baseless attacks” and strongly defended Harris.
Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance previously criticized Kamala Harris for not having children
Hannah Neeleman, who left for Las Vegas two weeks after giving birth to compete in Mrs World, has become associated with the ‘traditional wife’ or ‘tradwife’ movement
Kamala Harris was described as a “childless cat lady” by JD Vance in 2021. She is a stepmother of two
Kamala Harris with husband Doug Emhoff and two stepchildren Cole and Ella. Harris married their father in 2014
Millions of women who want children but cannot have them must be hurt by Vance’s ignorant comments.
Jennifer Aniston tried to have a child through IVF in her 30s and 40s and has spoken about her struggles to conceive, saying she ‘can’t believe’ a potential US vice president would have such views.
It’s not unexpected: JD voted against the Right to IVF Act this June, which would have given American women the right to IVF treatments.
Aniston was rightly shocked that Vance denied his own daughter treatment when she was unable to conceive naturally.
Selecting people who have not experienced childbirth is a new form of abuse. And pairing cats as if they were some kind of poor baby replacement is bizarre, to say the least. This is a new low in political debate, even by Trump’s standards.
Not all women want children, but the ability to bear children is seen by some Republicans as a badge of merit, a sign of being normal and in touch with the real world. Anyone who hasn’t had a child and has a cat must be, by JD’s definition, a miserable old maid out of touch with the rest of the population.
This is another manifestation of the ‘traditional’ women’s movement that is gaining ground in the US and – to a lesser extent – the UK.
Followers post pictures of their baking, their (usually large) tribe of children, and their immaculate laundry. These paragons of femininity are dress-wearers who iron their aprons, get excited about ironing, and get orgasmic over a clean toilet.
Being a “traditional” mother – like poster girl Hannah Neeleman (7.5 million followers on TikTok) – means being fully committed to your husband and worshipping your home. Republicans see that as the new symbol of patriotism.
Pass the barf bag. Every unmarried childless woman in a pantsuit is the devil’s messenger to these idiots.
What JD really hates are career women. In his eyes, you must be crazy if you choose not to have children because you need all your energy to climb the slippery pyramid of power.
He is attached to the old idea of the superwoman, the person who not only manages to naturally produce at least two perfectly formed, obedient, well-behaved children, but who also runs a household, holds a job, and puts a freshly prepared meal on the table every night at 6 p.m.
It is the rise of the new superwomen.
Jennifer Aniston, 55, was critical of comments made by Sen. JD Vance, 39, about “childless cat ladies who are unhappy with their own lives” when she spoke about Vice President Kamala Harris in 2021. Pictured last month in LA
Aniston, 55, took to Instagram Stories with some sharp words for Vance, who is running as Donald Trump’s vice presidential candidate
The term ‘superwomen’, referring to mothers who combine a career, raising children, housework and cooking, was coined by journalist Shirley Conran (pictured)
The term was coined in 1975 by pioneering journalist Shirley Conran, who wrote a guide to how to juggle the impossible demands of work and home life, offering tips and tactics.
It was a huge success, although Shirley admitted years later that for most working women it was a ridiculous idea, saying, “Life’s too short to stuff a mushroom.”
Women have always had to adhere to ridiculous standards to advance their careers. Many of us have had to work twice as hard as men to get ahead, ignoring sexism, bullying and belittling. In politics, women have had to be brave, grow a thick skin and stand there and take insults with a smile.
Whatever you think of her politics, Kamala Harris is a worker, a scumbag, and a worthy candidate for the American presidency. Can she really be considered second-rate, unelectable, just because she is a stepmother and not a “real” mother?
Vance cleverly pits women against women – the fertile versus the infertile – using disgusting tactics to score points in a desperate attempt to prevent a woman from entering the White House. They’ve destroyed Hillary Clinton and now it’s happening again.
And cats as a replacement for children? Anyone who has a pet knows that they are temperamental, time-consuming and loving – just like children.
For some people, having a cat might be a replacement for a child, but what’s wrong with that? A cat or a dog can teach you so much.
To win the presidency, Kamala Harris cannot act solely on the fact that she is a stepmother, the child of immigrants, and points to her long and distinguished career. She cannot act on the color of her skin.
She needs to go further: talk about an inclusive – not divisive – kind of politics. Unite people from different backgrounds and communities. Her opponents have made it harder for women to get abortions, access IVF treatment, and get the specialized health care they need. Could her shortcomings be solely due to her uterus?
Whatever Republicans say, Donald Trump and JD Vance are not interested in real equality for women. That means the right not to have children, the right to decide what is best for their bodies and their mental health.
Kamala Harris is not his equal in Vance’s eyes, not because of her intelligence or her policies, but because of her biology.
We are really back in the Stone Age.