If a Jewish- atheist woman can get elected president in one of the most catholic countries in the world, then we still have a fighting chance. Vote blue!
I look forward to the day when a woman being elected to high political office isn't newsworthy for that fact. In the meantime when other countries show us better ways to do things I hope that we take note.
Summer Koester: Women won by "reframing their womanhood as a strength."
My registered nurse Mom, Francophone from Charleroi, survived the occupation of our family's country, Belgium through the Third Reich and had to endure the suffering of her mom, who died during the war. As a registered nurse, my Mom had a critical war skill and was spared the fate of her neighboring teens and youths who were, women and men, shipped to forced labor camps in the Third Reich's heavily industrialized Ruhrgebiet.
My Mom had a career through my whole life as an RN. (I was born in the late '40s, not quite three years after the war.)
My beautiful Nancy, 53-years she has been the Love-of-My-Life, endured in tender youth, one year the death of her mom, the next year lost her dad.
Nancy has been the backbone of our family for 53 years. We have two daughters and a beautiful, sixteen-year-old granddaughter.
In school, I always looked on the school girls, with many sweet, adolescent crushes, as more socially mature and academically smarter.
For many of us, WOMANHOOD in itself is strong.
That has been my own life's experience; never a question about it; and my life has been beautiful and joyful for it.
Can you imagine if we had two women, with values of peace and justice, running for office, where we didn't have to worry about a misogynist winning the White House in 2024!
From the WaPo story (and can you imagine this happening in the US?): "So many senior positions in government here are held by women that gender wasn’t a big topic in the presidential race. There was, of course, recognition of the historic nature of the campaign. . . .'For most of the population, the gender theme isn’t all that important in and of itself,” said Lorena Becerra, a prominent pollster. “We had already internalized the idea that the next president would be a woman.'”
That is magnificent. I'm a little concerned about the authoritarian tone of her party's politics and policies - that could be a problem for Mexico. Lopez Obrador has been no friend to open participation. It would be a shame if a major victory for democratic participation led to a decrease in democratic participation and an increase in heavy-handed rule. Galvez, who is much more a centrist and favors oversight of governmental abuse of power, might have been a much better choice in terms of human rights. Still a feminist victory, but with much better political and human outcomes.
True, true. Then there's the question about cartels. The cartels murdered many candidates, and hundreds dropped out. But they left her alone... Corruption really is a thing.
Totally agree. We need to embrace the divine feminine energy in politics (and life) before it's too late. Time to vote out the ego-driven, antiquated male power structure in politics everywhere!
When people tell me I have balls for something, I quickly correct them and say you mean ovaries?
I appreciate women leaders no doubt. The world would benefit from
Balance of such a shift.
I was following the news during campaigns.
The cartel killed many candidates but spared her. Hmm that is curious. As much as the optics looks very fabulous here for women, I am skeptical. I am skeptical because of the necessity for deep collusion and corruption with druglords in order to survive to rise to such a position. I hope I am wrong. I do hope that I am wrong. The last thing I want to be is a debbie downer.
Good points, good questions. Previous president AMLO and Sheinbaum (AMLO's successor) refrained from talking too much about cartels. Al Jazeera article wrote "More than two dozen candidates were assassinated ahead of the June 2 polls, and hundreds more dropped out of their races. In April, two mayoral contenders were found dead on a single day." And many Mexicans are skeptical that Sheinbaum's win is more performative than signs of actual progress, considering her track history.
I do not know much about it except for what I read and we all know that could be truth/false. I do know that the drug cartels are the actual rulers. I come from Iran where tyranny is the norm. Over there, we the people do not trust the government.
I think it would behoove us to at least review this potential from an intelligent and realistic lens. I am so sick of being bamboozled by the BS.
Exactly what I was pondering. Mexico is dominated by the cartels, and the willing gateway to massive illegal migration into the 48. Let’s not talk about fentanyl. I am in praise of women taking the high positions in government and industry, so let’s pray she has the wherewithal and backing by the good gals/guys to make a difference in Mexico and partnership with the U.S.
I see firsthand downstream in the hospital what fentanyl does to our humanity. If leaders are pushing fentanyl and profiting off of human suffering, how do we think it will go?
I love this! I remember the 2008 US election clearly. I remember watching newscasts on Obama and Hillary and found that whenever either presented themselves as anything NOT entirely white or male, they were maligned. So when Hillary misted up a little talking about something, pundits howled about her "crying" and "being too emotional" (read: too female). And when Obama invited Common to the White House, they said he was hanging out with "gangsta rappers" and "thugs" (read: too black).
I quickly realized that neither could win these kinds of "arguments." And it isn't such an achievement for diversity when the person who diversifies the office is forced into a box that's white and male. So I really like seeing a female candidate embrace being a female as part of her political rhetoric and STILL win the election. This warms my heart.
Totally! I wonder if candidates in the future could more own what makes them unique, and why the country needs more of that, instead of trying to fit in the white male (what's always been done) box.
The day a woman becomes president (a woman that doesn’t suck. Not all hold the womanhood power role with diginity) is the day we truly have an opportunity to be the United States of America. I think, as a country, we’ve barely scratched the surface on the possibilities of our potential. The cojones on these women to stand in truth, in Mexico of all places, is a testament to the power of the wombman. They need us, they always will…especially if they say they don’t. Come on now, that’s just funny.
What did James Brown say?
“This is a man’s world
But it wouldn’t mean nothing
Without a woman or a girl.”
Who’s been in charge the whole time? 🤔🧐
Thank you for this piece Summer! This hits in such a beautiful way for everyone (woman or man) who just wants balance in public life.
I love that, wombman! Funny our dance troop the Off the hook Honeys danced to a live, ten piece band rendition of It's a Man's World a few months ago! Thank you for your comment <3
I’m a baseball fan, and more specifically a San Francisco Giants fan. Jon Miller, one of their broadcasters (and an amazingly good one)… calls every home run with very spirited Adios Pelota! I was reading this imagining him broadcasting the Mexican election results… both the result, and imagining him calling that on the air make me very happy! Adios!
Not to run this into the ground, or carry analogies past the point where they break down, but was in Juneau yesterday, and am back home, sitting on my porch listening to the sound of a Mexican wedding going on about a block away. The band is playing Corridos, Cumbias, and Norteno waltzes in the back yard, and it’s beautiful. Songs drifting in on the breeze, accordions, bass, guitars, and most of all, passionate singing in a language I don’t understand that sounds like love… but Mexico has plenty of sexism, violence, and all the rest, but the sound of a Mexican wedding down the street makes it feel like in the epic battle between Love and everything else, that Love can hold it’s own… and does. Cheers!
I was so happy to hear about her victory, and yet it’s only when we reject patriarchy will we truly get anywhere, and that has yet to happen for a women to be able to rule in a non-violent, process-driven, community-minded way. Margaret Thatcher is but one case in point of the opposite. And yet … let’s live in hope.
If a Jewish- atheist woman can get elected president in one of the most catholic countries in the world, then we still have a fighting chance. Vote blue!
It's pretty remarkable! (if I was writing on my phone, this is where I'd insert a blue wave emoji)
I look forward to the day when a woman being elected to high political office isn't newsworthy for that fact. In the meantime when other countries show us better ways to do things I hope that we take note.
100%!
Summer Koester: Women won by "reframing their womanhood as a strength."
My registered nurse Mom, Francophone from Charleroi, survived the occupation of our family's country, Belgium through the Third Reich and had to endure the suffering of her mom, who died during the war. As a registered nurse, my Mom had a critical war skill and was spared the fate of her neighboring teens and youths who were, women and men, shipped to forced labor camps in the Third Reich's heavily industrialized Ruhrgebiet.
My Mom had a career through my whole life as an RN. (I was born in the late '40s, not quite three years after the war.)
My beautiful Nancy, 53-years she has been the Love-of-My-Life, endured in tender youth, one year the death of her mom, the next year lost her dad.
Nancy has been the backbone of our family for 53 years. We have two daughters and a beautiful, sixteen-year-old granddaughter.
In school, I always looked on the school girls, with many sweet, adolescent crushes, as more socially mature and academically smarter.
For many of us, WOMANHOOD in itself is strong.
That has been my own life's experience; never a question about it; and my life has been beautiful and joyful for it.
Can you imagine if we had two women, with values of peace and justice, running for office, where we didn't have to worry about a misogynist winning the White House in 2024!
From the WaPo story (and can you imagine this happening in the US?): "So many senior positions in government here are held by women that gender wasn’t a big topic in the presidential race. There was, of course, recognition of the historic nature of the campaign. . . .'For most of the population, the gender theme isn’t all that important in and of itself,” said Lorena Becerra, a prominent pollster. “We had already internalized the idea that the next president would be a woman.'”
That is magnificent. I'm a little concerned about the authoritarian tone of her party's politics and policies - that could be a problem for Mexico. Lopez Obrador has been no friend to open participation. It would be a shame if a major victory for democratic participation led to a decrease in democratic participation and an increase in heavy-handed rule. Galvez, who is much more a centrist and favors oversight of governmental abuse of power, might have been a much better choice in terms of human rights. Still a feminist victory, but with much better political and human outcomes.
True, true. Then there's the question about cartels. The cartels murdered many candidates, and hundreds dropped out. But they left her alone... Corruption really is a thing.
Totally agree. We need to embrace the divine feminine energy in politics (and life) before it's too late. Time to vote out the ego-driven, antiquated male power structure in politics everywhere!
When people tell me I have balls for something, I quickly correct them and say you mean ovaries?
I appreciate women leaders no doubt. The world would benefit from
Balance of such a shift.
I was following the news during campaigns.
The cartel killed many candidates but spared her. Hmm that is curious. As much as the optics looks very fabulous here for women, I am skeptical. I am skeptical because of the necessity for deep collusion and corruption with druglords in order to survive to rise to such a position. I hope I am wrong. I do hope that I am wrong. The last thing I want to be is a debbie downer.
Good points, good questions. Previous president AMLO and Sheinbaum (AMLO's successor) refrained from talking too much about cartels. Al Jazeera article wrote "More than two dozen candidates were assassinated ahead of the June 2 polls, and hundreds more dropped out of their races. In April, two mayoral contenders were found dead on a single day." And many Mexicans are skeptical that Sheinbaum's win is more performative than signs of actual progress, considering her track history.
I do not know much about it except for what I read and we all know that could be truth/false. I do know that the drug cartels are the actual rulers. I come from Iran where tyranny is the norm. Over there, we the people do not trust the government.
I think it would behoove us to at least review this potential from an intelligent and realistic lens. I am so sick of being bamboozled by the BS.
Exactly what I was pondering. Mexico is dominated by the cartels, and the willing gateway to massive illegal migration into the 48. Let’s not talk about fentanyl. I am in praise of women taking the high positions in government and industry, so let’s pray she has the wherewithal and backing by the good gals/guys to make a difference in Mexico and partnership with the U.S.
Yes here's to big dreams.
I see firsthand downstream in the hospital what fentanyl does to our humanity. If leaders are pushing fentanyl and profiting off of human suffering, how do we think it will go?
Viva Sheinbaum...
I love this! I remember the 2008 US election clearly. I remember watching newscasts on Obama and Hillary and found that whenever either presented themselves as anything NOT entirely white or male, they were maligned. So when Hillary misted up a little talking about something, pundits howled about her "crying" and "being too emotional" (read: too female). And when Obama invited Common to the White House, they said he was hanging out with "gangsta rappers" and "thugs" (read: too black).
I quickly realized that neither could win these kinds of "arguments." And it isn't such an achievement for diversity when the person who diversifies the office is forced into a box that's white and male. So I really like seeing a female candidate embrace being a female as part of her political rhetoric and STILL win the election. This warms my heart.
Totally! I wonder if candidates in the future could more own what makes them unique, and why the country needs more of that, instead of trying to fit in the white male (what's always been done) box.
Adios, cojones! Is this not the best essay title EVER?!!! Wonderful writing as always, Summer.
Thank you, John!
The day a woman becomes president (a woman that doesn’t suck. Not all hold the womanhood power role with diginity) is the day we truly have an opportunity to be the United States of America. I think, as a country, we’ve barely scratched the surface on the possibilities of our potential. The cojones on these women to stand in truth, in Mexico of all places, is a testament to the power of the wombman. They need us, they always will…especially if they say they don’t. Come on now, that’s just funny.
What did James Brown say?
“This is a man’s world
But it wouldn’t mean nothing
Without a woman or a girl.”
Who’s been in charge the whole time? 🤔🧐
Thank you for this piece Summer! This hits in such a beautiful way for everyone (woman or man) who just wants balance in public life.
💜🍑
I love that, wombman! Funny our dance troop the Off the hook Honeys danced to a live, ten piece band rendition of It's a Man's World a few months ago! Thank you for your comment <3
I’m a baseball fan, and more specifically a San Francisco Giants fan. Jon Miller, one of their broadcasters (and an amazingly good one)… calls every home run with very spirited Adios Pelota! I was reading this imagining him broadcasting the Mexican election results… both the result, and imagining him calling that on the air make me very happy! Adios!
Not to run this into the ground, or carry analogies past the point where they break down, but was in Juneau yesterday, and am back home, sitting on my porch listening to the sound of a Mexican wedding going on about a block away. The band is playing Corridos, Cumbias, and Norteno waltzes in the back yard, and it’s beautiful. Songs drifting in on the breeze, accordions, bass, guitars, and most of all, passionate singing in a language I don’t understand that sounds like love… but Mexico has plenty of sexism, violence, and all the rest, but the sound of a Mexican wedding down the street makes it feel like in the epic battle between Love and everything else, that Love can hold it’s own… and does. Cheers!
I love that visual. And isn’t that just so life? Not much I love more than a good paradox.
Haha! Or as they say in Spanish, jajjaja!
Sí, se puede!!
I was so happy to hear about her victory, and yet it’s only when we reject patriarchy will we truly get anywhere, and that has yet to happen for a women to be able to rule in a non-violent, process-driven, community-minded way. Margaret Thatcher is but one case in point of the opposite. And yet … let’s live in hope.
YES!!!!