Updated: November 5, 2016
Originally Published: October 10, 2016
The atmosphere was charged with discussions about the upcoming election. Makeshift tables transformed a storage room into a bustling call center. Voices intertwined like a chorus, each person contributing to the cacophony of political issues. The aroma of pepperoni and sausage filled the air, with grease-stained boxes stacked nearby, serving as sustenance for the dedicated volunteers. Amid the calls, campaign workers exchanged stories from their interactions with voters, competing to share the most impactful encounters. Next to my phone, a script outlined prompts for conversations about health care, education, and job creation. Yet, I was unprepared for the responses that emerged repeatedly in my discussions.
“My partner tells me how to vote.”
I initially assumed that women would find it harder to express this sentiment to another woman, but I was met with the same casual admission from multiple callers.
“My partner tells me how to vote.”
These women shared no distinct characteristics; their common thread was a willingness to relinquish their voting autonomy to their partners, dictating not only their political affiliation but also the issues they deemed important. Reflecting on these encounters, I wish I had paused to challenge their choices and understand their reasoning. Instead, I thanked them for their time and moved on to the next call. My upbringing involved open discussions about politics with my family, and I am instilling the importance of civic engagement in my own children. Thus, I struggled to comprehend how such a pivotal decision could be so easily handed over.
Voting is a privilege secured through immense struggles throughout history, involving sacrifices made by many courageous individuals. My vote is fundamentally mine.
As election day approached, I felt compelled to remind those who might consider skipping their vote or deferring to their partner’s choice of how to vote about the women who fought tirelessly for our right to participate in elections. Perhaps it would be beneficial to wear a bracelet inscribed with, “What Would Susan B. Anthony Do?” She, alongside Elizabeth Cady Stanton, was a formidable leader in the suffragist movement, advocating for women’s voting rights. Anthony even faced arrest for attempting to cast her ballot!
On election day, my partner and I returned home from our commitments, gathered our children, and headed to the polling place. Each of us received our own ballots, standing in our booths, shielded from one another’s choices and discussions. Our children navigated the space between us; my daughter, having grown tall enough, spotted my ballot. “Dad voted for that one, Mom,” she exclaimed.
I met her gaze and stated firmly, “This is Mommy’s vote. Mommy decides who she votes for today.” (Just as Susan B. Anthony would.)
For more information on home insemination and fertility, visit this resource, or explore the Cryobaby kit for additional options. Furthermore, NHS provides excellent insights into pregnancy and home insemination methods.
In summary, it’s vital that we maintain ownership of our political choices and ensure our voices are heard in the democratic process. We must embrace our right and responsibility to research, engage in discussions, and cast our votes independently.
Keyphrase: voting autonomy
Tags: [“home insemination kit” “home insemination syringe” “self insemination”]