Thread by @redlianak

Was actually feeling motivated for the first time in a year midday yesterday. Then I read post debate coverage on "undecided voters'" terribly unbalanced and unfair reactions to Pence and Harris.

The idea that Kamala Harris, who is running for VICE PRESIDENT, should behave in the fake public docility of "respectable" white women is a huge problem because LEADERS ARE NOT DOCILE. It's easier for Pence to speak in calm tones because he benefits from every assumption.

Kamala Harris is a black woman of Caribbean descent. WHY IS IT BAD THAT SHE HAS MANNERISMS CONSISTENT WITH A BLACK WOMAN OF CARIBBEAN DESCENT? I loved those moments. I thought they were authentic and relatable. Her face reflected what a lot of people thought in those moments.

Isn't it better that she doesn't have much of a poker face? Isn't it better that you always know where you stand with her? According to too many people, no. That's not better. They look for every reason to hate her.

Harris did that debate in a straight jacket. Susan Page asked numerous questions of her that were no-win answers. An example: what would you do if the president was incapacitated? Seems innocent right? Nope. Harris can't answer that without alienating some important group.

An attack line by the Trump campaign is that voters are REALLY voting for Harris, not Biden. So ANYTHING she did that seemed liked she was preparing to be president on a technically would fuel conspiracy theories. Harris didn't answer that question the way I wanted her to. BUT

I acknowledge that the way I wanted her to answer that question (and many others) was precisely what she's being told she's not supposed to do. Because it's an answer that will be misinterpreted. And this week, I feel, acutely, what it's like to be in those no win situations.

How would I have wanted her to answer those questions? "I had a platform. I lost. Joe won. I respect the will of the people and will follow the person and the policies that they preferred. Because that's my job." But that sort of directness alienates people when you're female.

Women constantly have to navigate the "bitch" label. And it's even worse for black and Latina women in the US and Canada. Last week I had a friend ganged up on for being "too aggressive" when she was 100% in the right. NOW BEFORE YOU DUDES FREAK OUT HEAR ME OUT...

There has been an uptick of men being gaslighted when they're angry too. Especially on the left. But DONALD TRUMP IS PRESIDENT so if men are a big enough asshole, that's just them. Women are NEVER given that allowance. And this is DEPRESSING.

Society has uplifted bullies to the point where bullies are rewarded & authentic people are punished for having understandable reactions. And even writing this, I know that the predictable outcome will be more gaslighting by people who nitpick instead of hearing the central point

Racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, etc, what is it really? It's excuses for bullying and permission to bully. And abuse. And kill. And that means everyone who isn't a guy like Trump is vulnerable to these problems. Which is 99% of people.

Instead of recognizing that this is a common problem, however, people are fighting over who has it worse. And that crap does not matter in the grand scheme of things. It ain't a world of roses for white dudes who aren't millionaires either right now.

Yeah, some people do have it worse. But I've just given up hoping for fair treatment in my lifetime. I'm always going to be seen as the default villain unless there's irrefutable evidence to the contrary. So can I make someone else's life less shitty? Possibly.

First I have to stop feeling so utterly goddamned beaten down though. I'm not quite sure how to do that. 75% of me just wants to stay down. Because Holy shit the beatings really hurt. And that's where I connect to Kamala Harris

People rightly say that she doesn't have a perfect record. Why is it required that she does? She's competent, she's dynamic, she's smart as hell, and she generally has the right goals. More importantly, she's shown a willingness to change her mind and improve.

But oh God Harris said a couple things 10 years ago that someone didn't like. Good GOD do you have any idea how exhausting that sort of thinking is? PEOPLE CHANGE. I believe every person who has been scolded by someone with the unfair power to do so felt for Harris last night.

Yeah, I said PERSON, not WOMAN. Cause guys like Mike Pence use their position to shame and bully other men, too. They'll use EVERY PERCEIVED WEAKNESS OR WEIRDNESS. They don't care what it is. And I'm sick of those guys being in power.

All groups of people have more in common than what separates us. Women are not some separate species the way gender essentialists claim. I do not want to be defined by estrogen but there's nothing I can do about the fact that I am. My instincts do not match society's expectations

So every time Kamala Harris is "snarky", it's like she's winning a battle I have lost. I've been beaten down. She hasn't yet. So I DESPERATELY want her to do well because if she can, maybe there's hope for the rest of us stuck in this goddamned game with rules we never agreed to.

Now watch, WATCH, as people try to tear me down, smear me, and lie about me some more, because I dared to have emotions in public. And watch how many people don't see that every single one of those comments is proving my point.