I was devastated the next 54% of white women had voted
the next 54% of white women had voted
the next 54% of white women had voted for a Republican candidate Donald Trump
for a Republican candidate Donald Trump
for a Republican candidate Donald Trump and the media was out to condemn them
and the media was out to condemn them
and the media was out to condemn them now the media was picking up on this gap
now the media was picking up on this gap
now the media was picking up on this gap the gap between how white women voted
the gap between how white women voted
the gap between how white women voted and how other American women voted as
and how other American women voted as
and how other American women voted as you can see black women overwhelmingly
you can see black women overwhelmingly
you can see black women overwhelmingly supported Hillary Clinton at 94% with
supported Hillary Clinton at 94% with
supported Hillary Clinton at 94% with Latino women supporting her at 69
Latino women supporting her at 69
Latino women supporting her at 69 percent compared to them white women had
percent compared to them white women had
percent compared to them white women had only voted for Hillary Clinton at 46%
only voted for Hillary Clinton at 46%
only voted for Hillary Clinton at 46% now if you haven’t figured it out yet
now if you haven’t figured it out yet
now if you haven’t figured it out yet I’m a card-carrying Democrat and as a
I’m a card-carrying Democrat and as a
I’m a card-carrying Democrat and as a liberal white woman I was confused but
liberal white woman I was confused but
liberal white woman I was confused but more than that I was curious what made
more than that I was curious what made
more than that I was curious what made these women who looked like me vote for
these women who looked like me vote for
these women who looked like me vote for a candidate who time and time again had
a candidate who time and time again had
a candidate who time and time again had been labeled a misogynist well I was
been labeled a misogynist well I was
been labeled a misogynist well I was determined to find out and as Donald
determined to find out and as Donald
determined to find out and as Donald Trump was being inaugurated into office
Trump was being inaugurated into office
Trump was being inaugurated into office in 2016 I took off on a research project
in 2016 I took off on a research project
in 2016 I took off on a research project on my own so the first thing I wanted to
on my own so the first thing I wanted to
on my own so the first thing I wanted to look at was at white womens various
look at was at white womens various
look at was at white womens various identities it was obvious to me that the
identities it was obvious to me that the
identities it was obvious to me that the country had assumed that white women
country had assumed that white women
country had assumed that white women would vote based on their gender
would vote based on their gender
would vote based on their gender identity however I hope that other
identity however I hope that other
identity however I hope that other identities might be at play I decided to
identities might be at play I decided to
identities might be at play I decided to use an in-depth interview method so
use an in-depth interview method so
use an in-depth interview method so we’ve all taken a survey where none of
we’ve all taken a survey where none of
we’ve all taken a survey where none of the actual answers match up with what we
the actual answers match up with what we
the actual answers match up with what we really think our reply would be I was
really think our reply would be I was
really think our reply would be I was hoping that this more conversational
hoping that this more conversational
hoping that this more conversational style approach would really let me get
style approach would really let me get
style approach would really let me get at why white women identified with
at why white women identified with
at why white women identified with Donald Trump if they did
Donald Trump if they did
Donald Trump if they did so I can’t different ages common they
so I can’t different ages common they
so I can’t different ages common they were all white and they had all voted
were all white and they had all voted
were all white and they had all voted for Donald Trump when I put out the call
for Donald Trump when I put out the call
for Donald Trump when I put out the call for interviews I was actually really
for interviews I was actually really
for interviews I was actually really surprised that he responded they were
surprised that he responded they were
surprised that he responded they were people from my hometown of Charlotte
people from my hometown of Charlotte
people from my hometown of Charlotte North Carolina they were relatives of my
North Carolina they were relatives of my
North Carolina they were relatives of my friends and they were people from this
friends and they were people from this
friends and they were people from this very college campus they came from a
very college campus they came from a
very college campus they came from a wide variety of occupational backgrounds
wide variety of occupational backgrounds
wide variety of occupational backgrounds they were agricultural workers and small
they were agricultural workers and small
they were agricultural workers and small business owners they were students and
business owners they were students and
business owners they were students and they were teachers I was quickly
they were teachers I was quickly
they were teachers I was quickly realizing that they were my neighbors
realizing that they were my neighbors
realizing that they were my neighbors and I’m here to tell you that they are
and I’m here to tell you that they are
and I’m here to tell you that they are yours as much with people in the US like
yours as much with people in the US like
yours as much with people in the US like to vilify people who have different
to vilify people who have different
to vilify people who have different political backgrounds than ourselves
political backgrounds than ourselves
political backgrounds than ourselves they’re still the same people that sit
they’re still the same people that sit
they’re still the same people that sit with us let’s stand with us in the
with us let’s stand with us in the
with us let’s stand with us in the grocery line so the thing that’s
grocery line so the thing that’s
grocery line so the thing that’s different with them is they have
different with them is they have
different with them is they have different lived experiences that have
different lived experiences that have
different lived experiences that have shaped their different political values
shaped their different political values
shaped their different political values today I want to talk to you about those
today I want to talk to you about those
today I want to talk to you about those political values they’ve manifested
political values they’ve manifested
political values they’ve manifested themselves in three different ways first
themselves in three different ways first
themselves in three different ways first and what political issues white women
and what political issues white women
and what political issues white women care about second and how they perceive
care about second and how they perceive
care about second and how they perceive different candidates and third and their
different candidates and third and their
different candidates and third and their partisan identity but before we can get
partisan identity but before we can get
partisan identity but before we can get into any of that I have to let you know
into any of that I have to let you know
into any of that I have to let you know something these women view themselves as
something these women view themselves as
something these women view themselves as hard workers they think of both
hard workers they think of both
hard workers they think of both themselves and their families as hard
themselves and their families as hard
themselves and their families as hard workers and this identity has really
workers and this identity has really
workers and this identity has really shaped all those political values that I
shaped all those political values that I
shaped all those political values that I just told you about
just told you about
just told you about they’ve also shaped which political
they’ve also shaped which political
they’ve also shaped which political issues white women care about so the
issues white women care about so the
issues white women care about so the women that I spoke to cared about two
women that I spoke to cared about two
women that I spoke to cared about two different things first immigration and
different things first immigration and
different things first immigration and second the American economy
no matter where women lived they thought
no matter where women lived they thought of undocumented immigrants as doing
of undocumented immigrants as doing
of undocumented immigrants as doing something criminal and wrong
something criminal and wrong
something criminal and wrong I had a retired schoolteacher in
I had a retired schoolteacher in
I had a retired schoolteacher in Maryland tell me I just feel like the
Maryland tell me I just feel like the
Maryland tell me I just feel like the laws and our country should be obeyed
laws and our country should be obeyed
laws and our country should be obeyed I’ve always done what I’m supposed to do
I’ve always done what I’m supposed to do
I’ve always done what I’m supposed to do while a single mother all the way down
while a single mother all the way down
while a single mother all the way down in Texas said coming to her country
in Texas said coming to her country
in Texas said coming to her country respectfully follow the law be like
respectfully follow the law be like
respectfully follow the law be like every other person who is living here
every other person who is living here
every other person who is living here legally does and you’re welcome and a
legally does and you’re welcome and a
legally does and you’re welcome and a real estate agent all the way in New
real estate agent all the way in New
real estate agent all the way in New York said we’re all immigrants but there
York said we’re all immigrants but there
York said we’re all immigrants but there has to be a process and people just
has to be a process and people just
has to be a process and people just can’t walk in here illegally so as you
can’t walk in here illegally so as you
can’t walk in here illegally so as you can see it doesn’t matter if they came
can see it doesn’t matter if they came
can see it doesn’t matter if they came from a border state or not they viewed
from a border state or not they viewed
from a border state or not they viewed undocumented immigrants as rule breakers
undocumented immigrants as rule breakers
undocumented immigrants as rule breakers and what do rule breakers do they take
and what do rule breakers do they take
and what do rule breakers do they take from us so cultural sociologist Acker
from us so cultural sociologist Acker
from us so cultural sociologist Acker Berg and Helpmann tell us that the
Berg and Helpmann tell us that the
Berg and Helpmann tell us that the working class made us like immigrants
working class made us like immigrants
working class made us like immigrants because they see them as competition in
because they see them as competition in
because they see them as competition in the labor market while not all of the
the labor market while not all of the
the labor market while not all of the women that I spoke to were part of the
women that I spoke to were part of the
women that I spoke to were part of the working class almost all of them thought
working class almost all of them thought
working class almost all of them thought of the American economy as a major issue
of the American economy as a major issue
of the American economy as a major issue so they really believed in this idea of
so they really believed in this idea of
so they really believed in this idea of the American dream now what that
the American dream now what that
the American dream now what that basically means is that if we just try
basically means is that if we just try
basically means is that if we just try hard enough people in this country can
hard enough people in this country can
hard enough people in this country can accomplish anything they saw this as
accomplish anything they saw this as
accomplish anything they saw this as being taken away from them a student
being taken away from them a student
being taken away from them a student down in Arizona told me I think you
down in Arizona told me I think you
down in Arizona told me I think you should work for what you want it’s not
should work for what you want it’s not
should work for what you want it’s not fair for the people who work hard and
fair for the people who work hard and
fair for the people who work hard and then get half of what they worked for
then get half of what they worked for
then get half of what they worked for taken away by people who didn’t work as
taken away by people who didn’t work as
taken away by people who didn’t work as hard so as you can see this identity of
hard so as you can see this identity of
hard so as you can see this identity of being a hard worker continues to come up
being a hard worker continues to come up
being a hard worker continues to come up again and again it continues to come
again and again it continues to come
again and again it continues to come into play with how white women perceive
into play with how white women perceive
into play with how white women perceive different candidates they saw Donald
different candidates they saw Donald
different candidates they saw Donald Trump as a hard worker he was someone
Trump as a hard worker he was someone
Trump as a hard worker he was someone who had worked his way up in the
who had worked his way up in the
who had worked his way up in the business world and his business
business world and his business
business world and his business expertise would be vital for the
expertise would be vital for the
expertise would be vital for the American economy
American economy
American economy however they thought of Hillary Clinton
however they thought of Hillary Clinton
however they thought of Hillary Clinton as the antithesis of this in fact they
as the antithesis of this in fact they
as the antithesis of this in fact they described her and what I like to call
described her and what I like to call
described her and what I like to call the three
the three
the three says sketchy shady and scheming they
says sketchy shady and scheming they
says sketchy shady and scheming they thought of her and Bill Clinton as this
thought of her and Bill Clinton as this
thought of her and Bill Clinton as this amoral political powerhouse and they
amoral political powerhouse and they
amoral political powerhouse and they thought that she would be willing to do
thought that she would be willing to do
thought that she would be willing to do anything to get to the presidency I had
anything to get to the presidency I had
anything to get to the presidency I had some women even imply that she would be
some women even imply that she would be
some women even imply that she would be willing to do something illegal I had
willing to do something illegal I had
willing to do something illegal I had one woman tell me the Clintons have been
one woman tell me the Clintons have been
one woman tell me the Clintons have been around they became very wealthy while
around they became very wealthy while
around they became very wealthy while they were in government and government
they were in government and government
they were in government and government doesn’t pay very well so time and time
doesn’t pay very well so time and time
doesn’t pay very well so time and time again these women would talk about the
again these women would talk about the
again these women would talk about the Clintons legacy of corruption but very
Clintons legacy of corruption but very
Clintons legacy of corruption but very few of them actually mentioned specific
few of them actually mentioned specific
few of them actually mentioned specific scandals I was sure that I was going to
scandals I was sure that I was going to
scandals I was sure that I was going to hear about Benghazi or the email server
hear about Benghazi or the email server
hear about Benghazi or the email server scandal however very few women actually
scandal however very few women actually
scandal however very few women actually mentioned these another area in which
mentioned these another area in which
mentioned these another area in which white women thought of the candidates
white women thought of the candidates
white women thought of the candidates diverged was around the issue of Family
diverged was around the issue of Family
diverged was around the issue of Family Values I had one woman tell me family to
Values I had one woman tell me family to
Values I had one woman tell me family to me is everything and without it I don’t
me is everything and without it I don’t
me is everything and without it I don’t know that you could have this success so
know that you could have this success so
know that you could have this success so these women saw Donald Trump is quite
these women saw Donald Trump is quite
these women saw Donald Trump is quite literally combining success with family
literally combining success with family
literally combining success with family I had a small business owner from North
I had a small business owner from North
I had a small business owner from North Carolina tell me that she liked how
Carolina tell me that she liked how
Carolina tell me that she liked how Donald Trump included his family and his
Donald Trump included his family and his
Donald Trump included his family and his business ventures as a small business
business ventures as a small business
business ventures as a small business owner she was really hoping to keep her
owner she was really hoping to keep her
owner she was really hoping to keep her own business within the family so these
own business within the family so these
own business within the family so these women really liked that Donald Trump had
women really liked that Donald Trump had
women really liked that Donald Trump had kept in touch with his children despite
kept in touch with his children despite
kept in touch with his children despite multiple divorces they really picked up
multiple divorces they really picked up
multiple divorces they really picked up on his relationship with Ivanka Trump I
on his relationship with Ivanka Trump I
on his relationship with Ivanka Trump I had a woman from New York compare and
had a woman from New York compare and
had a woman from New York compare and contrast Chelsea’s relationship with
contrast Chelsea’s relationship with
contrast Chelsea’s relationship with Hillary Clinton to Ivanka’s relationship
Hillary Clinton to Ivanka’s relationship
Hillary Clinton to Ivanka’s relationship with Donald Trump she saw Ivanka Trump
with Donald Trump she saw Ivanka Trump
with Donald Trump she saw Ivanka Trump as a self-starter as someone who had
as a self-starter as someone who had
as a self-starter as someone who had made it in the fashion industry by
made it in the fashion industry by
made it in the fashion industry by herself while she labeled Chelsea
herself while she labeled Chelsea
herself while she labeled Chelsea Clinton as riding on her mother’s
Clinton as riding on her mother’s
Clinton as riding on her mother’s coattails another area and which these
coattails another area and which these
coattails another area and which these identities of being a mother and being a
identities of being a mother and being a
identities of being a mother and being a wife continue to come into play was
wife continue to come into play was
wife continue to come into play was around the topic of Bill Clinton’s
around the topic of Bill Clinton’s
around the topic of Bill Clinton’s infidelity
infidelity
infidelity so this was brought up to me over and
so this was brought up to me over and
so this was brought up to me over and over again and women that I spoke with
over again and women that I spoke with
over again and women that I spoke with really thought that they really thought
really thought that they really thought
really thought that they really thought that Hillary Clinton had only stayed
that Hillary Clinton had only stayed
that Hillary Clinton had only stayed with Bill Clinton because of political
with Bill Clinton because of political
with Bill Clinton because of political reasons and they saw this as a complete
reasons and they saw this as a complete
reasons and they saw this as a complete power move for her they also thought
power move for her they also thought
power move for her they also thought that it made her a poor role model for
that it made her a poor role model for
that it made her a poor role model for her daughter Chelsea Clinton I had one
her daughter Chelsea Clinton I had one
her daughter Chelsea Clinton I had one woman tell me I can understand standing
woman tell me I can understand standing
woman tell me I can understand standing by your husband when he’s struggling but
by your husband when he’s struggling but
by your husband when he’s struggling but he’s slapping you in the face you’re
he’s slapping you in the face you’re
he’s slapping you in the face you’re raising a daughter and you’re showing
raising a daughter and you’re showing
raising a daughter and you’re showing your daughter the wrong image to make I
your daughter the wrong image to make I
your daughter the wrong image to make I would not have allowed my child to see
would not have allowed my child to see
would not have allowed my child to see that so as you see even though Hillary
that so as you see even though Hillary
that so as you see even though Hillary Clinton is a white woman a mother and a
Clinton is a white woman a mother and a
Clinton is a white woman a mother and a wife these women that I was speaking
wife these women that I was speaking
wife these women that I was speaking with still had trouble identifying with
with still had trouble identifying with
with still had trouble identifying with her
her
her so despite their deep dislike of Hillary
so despite their deep dislike of Hillary
so despite their deep dislike of Hillary Clinton none of the women I spoke with
Clinton none of the women I spoke with
Clinton none of the women I spoke with actually identified as part of the Farr
actually identified as part of the Farr
actually identified as part of the Farr or alt right in fact they were all over
or alt right in fact they were all over
or alt right in fact they were all over the political spectrum with many of them
the political spectrum with many of them
the political spectrum with many of them identifying as moderates despite having
identifying as moderates despite having
identifying as moderates despite having voted for the Republican Party they view
voted for the Republican Party they view
voted for the Republican Party they view them in ways that I wouldn’t have
them in ways that I wouldn’t have
them in ways that I wouldn’t have expected they saw them as judgmental and
expected they saw them as judgmental and
expected they saw them as judgmental and stodgy and old-fashioned I had one woman
stodgy and old-fashioned I had one woman
stodgy and old-fashioned I had one woman even tell me I don’t know how the tea
even tell me I don’t know how the tea
even tell me I don’t know how the tea party group hijacked the whole
party group hijacked the whole
party group hijacked the whole Republican Party I mean it just seems
Republican Party I mean it just seems
Republican Party I mean it just seems that you can’t be a moderate Republican
that you can’t be a moderate Republican
that you can’t be a moderate Republican or moderate Democrat anymore it just
or moderate Democrat anymore it just
or moderate Democrat anymore it just seems very unpopular so they really had
seems very unpopular so they really had
seems very unpopular so they really had this desire for bipartisanship they
this desire for bipartisanship they
this desire for bipartisanship they wanted to see politicians reach across
wanted to see politicians reach across
wanted to see politicians reach across the aisle and work together and someone
the aisle and work together and someone
the aisle and work together and someone who votes on the opposite side of the
who votes on the opposite side of the
who votes on the opposite side of the aisle I was actually really relieved to
aisle I was actually really relieved to
aisle I was actually really relieved to hear this it was reassuring to know that
hear this it was reassuring to know that
hear this it was reassuring to know that these white women that I was speaking to
these white women that I was speaking to
these white women that I was speaking to want it unity in this time of division
want it unity in this time of division
want it unity in this time of division so despite everything that I’ve learned
so despite everything that I’ve learned
so despite everything that I’ve learned throughout this research my biggest
throughout this research my biggest
throughout this research my biggest point is that there is a deep power and
point is that there is a deep power and
point is that there is a deep power and listening
listening
listening at the end of almost each and every one
at the end of almost each and every one
at the end of almost each and every one of my conversations the woman on the
of my conversations the woman on the
of my conversations the woman on the other end of the line would say thank
other end of the line would say thank
other end of the line would say thank you thank you for just listening they
you thank you for just listening they
you thank you for just listening they hadn’t felt comfortable talking about
hadn’t felt comfortable talking about
hadn’t felt comfortable talking about their political values in their
their political values in their
their political values in their classrooms and their offices and in
classrooms and their offices and in
classrooms and their offices and in their communities in general and instead
their communities in general and instead
their communities in general and instead of arguing with them point by point I
of arguing with them point by point I
of arguing with them point by point I had taken the time to just listen and in
had taken the time to just listen and in
had taken the time to just listen and in that time I learned about their greatest
that time I learned about their greatest
that time I learned about their greatest fears and their deepest hopes for both
fears and their deepest hopes for both
fears and their deepest hopes for both themselves and their families now don’t
themselves and their families now don’t
themselves and their families now don’t get me wrong politics is personal when I
get me wrong politics is personal when I
get me wrong politics is personal when I found out that Donald Trump had been
found out that Donald Trump had been
found out that Donald Trump had been elected into office I felt like both he
elected into office I felt like both he
elected into office I felt like both he and his supporters hated me and my
and his supporters hated me and my
and his supporters hated me and my friends though I still don’t agree with
friends though I still don’t agree with
friends though I still don’t agree with a lot of the political ideology of these
a lot of the political ideology of these
a lot of the political ideology of these women I can now better understand where
women I can now better understand where
women I can now better understand where they’re coming from
they’re coming from
they’re coming from so the MU the liberal movement really
so the MU the liberal movement really
so the MU the liberal movement really centers around this idea of sharing
centers around this idea of sharing
centers around this idea of sharing experiences and understanding identities
experiences and understanding identities
experiences and understanding identities however we don’t often offer up the
however we don’t often offer up the
however we don’t often offer up the space to our conservative neighbors
space to our conservative neighbors
space to our conservative neighbors there are days where I don’t want to
there are days where I don’t want to
there are days where I don’t want to make this space the world is divisive
make this space the world is divisive
make this space the world is divisive and there’s a lot of stuff happening in
and there’s a lot of stuff happening in
and there’s a lot of stuff happening in Washington DC that I don’t agree with
Washington DC that I don’t agree with
Washington DC that I don’t agree with but when I look back to who I was before
but when I look back to who I was before
but when I look back to who I was before this project began I realized that my
this project began I realized that my
this project began I realized that my attitude was often not productive so I
attitude was often not productive so I
attitude was often not productive so I want to leave you with this question
want to leave you with this question
want to leave you with this question tonight how do we create a new vision of
tonight how do we create a new vision of
tonight how do we create a new vision of the future if we don’t even understand
the future if we don’t even understand
the future if we don’t even understand half of America I don’t have a fix-all
half of America I don’t have a fix-all
half of America I don’t have a fix-all solution for you just listening isn’t
solution for you just listening isn’t
solution for you just listening isn’t going to solve the deep systemic issues
going to solve the deep systemic issues
going to solve the deep systemic issues that plagued this nation however it is a
that plagued this nation however it is a
that plagued this nation however it is a start and in this time of division we
start and in this time of division we
start and in this time of division we could all use a starting point to unify
could all use a starting point to unify
could all use a starting point to unify around thank you
around thank you
around thank you you
”
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