It's not just Lena Dunham...

We have seen and heard many things that have troubled us this election season. We have seen abortion rights become fodder for a disturbing discussion about rape. We have listened to GOP Congressmen and Senators stumble, muddle and outright insult their way through “inarticulate” attempts at defending their version of a pro-life platform. We watched the insanely hypocritical reaction to the Lena Dunham ad comparing voting to one’s first sexual experience. Can the GOP call her ad crazy when they released campaign ads encouraging women to vote for “the cute one”. There has been relentless intrusion into the most personal of possessions that a woman owns, that being her body.  

Yesterday, I sent out a tweet asking the GOP and its candidates to stop discussing, legislating and pandering to vaginas. They do not vote. However, the women who have them, do. We’d prefer they were no longer discussed like retail space in a new store front. They are not yours they are ours. The discussion about what we do with them has nothing to do with your political gain, but in exceptional irony who we vote for has everything to do with protecting our right to keep the choices we make with them personal.  Much like dating and your sex life there should be an expectation of privacy. To do that we have to allow ourselves to let it be personal, Lena Dunham was anything but off base.

Just as I was climbing unto my soap box and was about to launch another twitter rant a follower of mine sent me this in response. I thought her articulation of the similarity between voting and relationships is masterful. These are her words. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I did…

 

“Ladies, Young Ladies and Women, in case you're still an

#undecided voter.

I've found it helpful, over they years, to bring world issues close to home to get a better understanding of what's occurring.

I equate voting for a President to getting married. Voting, like marriage, is a contract. We pretty much commit to being in a relationship (monogamous or otherwise) with this person, the party, its platform and policies he/she represents, for the next FOUR (4) years.

It's been my experience that many women invest more time and energy finding that perfect top to go with a pair of slacks or skirt, getting the right dress for an important occasion or choosing a matching shade of nail polish to go with an outfit, yet I don't often see that same eagle-eye discernment when selecting or accepting men they go out with or open their legs for, let alone marry.

It may be important to pay attention to, PRIOR to making that commitment/contract, and take a GOOD look at some key indicators for short and long term compatibility. For instance:

What does this person SAY and DO while courting/campaigning?
Is he consistent? Does he walk his talk - meaning does he do what he says he will do? In instances where he DOESN''T - does he make amends to your satisfaction?
Is he honest? Does he tell YOU the truth?
Does he have YOUR best interest at heart?
What about birth control, condoms, safe sex?
In instances where you disagree, is he willing to compromise?
How does he speak TO YOU?
Have you met his family, friends, co-workers? What's your impression of them?
How does he speak ABOUT you to his family, friends, his buddies, when you're not around (i.e. behind closed doors)?
What about his ex(es)? How is their relationship NOW? How do they speak about him?
And what about finances? Is he gainfully employed? Does he wine and dine or shine and whine? When you're in a pinch, does he help you out or are you on your own?

These same types of questions can be asked about any candidate, whether it be for a relationship or political office.

It's BEST to discover as much as you can ahead of time. If he's not measuring up now, what makes you think he's going to do any differently AFTER the marriage/election?

This election is too important. ANY Presidential election is important. WHY? Even though I consider the office of the #POTUS as figurehead, whomever occupies that office has the power to do TWO major things: send men and now women to die (war) and determine who gets the FINAL say-so in deciding key issues by whom he suggests for the #SCOTUS.

So after weighing the questions above, whose proposal do you accept for this marriage/election?”

-Zena Llenar
you can follow her on twitter @zenallenar