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This summer’s strongest sisters


By Nancy Ford

“She is a 20-year-old breeding age female and we need her.â€

Much as it sounds like it could be, that cringe-worthy quote did not come from the script of The Handmaid’s Tale or fall out of the mouth of Vice President Mike Pence.

That statement is attributed to Deborah Giles, research scientist for University of Washington Center for Conservative Biology and research director of the non-profit group, Wild Orca. Giles was referring to Tahlequah, a mourning mama whale who refused to abandon the corpse of her baby who died shortly after she was born. Sob.

As the number of orcas continue to shrink, Tahlequah has swum hundreds of miles in the Puget Sound while carrying her baby for more than a week, accompanied by a sympathetic “pod†of orcas.

Despite her non-human status, Tahlequah’s unbreakable love has captured our attention and respect, and rightly deserves praise along with several females of the human variety who have also given us hope during a summer that has been otherwise dominated by too much heat, hate and heartbreak.

 

If she wins in November, she would be the youngest woman ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Progressive voters have a lot to love about Ocasio-Cortez. She calls herself a “hard-liner†on climate issues and calls for the end of use of fossil fuels. She supports the impeachment of Donald Trump, based on his violation of the Constitution’s emoluments clause. She supports abolishing ICE. She considers healthcare to be a human right. She advocates for tuition-free universities and public schools.

And, she’s an unapologetic Democratic socialist. That popping sound you hear coming from Washington D.C. is conservative heads exploding. Too bad she’s not running to represent Texas.

 

  • Closer to home, longtime Dallas County Sheriff now running as the Democratic candidate for governor right here in Texas, Lupe Valdez, is on the other end of the age spectrum. She also ticks off a lot of demographically appealing boxes: She’s a woman. She’s Latina. She’s a lesbian! And she is no fool.

That last point was made evident in late July when Valdez one-upped current Texas governor Greg Abbott’s offer to debate. Abbott slyly proposed their first debate occur on September 28, primetime on a Friday night, which would conflict not only with opening night of the Texas State Fair, but also with the sacrosanct tradition of Friday night high school football.

“Thanks @GregAbbott_TX for accepting a debate!†Valdez replied in a tweet. “We’re in and always happy to discuss our vision for a Texas that works for all. We haven’t agreed to the terms yet — but seriously, during Friday Night Lights? Texans deserve better. Call me, maybe?â€

“I’m running to represent all of Texas, and if there is going to be a debate, town hall or other type of forum, we need to ensure a real discussion for all of Texas to hear,†Valdez added later in a news release that suggested Abbott “stop hiding from Texans.â€

Valdez proposed a new, more viewer-friendly debate to take place Monday, October 8, 6 p.m., airing on the local ABC affiliate and Univision (before Monday Night Football).

As of press time, Abbott had not yet agreed to participate in the debate. Maybe he doesn’t want to miss The Bachelorette that night.

  • Australia-based lesbian stand-up Hannah Gadsby has turned comedy on its ear with her crazy successful Netflix summer special, Nanette. Her funny/not funny approach to the genre seems to be threatening old-school, yuck-yuck funny folk, especially the Boys Club (but not exclusively the boys) that likes to think their definition of comedy is the only definition that matters. “There is nothing stronger than a broken woman who has rebuilt herself,†Gadsby says in the special, breathing new life into those of us who for too long have been beaten down by all variety of bullies, both onstage and off. You know who you are.
  • Possibly the strongest of all strong sisters of the summer of 2018 is the small but mighty SCOTUS Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Notoriously, this 85-year-old judicial powerhouse recently pledged to remain on the Supreme Court until she is 90. This indicates she anticipates that the 2020 national election will indeed kick Trump to the White House curb and return a thinking, reasoning Oval Office occupant who will replace RBG with a just Justice, continuing her legacy of bad-assery.
  • All eight of the Ocean’s 8 women. Because…c’mon.

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