I’d like to share a personal story.

About 43 years ago, a woman and a man had to choose a name for their newborn baby girl. It was 1972 and women really struggled for equality in American society. Especially when it came to finding a job. Your options were often limited based upon whether your name was Mark or Mary. Whereas Mark’s application would fall into the “management” pile, Mary would most likely land in the “secretary” pile.

In order to minimize the impact of sexism on their child, these new parents intentionally gave their daughter a name that was androgynous. In the hopes that her life would not be shaped by her gender. That her opportunities would reflect her mind and her actions. Not the body parts she was born with.

Since then, we’ve made many strides forward, as a nation. In fact, hiring a person based upon their gender is now illegal! Pretty cool, huh? So, when you consider that my family’s naming convention was shaped by a desire to minimize the role of sexism in my life, is it so surprising that a Political Campaign Slogan based upon sexism rubs me the wrong way?

When we vote, we are hiring a person for a job. Keep your vote ethical. Don’t vote for a person based upon their gender. Hire them based upon how they think and what they have done.

(BTW, I often receive junk mail addressed to Mr. March Twisdale. LOL)