Vote2021 & parents AND Gender stereotypes

>> Bonnie Erbe: THIS WEEK ON "TO THE CONTRARY", HAS VIRGINIA GOVERNOR ELECT GLEN YOUNG YOUNKIN TURNED THE GOP INTO THE PARTY OF PARENTS?

THEN GENDER STEREOTYPES: NEW STUDIES ARE SHATTERING MYTHS.

[MUSIC] >> Bonnie Erbe: HELLO.

I AM BONNIE ERBE.

WELCOME TO "TO THE CONTRARY", A DISCUSSION OF NEWS AND SOCIAL TRENDS FROM DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES.

UP FIRST, PARENTS COULD BE THE NEW POLITICAL PRIZE.

IT APPEARS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR REPUBLICAN GLEN YOUNG CAN'S VICTORY IN VIRGINIA'S GUBERNATORIAL RACE WAS THAT PARENTS ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THE STATE STEWARDSHIP OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC.

POLITICAL ANALYSTS SAY YOUNGKIN'S MOMENTUM TRULY STARTED TO RISE AFTER A DEBATE WHERE TERRY McAULLIFE SAID HE DID NOT BELIEVE PARENTS SHOULD BE TELLING SCHOOLS WHAT TO TEACH.

YOUNGKIN THEN RAN BY COMBINING RACE, TRANSGENDER RIGHTS, AND SCHOOL CONTROL IS ISSUE OF PARENTAL RIGHTS.

DESPITE THE GOP WIN, MORE WOMEN AND WOMEN WITH CHILDREN VOTED FOR McAULLIFE.

THE RESULTS WERE A BIG BLOW TO DEMOCRATS, WHOM THE VOTING PUBLIC LARGELY BLAMES FOR THE PARTY'S SEEMING INABILITY TO PASS PRESIDENT BIDEN'S AGENDA.

IN FACT, ON WEDNESDAY, THE DAY AFTER THE ELECTION, HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI MADE HER OWN OVERTURE TO PARENTS.

SHE ANNOUNCED SHE WAS RESTORING THE PLAN FOR FOUR WEEKS OF PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE BACK INTO THE BILL.

IT HAD JUST BEEN TAKEN OUT THE WEEK BEFORE.

JOINING ME TODAY ARE FORMER MARYLAND REPRESENTATIVE DONNA EDWARDS, THE INDEPENDENT WOMEN'S FORUM CARRIE LUKAS, WOMEN'S RIGHTS ADVOCATE MEGAN BEYER, AND AUTHOR AND ACTIVISTS ASRA NOMANI.

DONNA, WHAT DID THE DEMOCRATS LEARN ABOUT THE ELECTORATE FROM THE GOP VICTORY IN THE VIRGINIA RACE AND ALMOST A GOP VICTORY BY THE SLIMMEST OF MARGINS, DEMOCRAT VICTORY INVARIABLY NEW JERSEY?

>> Donna Edwards: WELCOME I THINK NUMBER ONE IS THAT YOU CANNOT DISMISS VOTERS.

YOU CAN'T TELL THEM WHAT THEY THINK IS IMPORTANT.

YOU REALLY HAVE TO LISTEN TO VOTERS.

THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE TO REALLY LEARN HOW TO FIGHT THIS BOTH NATIONAL AND LOCAL MESSAGE MACHINE.

AND CLEARLY, DEMOCRATS HAVE NOT LEARNED TO FIGHT THAT YET, DESPITE THE FACT THAT SOME OF THESE SAME ARGUMENTS ARE DECADES OLD AND THAT SAME CHALLENGES AROUND RACE ARE DECADES-OLD.

LYNN LASTLY, I WOULD SAY THAT DEMOCRATS HAVE TO TURN OUT THERE VOTERS BY HAVING CANDIDATES WHO, YOU KNOW, GIN UP THEIR BASE AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL THOSE VOTERS TURN OUT, AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS DO NOT HAPPEN -- >> Bonnie Erbe: CARRIE LUKAS, YOUR THOUGHTS.

>> Carrie Lukas: YOU KNOW, THERE THERE'S THE NEWLY AWAKENED PARENTS WERE EXPOSED WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUT I ALSO DO THINK THIS IS PARTIALLY A REFERENDUM ON BIDEN.

I MEAN, I DON'T THINK IT'S BECAUSE OF A FAILURE TO TO PASS THE BUILD BACK BETTER PLAN, BUT I DO THINK IT'S THIS ENCROACHING IDEA OF GOVERNMENT BEING IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING.

UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S FUNNY, AS YOU MENTIONED, THAT NANCY PELOSI TRYING TO ADD IN PAID LEAVE, REALLY FOCUS ON HIGHLIGHTING CHILDCARE.

BUT A LOT OF PARENTS OUT THERE WHO ARE SAYING, I'VE SEEN AND ARE FRUSTRATED WITH GOVERNMENT RUN PUBLIC SCHOOLS SAY I DON'T WANT GOVERNMENT BEING MORE INVOLVED IN MY LIVES ARE CERTAINLY MORE INVOLVED IN RAISING MY KIDS.

>> Bonnie Erbe: MEGAN, WHAT HOW MUCH OF THIS WAS CULTURE WARS?

I MEAN, YOU WE SAW WHERE GLENN YOUNGKIN IN VIRGINIA, BROUGHT IN TRANSGENDER RIGHTS AND AND WHAT ABOUT RACE, AND THAT'S THE CAPITAL OF THE CONFEDERACY.

LET'S NOT FORGET.

>> Megan Beyer: WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE THING WE MAY BE OVERLOOKING IS THE FACT THAT WE'RE IN QUITE A MOMENT IN HISTORY.

WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH IN THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF WAS CLEARLY FELT IN THE LAST ELECTION CYCLE BECAUSE WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF IT.

BUT NOW AS WE FEEL THAT WE'RE COMING OUT OF IT, THERE'S PARENTS I WAS KNOCKING ON DOORS FOR TERRY.

PARENTS WHO WERE, YOU KNOW, FAMILIES JUST FRACTURED.

THEY'VE BEEN HOME, YOU KNOW, THE MAYBE THE MOTHER HAD TO LEAVE HER JOB.

SHE'S BEEN TRYING TO TEACH THEM.

I MEAN, PEOPLE WERE ANGRY, BUT THEY WEREN'T QUITE SURE WHERE TO PLACE THAT ANGER.

AND I THINK THE POSITIONING THAT GLENN YOUNGKIN TOOK, MADE HIS CANDIDACY VERY ATTRACTIVE TO SOME OF THESE WOMEN WHO WERE FED UP AND REALLY WANTED TO SHOW WHY THEY WERE FED UP.

INTERESTINGLY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BUILD BACK BETTER BILL, IT'S ABOUT EMPOWERING FAMILIES.

I MEAN, FAMILIES ARE ALREADY GETTING CHECKS PER CHILD, WE'VE CUT THE CHILD POVERTY RATE IN HALF, IT'S NOT BIG BROTHER COMING IN, BY ANY MEANS AT ALL.

AND AS WE ALL KNOW, MOST OF THESE SCHOOL DECISIONS THAT PEOPLE WERE SO UPSET ABOUT ARE LOCAL DECISIONS, NOT DECISIONS.

>> Bonnie Erbe: ALL RIGHT.

ASRA, YOU ARE A PERSON OF COLOR, YOUR A MOTHER, WHAT WAS MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU AND IN VOTING FOR YOUNG KIDS?

>> Asra Nomani: I THINK THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO CLARIFY, I'M NOT A REPUBLICAN, I'M A DEMOCRAT.

AND I MOVED TO VIRGINIA.

YEAH, I MOVED TO VIRGINIA ONLY BECAUSE THE STATE VOTED FOR BARACK OBAMA AND I TWICE VOTED FOR BARACK OBAMA.

I AM ONE OF THOSE PARENTS WHO SAT SPOKE TO MY SCHOOL BOARD AND WAS IGNORED.

AND THE THE IDEA THAT PARENTS BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THESE VOCAL DECISIONS ARE ACTUALLY PART OF A POLITICAL MACHINE.

AND SO I'M WEARING A SHIRT THAT SAYS, YOU KNOW, MAMA BEAR MOVEMENT, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT SPRANG OUT OF VIRGINIA.

AND THAT WAS REALLY IMPACTED THIS RACE REALLY DECIDED THIS RACE.

AND MOMS AND DADS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE WATCHING US, THERE'S A SIGN PARENTS FOR YOUNGKIN BECAUSE TERRY McAULIFFE FORGOT THAT HE TOO, WAS A FATHER, AND THAT PARENTS ULTIMATELY ARE THE CARETAKERS, AND THE MAMA BEARS AND PAPA BEARS THAT THEIR CUBS.

THAT'S WHY HE LOST THE ELECTION.

>> Donna Edwards: I'M GONNA JUST JUMP IN RIGHT HERE, BECAUSE I DO THINK THAT THERE WERE A COMBINATION OF FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO McAULIFFE'S LOSS.

AND I WILL SAY, I MEAN, CLEARLY, YOU KNOW, HE MADE A GAFFE AND A LATE DAYS OF THAT CAMPAIGN THAT REALLY COST HIM.

BUT GLENN YOUNGKIN, TOOK WHAT WAS A NATIONAL ISSUE, AND HE LOCALIZED IT BY INJECTING RACE, WHETHER SUDDENLY OR NOT INTO THIS CONVERSATION, HE TURNED TONI MORRISON INTO THE WELFARE QUEEN OF 2021.

AND I THINK THAT WE CANNOT IGNORE THAT, EVEN AS WE THINK ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH PARENTS CAN AND SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN THEIR SCHOOLS, THERE WAS AN UNDERCURRENT OF RACE, YOUNG CAN CAPITALIZED ON THAT JUST ENOUGH TO WIN THIS ELECTION.

>> Asra Nomani: BUT WHAT I THINK IS SO OFFENSIVE ABOUT SORT OF THE ANALYSIS ABOUT GLENN YOUNGKIN, BRINGING IN RACE IS THAT RACE WAS PART OF THIS PROBLEM THAT WE FACED IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, THE SCHOOL BOARD'S DECIDED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO GO AFTER THE ASIAN KIDS AT MY SON'S HIGH SCHOOL.

THE ISSUE OF... >> Bonnie Erbe: WHAT DO YOU MEAN GO AFTER THEM?

>> Asra Nomani: WELL, BASICALLY CHANGED THE DEMOGRAPHICS, BECAUSE THEY USE THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS INSIDE OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IN ORDER TO FIX THE DECADES OF FAILURES THEY HAVE HAD FOR BLACK AND HISPANIC STUDENTS.

SO MY SON'S HIGH SCHOOL, THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HAS 70% ASIAN STUDENTS.

AND IN THE SUMMER OF 2020, THEY DECIDED THAT THEIR FIX WAS GOING TO BE TO GET RID OF THE MERIT BASED ADMISSIONS TESTS AND WHO WAS THEY?

THEY WAS RICHMOND.

WE LEARNED THEN THAT IT WAS A GOVERNOR AND THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION AND THE 12, DEMOCRATIC ENDORSED CANDIDATES ON THE SCHOOL BOARD.

AND SO IT WAS NOT GLEN YOUNGKIN.

THAT INJECTED RACE INTO THIS EQUATION.

THE RACE ISSUE WAS BEING POLITICIZED FROM RICHMOND FROM LAST SUMMER.

>> Megan Beyer: IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH YOUR SCHOOL AND THAT I CAN SEE HOW THAT'S INSPIRED YOUR ACTIVISM.

BUT I I DO THINK WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THE BACKDROP HERE OF A POLITICAL MAKING TAKING SOME POLITICAL ADVANTAGE THE KOCH BROTHERS HAVE FUNDED 79 ARTICLES HAVE BEEN PRINTED ON THIS IDEA OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY THAT SORT OF POPPED UP HATCHED FROM AN EGG 79 ARTICLES SUDDENLY FROM ARTICLE FROM ORGANIZATIONS FUNDED BY THE KOCH BROTHERS 25 STATES NOW HAVE LEGISLATION BANNING CRITICAL RACE THEORY.

YOU KNOW, WE DON'T TEACH IT IN VIRGINIA SCHOOLS.

AND I KNOW AFTER WHAT YOU SAY IS THAT WE HAVE READING LISTS THAT HAVE BOOKS THAT YOU FIND OFFENSIVE, PERHAPS LIKE BELOVED, BUT VERY DANGEROUS WHEN WE HAVE DATED A... >> Asra Nomani: I THINK IT'S JUST REALLY DISINGENUOUS TO TRY TO PUT THIS ON THE KOCH BROTHERS.

I MEAN, THESE ARE BOOKS GENDER QUEER IS THE BOOK THAT THE MOTHER WANTED TO HAVE BANNED HERE IN FAIRFAX COUNTY.

I WAS AT THE SCHOOL BOARD MEETING.

IT HAS PORNOGRAPHY AND PEDOPHILIA THAT I COULDN'T EVEN SHOW ON YOUR BROADCAST RIGHT NOW.

BUT MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE GETTING IT.

AND THIS WASN'T JUST A PROBLEM IN MY SON'S HIGH SCHOOL.

THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT IS HAPPENING YOU KNOW YOU WE CAN GO WITH THE BOOGEYMAN OF THE KOCH BROTHERS, BUT AT THE AT THE END OF THE DAY.

>> Bonnie Erbe: ASRA, WHAT ABOUT -- >> Asra Nomani: A IS FOR ACTIVISTS.

>> Bonnie Erbe: WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.

ASRA, CRITICAL RACE THEORY IS NOT BEING TAUGHT TO MIDDLE OR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

>> Asra Nomani: CAN I SHOW YOU A CRITICAL RACE THEORY AND EDUCATION.

THIS IT'S A REALITY AND FOR EVERYONE TO DENY IT IS JUST GOING TO LAST -- >> Donna Edwards: IN HIGH SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN VIRGINIA.

IT IS NOT.

>> Asra Nomani: THESE IDEAS ARE EXACTLY INTENDED FOR THE TEACHERS I HAVE [CROSS TALK] -- IS WRONG, THE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ANTI RACIST EDUCATOR WHERE THEY ARE DISCUSSING, EXPLORING AND UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM OF WHITENESS.

>> Carrie Lukas: I HAVE FIVE KIDS IN FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS THAT THAT WAS TERRIBLE THAT TERRY McAULIFFE, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY HE LOST, AND IT WAS NOT JUST TERRY McAULIFFE, BUT IT WAS BARACK OBAMA, WHO DID PARROTED THE SAME LINE.

AND BONNIE, YOU'RE SAYING IT TOO, YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT MY KIDS ARE BEING TAUGHT, ESPECIALLY AFTER A YEAR OF COVID, WHERE I WAS FORCED TO STAY HOME WITH MY KIDS AND LOG ALL FIVE OF THEM IN EVERY DAY, WHILE ALL THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS WERE IN SESSION, I SAT THERE AND WATCHED WHAT THEY WERE BEING TAUGHT.

AND IT WAS RACIAL ESSENTIALISM.

AND SOME OF IT WAS THE MOST OFFENSIVE AND JARRING, I HAD NO IDEA.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A WORKING MOM, I TRUSTED MY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND I WAS SHOCKED AT THE THE CONTENT THAT MY KIDS WERE BEING AND MY KIDS TO THIS DAY, MY DAUGHTER'S GO TO LANGLEY HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THEY'LL TAKE PICTURES AND SHOW ME WHAT'S GOING ON.

IT IS CRITICAL RACE THEORY, AND YOU SHOULD STOP TELLING PARENTS THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE SAYING.

I'M ON THE BOARD OF VIRGINIA HUMANITIES.

AND WE DID A STUDY.

>> Megan Beyer: OF THE KIND OF EDUCATION THAT I GREW UP WITH, WHICH WAS COMPLETELY A WHITEWASHED HISTORY, WE NOW HAVE SO MUCH DATA AND SOURCE DOCUMENTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE THAT CHALLENGE SOME OF THE OLD NARRATIVES OR OF OUR HISTORY.

AND IN FACT, VIRGINIA HUMANITIES IS WORKING ON A BIG PROJECT TO UNEARTH THE AUTHENTIC STORIES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY IN VIRGINIA, AND IN THE UNITED STATES.

I THINK IT'S WHAT IT COMES ACROSS AS WHEN A MOTHER SAYS SHE DOESN'T WANT THE A BOOK ABOUT SLAVERY.

IT'S NOT UP IN THE [CROSS TALK] -- HANDS OF THEIR CHILDREN.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S MORE OF WHAT I GREW UP WITH.

IF.

>> Carrie Lukas: THAT'S ABSURD, YOU DON'T TALK TO MY KIDS.

>> Asra Nomani: LET ME SHOW YOU EXHIBIT B?

LOOK, TELL ME, WHITENESS IS A BAD DEAL.

THIS IS NOT ANYTHING THAT CHILDREN SHOULD BE GETTING.

AND THIS IS WHAT IS BEING READ TO THEM IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

>> Bonnie Erbe: MEGHAN, IS THAT CORRECT?

>> Carrie Lukas: SHE DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.

>> Megan Beyer: I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT BOOK.

AND THAT CERTAINLY SAYING THAT ANY RACE IS NOT A GOOD DEAL.

SOUNDS TERRIBLE.

>> Carrie Lukas: AND IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.

>> Bonnie Erbe: I GUESS I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE CONTEXT.

I THINK IT'S HARD, A LOT OF BOOK AND SHOW A PAGE AND NOT REALLY KNOW THE CONTEXT.

I.

>> Carrie Lukas: I THINK THAT THE BIG PICTURE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN ARGUE ABOUT THIS.

BUT THE MESSAGE THAT A LOT OF VOTERS AND PARENTS GOT WAS THAT THE SCHOOL BOARDS WERE LYING TO THEM.

AND THIS IDEA THAT IT WAS ABOUT TRANSGENDER POLICY, IT WAS ABOUT A SAFETY ISSUE.

WE LEARNED AT THE SCHOOL BOARDS FOR LYING ABOUT RAPES THAT WERE OCCURRING IN THEIR, IN THEIR BUILDINGS, AND LYING TO PARENTS AND NOT REPORTING IT TO AUTHORITIES.

THIS WAS THIS WAS IN LOUDOUN COUNTY, THIS WAS THE BIG, IT'S BEEN FRAMED AS A TRANSGENDER ISSUE.

BUT THIS IS... >> Bonnie Erbe: OKAY WE.

GET YOUR POINT DONNA?

>> Donna Edwards: NO, I LOOK, I WILL JUST SAY I THINK AS A YOU KNOW, AS A PARENT, OF COURSE, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN MY, MY, YOU KNOW, SON'S CLASSROOM, AND ALL PARENTS DO.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE FAILURES AROUND NOT JUST MESSAGING BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT ESPECIALLY PARENTS COMING OUT OF THIS PANDEMIC AND TEACHING THEIR CHILDREN WANT TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE CLASSROOM.

THE QUESTION IS, IS HOW I DON'T THINK ANY GOVERNOR REALLY HAS THE ABILITY TO MAKE THOSE DETERMINATIONS SCHOOL BOARDS DO IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS, PARENTS GROUPS INTERACTING WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS, THE GOVERNOR ACTUALLY HAS VERY LITTLE SAY, IN WHAT IS GOING TO TRANSPIRE IN THOSE IN THOSE CLASSROOMS.

AND, YOU KNOW, SHOULD PARENTS HAVE A VOICE?

ABSOLUTELY, THEY SHOULD.

AND I THINK IT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THE PARENTS' VOICE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED.

AND DEMOCRATS HAVE TO BE SMARTER ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT WE PUT OURSELVES IN THE SHOES OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WALKING AND THAT INCLUDES PARENTS.

>> Bonnie Erbe: ONE LAST QUESTION TO ALL OF YOU AND I'M GOING TO GO AROUND AND ASK IT.

MEGAN, ARE IS THE GOP GOING TO MAKE THE 2022 ELECTIONS, THE OFF YEAR ELECTIONS, ALL ABOUT PARENTAL RIGHTS?

>> Megan Beyer: WELL, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'RE LOOKING AT THESE RACES, IT'S VERY LIKELY THEY WILL BUT TODAY AND TOMORROW, TWO BILLS ARE GONNA PASS.

ONE IS THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.

THE OTHER ONE IS WHAT NANCY PELOSI CALLS THE BUILD BACK BETTER FOR FAMILY BILL, IT HAS THE PAID MATERNITY LEAVE WE'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR.

IT HAS PAYMENTS FOR CHILDREN.

IT HAS CLIMATE CHANGE, WHICH FAMILIES ARE VERY WORRIED ABOUT WHEN WE WATCH THIS WEATHER AND AN INCREASE FOR PELL GRANTS.

SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD FIGHT TO HAVE.

AND I THINK THE DEMOCRATS WILL HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK ONE OF THE.

>> Carrie Lukas: > Carrie Lukas: NO, I THINK ONE OF -- WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT EDUCATION, BUT THE ECONOMY WAS THE OTHER BIG ISSUE THAT WAS ON VIRGINIA VOTERS MIND.

AND THE PROBLEM IS INFLATION.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE BUILD BACK BETTER PLAN THAT'S BEING PUSHED THE RAMMING THROUGH A PAID LEAVE PACKAGE THAT IS COMPLETELY ILL CONSIDERED, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IS IN IT, OR HOW IT WOULD WORK, THE AGENCY THAT THEY WORK THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN CHARGE OF IT HAS SAID THEY CAN'T DO IT.

UM, THIS IS NOT WHAT PEOPLE WANT.

THEY WANT RATIONAL THINGS, THEY MOSTLY WANT THE INFLATION TO STOP.

AND UNLESS THIS IS GOING TO DOUBLE DOWN ON INFLATION, AND I THINK THAT DEMOCRATS WILL BE IN A WORLD OF HURT A YEAR FROM NOW, IF THAT PASSES.

>> Bonnie Erbe: DONNA.

>> Donna Edwards: LOOK, I THINK THAT THERE IS AMPLE OPPORTUNITY FOR DEMOCRATS TO LEARN FROM WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS ELECTION, AND A YEAR TO DO THAT THE BUILD BACK BETTER PLAN WILL PASS INFRASTRUCTURE BY THE SPRING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL HAVE JOBS THAT I DO THINK THAT THE SUPPLY CHAIN HAS A LOT TO DO WITH WHAT'S GOING ON IN TERMS OF INFLATION.

AND AS WE GET THROUGH COVID -- [CROSS TALK] >> Bonnie Erbe: COVID, I HEARD -- >> Donna Edwards: ABSOLUTELY.

BUT I THINK THAT THERE IS A YEAR OF OPPORTUNITY FOR DEMOCRATS TO RECOVER, TO LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES, AND TO FIGURE OUT HOW IT IS THAT WE COMBAT THIS, YOU KNOW, BAD MESSAGING THAT PLAYS ON PEOPLE'S FEARS AND INSECURITIES.

>> Bonnie Erbe: OKAY.

AND YOUR THOUGHTS, ASRA.

>> Asra Nomani: SO JAMES CARVILLE WARNED THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, MONTHS AGO, THAT WOKE ISM WAS GOING TO FORCE VOTERS TO LEAVE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

I AM A MUSLIM WOMAN OF COLOR.

AND I REFUSE THESE IDEAS BECAUSE THEY ARE ILLIBERAL.

AND ULTIMATELY, THEY ARE ALSO RACIST AND BIGOTED.

IT IS SO UNFORTUNATE THAT IN THE HOURS AFTER GLEN YOUNGKIN'S VICTORY, WHITE WOMEN ARE BEING SMEARED AS "KAREN", THAT THERE'S SO MANY OF THE VOTERS ARE BEING SMEARED AS WHITE SUPREMACIST, THAT THE VOTE FOR YOUNGKIN WAS A VOTE FOR WHITE POWER.

I AM NOT THE IMAGE OF WHITE SUPREMACY.

AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS TO REMEMBER THE HUMANITY OF THE AMERICANS THAT ARE EXIST, BUILD BACK BETTER, WILL NEVER SOLVE THAT PROBLEM.

AS LONGAS YOU FORGET THAT WE ARE FAMILIES AND THE BUILDING BACK HAPPENS AT HOME.

AND UNTIL WE KNOW OUR CHILDREN ARE SAFE FROM INDOCTRINATION AND POLITICS IN THE CLASSROOM, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO LOSE VOTES.

AND SO I RECOMMEND THAT THEY JUST REMEMBER THAT THEY CAN MAMA BEARS AND PAPA BEARS.

>> Bonnie Erbe: OKAY, AND THAT'S IT FOR THIS TOPIC.

LET'S GO ON NOW FROM PARENTAL RIGHTS TO GENDER STEREOTYPES WOMEN AND MEN ARE MORE ALIKE THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT TWO NEW STUDIES SHOW.

THE FIRST STUDY SAYS THERE'S NO BIOLOGICAL BASIS FOR THE BELIEF THAT WOMEN ARE MORE EMOTIONAL THAN MEN.

142 MEN AND WOMEN TRACK THEIR DAILY EMOTIONS OVER 75 DAYS, RESEARCHERS FOUND THAT MEN AND WOMEN'S EMOTIONS WERE, QUOTE, CLEARLY CONSISTENTLY AND UNMISTAKABLY MORE SIMILAR THAN THEY ARE DIFFERENT.

AND QUOTE, THIS HELD EVEN AMONG WOMEN WHO HAD THEIR PERIODS OR WERE TAKING CONTRACEPTIVE PILLS.

THE SECOND STUDY CASTS DOUBT ON THE IDEA THAT WOMEN AREN'T AS COMPETITIVE AS MEN, WHICH HAS BEEN USED TO EXPLAIN THE GENDER PAY GAP IN THE PAST.

IN THE STUDY, WOMEN WERE MORE LIKELY THAN MEN TO TAKE RISKS AND BE COMPETITIVE IF THEY COULD SHARE IN THE WINNINGS.

BUT THEY WERE MUCH LESS LIKELY THAN MEN TO CHOOSE RISKIER OPTIONS, IF THE WINNER AUTOMATICALLY TOOK ALL THE MONEY.

CARRIE LUKAS, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?

>> Carrie Lukas: OH, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING.

IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO SEE WHEN THERE'S SCIENCE BEHIND THE IDEA THAT WE'RE -- THAT SOCIALIZATION IS CONTRIBUTING TO DIFFERENCES THAT WE ALL OBSERVE IN MEN AND WOMEN'S BEHAVIOR.

AND I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AS PARENTS TO TAKE THIS INTO ADVISEMENT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BOYS ARE COMFORTABLE EXPRESSING EMOTIONS, JUST AS MUCH AS OUR GIRLS.

>> Megan Beyer: I HOPE THAT THIS DATA WILL GO A LONG WAY IN HELPING PEOPLE TO CHALLENGE SOME OF THE STEREOTYPICAL THINKING THAT HAS AFFECTS THE WAY THEY INTERACT WITH WOMEN.

WHAT I THINK ABOUT IS I JUST FINISHED READING THAT BOOK BY KATIE COURIC CALLED 'GOING THERE' AND ALL THE REVIEWS MADE IT LOOK LIKE SOME BIG CATFIGHT.

AND I WAS KIND OF INTERESTED TO HEAR WHAT SHE MIGHT HAVE SAID, SO I PICKED UP THE BOOK, LOOKING FOR THE CAT FIGHT.

THERE WAS NO CATFIGHT IN THAT BOOK, AND IF ANYTHING, SHE WAS HARDER ON HERSELF THAN SHE WAS EVER ON ANYONE ELSE.

AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT OF STEREOTYPICAL THINKING, PROJECTING ONTO A WOMAN AUTHOR.

>> Bonnie Erbe: OKAY, SO YOU'RE SAYING, WAIT A SECOND, YOU'RE YOU'RE SAYING THAT THE MEDIA REVIEWS MADE IT LOOK LIKE A CAT FIGHT?

>> Megan Beyer: YEAH.

AND THEY HAD OH, SHE'S TAKEN DOWN EVERYBODY SHE EVER WORKED WITH SHE HAS THIS TO SAY ABOUT THAT ONE AND THIS TO SAY ABOUT THAT ONE I THOUGHT REALLY WAS DISHY BOOK IT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE SO.

BUT I READ AND IT WAS A VERY SERIOUS MEMOIR VERY SERIOUS.

AND I JUST THOUGHT IT COULD BE NOT ONLY MEN WERE SAYING IT WOMEN AND MEN.

BUT IT WAS, IT COULD BE THAT THE STEREOTYPES OF THIS CULTURE THAT WE HAVE WHERE WE NEED DATA TO TELL US THAT AS HUMANS, WE ARE VERY MUCH ALIKE WHEN IT COMES TO COMPETITIVENESS OR EMOTIONS, THAT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE'LL BECOME MORE AWARE OF THE STEREOTYPES THAT ARE UNDERMINING WOMEN, WHEN THEY'RE TRYING TO, TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE WORKING ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.

>> Bonnie Erbe: ASRA, YOUR THOUGHTS?

>> Asra Nomani: WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS CONNECTS VERY MUCH TO THE NATIONAL PROBLEMS THAT I FEEL LIKE WE'RE FACING TODAY ON IDENTITY POLITICS, IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW THAT WE ARE TRANSCENDENT IN OUR IDENTITIES.

IN INDIA, WE HAVE AN A CONCEPT THAT WE HAVE MALE AND FEMALE ENERGY FLOWING THROUGH US.

AND THESE ARE ALL STEREOTYPICAL SHIVA AND SHAKTI ENERGY.

BUT YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE WE SHOULDN'T DIVIDE OURSELVES MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT PEOPLE BASED ON RACE, WE SHOULDN'T DO IT ABOUT GENDER EITHER.

AND THAT'S THE PLACE THAT I HOPE WE COULD COME AS A NATION, THAT WE STOP THIS POLITICS OF IDENTITY AND ALLOW OURSELVES TO, IN FACT, UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE EACH OTHER BASED ON WHAT'S WITHIN US AS UNIQUE AS IT CAN BE.

AND EACH ONE OF US CAN BE ANY, ANY FORM OF EXPRESSION, YOU KNOW, BEYOND THE STEREOTYPES.

>> Bonnie Erbe: ALL RIGHT.

AND DONNA.

>> Donna Edwards: WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M GLAD TO SEE THE DATA BACKING UP WHAT I'VE EXPERIENCED WORKING IN PREDOMINANTLY MALE ENVIRONMENTS FOR DECADES.

AND SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE.

BUT I WAS INTRIGUED BY THE QUESTION OF COMPETITIVENESS, BECAUSE IT SEEMED THAT WOMEN'S COMPETITIVENESS WAS BASED ON THE WHOLE, THAT WOMEN WERE COMPETITIVE, BUT WILLING TO SHARE, WHICH WAS VERY DIFFERENT FROM MEN, WHICH REPLICATES WHAT WE ALL EXPERIENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WHAT THE UNITED NATIONS HAS DOCUMENTED IN TERMS OF THE WAY IN WHICH WOMEN INVEST IN COMMUNITIES IN IN THEIR NEIGHBORS.

AND SO THAT WAS KIND OF REINFORCING AS WELL.

>> Bonnie Erbe: WELL, LET'S TAKE A LITTLE DEEPER.

WHERE DID THE STEREOTYPES ABOUT EMOTION COME FROM?

I MEAN, THEY DATE BACK, FREUD CERTAINLY HAD A COMPLETELY HE USED THE WORD IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

BUT I WOULD SAY, HYSTERICAL VIEW OF WOMEN, WHICH WAS TO BRAND THEM WITH ALL LIKE THAT THEY THEY SUFFERED FROM HYSTERIA, AND BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?

>> Carrie Lukas: I THINK -- JUST TO JUMP IN, I THINK THAT ONE THING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO REMAIN GROUNDED IN IS THAT THERE ARE BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN.

AND IT'S SOMETIMES IT'S ALMOST SEEMS CONTROVERSIAL TO MENTOR FIGURE SICKLY STRONGER THAN WOMEN ON AVERAGE AND THIS IS WHY IF WE DON'T HAVE LAWS PROTECTING WOMEN, WOMEN TEND TO BE PHYSICALLY TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AND WHY WE NEED STRONG LAWS.

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN'S ACT AND WE NEED TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY THAT -- >> Bonnie Erbe: WELL, BACK IN THE LAST CENTURY, WE HAD LAWS ABOUT WOMEN'S WORK THAT KEPT THEM -- >> Carrie Lukas: ABSOLUTELY.

>> Megan Beyer: AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IT WAS BERNADETTE HEALY, THE FIRST WOMAN WHO GOT HER HANDS ON THE ABILITY TO SHIFT THE FUNDING AT NIH, AND SHE STARTED DOING SOME REALLY GOOD RESEARCH ON THAT, AS YOU REFERENCE CARRY SPECIFIC BIOLOGY OF WOMEN.

RIGHT?OU KNOW, I'M INTERESTED.

MY.

>> Donna Edwards: FRIEND BETTY McCOLLUM WAS CONGRESSWOMAN FROM MINNESOTA IS NOW RECENTLY THE CHAIR OF THE DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE, NEVER HELD BY A WOMAN BEFORE AND PART OF IT WAS RELATED TO THESE GENDER IDENTITY IDENTITIES THAT WERE ASSUMED THAT SOMEHOW WOMEN COULD NOT BE IN CHARGE OF, OF DEFENSE SPENDING THAT THAT WAS MEN'S WORK.

AND WE SEE EXAMPLES OF THIS ALL OVER WHERE THE STEREOTYPES, WHO KNOWS WHERE THEY CAME FROM, ACTUALLY FEED IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS EXPECTED OF A WOMAN AND WHAT ROLES SHE CAN PLAY?

>> Asra Nomani: AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT JUST LIKE YOU'RE SAYING, IT HAS AN IMPACT ON OUR DAILY LIVES, RIGHT?

BECAUSE FOR EXAMPLE, DURING COVID WOMEN THEN BECAME EVEN MORE IMPACTED BY THE DUTIES THAT WE HAD AT HOME CARETAKING WHILE HAVING OUR JOBS, HAVING TO SOMETIMES LEAVE JOBS RIGHT IN ORDER TO HELP THE KIDS THROUGH THEIR SCHOOLING.

AND SO IT'S BUILT OVER SO THAT THERE'S THIS DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ALSO ON WOMEN.

AND THE THE REALITY IS THAT THE SOLUTIONS THAT WE FACE HAVE TO HELP WOMEN IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE WE END UP HAVING TO MAKE DECISIONS BECAUSE OF THESE STEREOTYPES, RIGHT?

>> Bonnie Erbe: ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

>> Donna Edwards: YOU NEED TO START ASSUMING THAT WOMEN AND MEN CAN BE CARETAKERS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT ONUS OFF OF WOMEN TO BE THE SOLE CARETAKERS OF CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY.

>> Asra Nomani: YEAH, EXACTLY.

WE HAVE TO END THE CYCLE.

>> Bonnie Erbe: I HAVE TO SAY, IN MY EARLY YEARS, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THE RESOLUTION TO THE CHILDCARE SHORTAGE WAS LET MEN DO HAVE A BIT, AND THEN THERE WOULDN'T BE A CHILDCARE SHORTAGE.

BUT ANYWAY, THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION.

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