I voted in the Democratic primary yesterday.
I’m disappointed that Elizabeth Warren had already exited the race before I had the opportunity to vote for her. She was my plan. And while her name was still on the ballot, I voted for a candidate who remains in the race instead.
I think it’s hard for people who have always seen themselves represented to understand how it feels not be represented. I, deeply, want a woman to be the president of the United States. Heck, I was excited when my local university finally got a female president.
I do believe that it helps when I can see someone doing something that I want to do, and I can know that they are like me. For example, I look for women to follow on Instagram who are doing awesome fitness things in part because I want to find one who comes from a similar background to my own (that is, being absolutely unathletic until late twenties). That helps me see that I can accomplish my own fitness goals. That what I’m striving for isn’t actually impossible, even if it’s very difficult.
While I’m proud to take part in the democratic process, I wish I could have been voting for a woman whose plans and passion I believed in.