At the polls last Tuesday, Katherine Clark made a brave decision when faced with the choice to protect either her racial privileges or the rights of her own gender. Knowing she might face judgment, Clark boldly chose to put her humanity aside and make the sacrifice of voting solely in favor of her own race.
“My decision didn’t come easily,” admits Clark. “I felt conflicted between supporting women from all backgrounds, or supporting my own specific cultural and class advantages.”
Clark says she mulled over her tough choice for several days before going with her gut.
“As a woman, I have many concerns, but as a white person, I only have like, three concerns,” says Clark. “And something in me said those three concerns were more important than seeing a woman in charge.”
“Katherine is not racist,” clarifies Natalie Horne, a close friend of Clark’s. “She’s just not afraid to uncritically accept her own safety and privilege through white supremacy.”
Wow! Clark’s ability to trade equal rights, universal access to health care and general respect toward women for her own racial comfort is remarkably brave.
“Look, we all want gender equality, but there are more important things at stake right now,” says Clarke. “We have so many rights and live-saving programs to take away first.”
“Katherine is the kind of person who votes with her conscience,” adds Natalie. “Even if it is on the wrong side of history.”
Clark agrees that if she met someone of a different race, she’d treat them as politely as she would one of her own. However, when permitted to vote for a president whose policies and rhetoric threatened the safety of people of color, Clark courageously jumped at the chance.
“I’m not doing anything directly to anyone,” says Clark. “I’m simply voting to preserve my vision of America. Doing this means I’m one step removed from everyone else’s oppression, which means I get to look in the mirror and still call myself a good person.”
What a hero!
“So, yeah, sorry ladies,” says Clarke, shaking her head. “But sexism just isn’t a big enough issue for me disavow the man who promised to make whiteness a priority in America once and for all.”
