I Don’t Care How You Feel About Cathy McMorris Rodgers, But Leave Her Kid And Her Maternal Age Out Of It

Last night after the State Of The Union Address, Washington State Republican congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers gave the GOP’s rebuttal speech. Rodgers spoke of her humble beginnings, how she worked at a McDonald’s Drive-Thru, how she had an apple stand, and she also spoke of her son, Cole Rodgers, who was born with Down Syndrome.

This article isn’t about politics, or how disappointed anyone is or isn’t with our current president, or whether or not you identify as Republican or Democrat. It’s about how as a woman I’m beyond sick of other women and men tearing women down due to their political opinions, by not tearing them down due to their policies, but by getting real judgy about their personal lives. Let’s take a gander, shall we:

It’s amazingly disrespectful to Rodgers, her family, her son and to women everywhere.

We’ve all seen horrific and awful things said about Michelle Obama. We’ve also seen horrific and awful things said about Ann Romney, and Sarah Palin. I can fully understand criticizing someone for their political beliefs, I’m all for that. I encourage that. But dragging a woman’s child into it, her maternal age, and the fact that you aren’t comfy with a woman representing the GOP? That’s disguising, and we can never expect to get ahead if we don’t call out those who are spewing their bile against women, regardless of their political beliefs.

Criticize policy, criticize beliefs about education, reproduction rights, healthcare and the economy. But we owe it to ourselves as women, and to those women with the strength and conviction to run for political office and to hold positions of power, not to bash their personal choices and for heaven’s sake, not their damn children.

(Image: getty images)