I often hear people ask how women could have possibly voted for trump.
I’ve thought and said it myself, more times than I can count. How could they, with so many obvious reasons not to?
My theory…
It’s possible that women who voted for and support trump were victimized in some way by brutal, narcissistic men. As a consequence, they equate brutality with strength. Aligning with this false strength is a misinterpretation of reality, and is a way to protect oneself from further harm.
Not all women who are abused identify with their abuser. Those that do often wake up to the realization that it is self-destructive to do so and then take steps to correct their misinterpretation of the facts.
Abuse can vary from psychological, to physical, to sexual, and has a profound and permanent effect upon our brains and nervous systems. Our internalized shame causes us to blame ourselves. We bargain, and even collude, with the abusive figure for survival. I’m no expert, but it strikes me as a form of over-compensation, at least.
The first step for anyone who has suffered abuse is to become aware of this profound dilemma. How (and if) we get to that first step is usually through a series of missteps and fortuitous events, such as meeting just the right person at just the right moment in our lives.
The last thing any woman needs, let alone one who supports trump, is more blame, shame, rage, or recrimination.
Suggestions for neutral-to-positive responses…
- These are troubling times. I understand your desire for change.
- We’re all struggling to make sense of a confusing and challenging time.
- During challenging times, I remind myself that we’re all in this together.
- In spite of what divides us, we have more in common than what separates us.
- The good thing is, we all love our country.
- I believe that we will find a way to work together.
Thanks, Dixie.
Great points and ideas to explore! Human motives are complex and a challenge to understand. Power, whether having too much or not enough, seems to be at the root of most of our conflicts.
Best to you, and thanks, again.
Lora
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I can’t help but think that women have tended to internalize the prevailing societal prejudice that women are inferior, devious, untrustworthy. This is related to abuse in that women frequently rationalize abuse as a response to their own inferiority and inadequacy. But other aspects of the phenomenon are less clear, especially having to do with some women who have lived relatively “sheltered” lives, uneducated and uninformed, willing to believe the Russian sponsored bots, fake news, and lies. Beyond them are the women who have deep seated, primal, competitive, tribal, hormonal, sexual motives, and this is the least discussed and most misunderstood aspect, in my opinion. I love your suggestions for neutral to positive responses!
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