Kamala Harris speaks at an event in 2019. Photo credit: Gage Skidmore

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America could reach a milestone in November that was likely unfathomable to many of our Founding Fathers: the President of the United States of America could potentially be a woman of Black and Indian heritage.

It is clear that some people don’t like this notion, and they’ve been echoing insults that stem from centuries of structural racism and sexism. And there are some who don’t want us to talk openly about this. The Iowa legislature passed a divisive concepts law (HF802) to suppress discussions within our institutions of education about the ways marginalized groups are oppressed in America – because of structural racism and sexism. 

So the CultureALL team is moving the conversation forward. 

To do this, we are setting aside opinions about the presidential candidates and their respective characters or policy positions - that’s not our concern.  

Our concern is about the culture of American society today and in the future. 

Below are some statements circulating online and through media reports. If you hear someone echoing these racist and sexist comments, begin by asking questions.

“She’s a DEI hire.”

Ask the speaker: "What does this mean?"

They might explain: “The only reason she’s VP is because she’s a Black woman - her race and gender gave her unwarranted privilege. She’s not actually qualified and doesn’t deserve to be in a position of leadership.” 

They might as well have said: “Only a white, straight, Christian man has the knowledge, ability, and experience to do the job.”

What people should know about this situation: They are speaking about a woman of South Asian Indian and Black Jamaican heritage who graduated from college and law school; served as a prosecutor; was elected attorney general in one of the most populous states; was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2017; and was chosen as the vice presidential nominee in 2020 where she has served for three and a half years.

We should be wary: The all-too frequent trope that “they are a DEI hire” is used to undermine the authority and position of leadership for people of color and other marginalized groups. It is also incredibly insulting to individuals who have worked long and hard to earn their success. 

“She’s a childless cat lady.” 

Ask the speaker: "Are you saying a woman needs to have children to have value?"

They might explain: “Women without children do not have a vested interest in the future of our world.”

They might as well have said: “A woman’s place is in the home, baking cookies and attending PTA meetings.”

What people should know: According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 6 women globally have experienced infertility. 10-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage for women who knew they were pregnant. The maternal mortality rate in the United States is 22.3—for Black women, it’s more than doubled at 49.5. These rates are higher than any other high-income country. In other words, childbirth is not always safe, possible, or preferable. 

In addition, pregnancy and motherhood are not economically viable for many. Childcare for a single child in the US can cost anywhere from $5,357-$17,171 per year. The Fawcett Society estimates 1 in 10 working mothers have had to quit their jobs, and two-fifths of working mothers had to turn down a promotion due to the cost of childcare. 

There are also many women who simply choose not to have children. That’s valid, and it shouldn’t preclude them from civic participation. 

We should be wary: Insults like this indicate that a woman’s worth continues to be associated with her ability to bear children. Cultural expectations of a similar mindset says a man should have a wife and that love is a sacred bond between a man and a woman. The conviction and hypocrisy of these attitudes about the roles of men and women creates deep rifts in relationships that tear families apart. Many of us don’t fit into the “traditional” narrow definitions of gender, causing us to feel “wrong” or othered. When we buy into such notions or fail to oppose divisive legislation, we make life unsafe for our friends, families, neighbors, and colleagues.

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“Is she Black, or is she Indian?” 

Ask the speaker: "What frustrates you about this?"

They might explain: “She’s playing the race card to her advantage - using whichever identity is more convenient to gain popularity.”

They might as well have said: “Black people are powerful and privileged. Asians are respected and advantaged. Both are a threat to whites.” (Alternatively, they might as well have said: “One drop of Black blood makes her Black - automatically relegating her into a segregated class.”)

What people should know about this situation: VP Harris belongs to three demographic categories that have experienced oppression and discrimination throughout US history. Her mother is an immigrant from India, and her father is an immigrant from Jamaica; both of those cultures have played significant roles in her life. It’s true, the plurality of her identity is an asset but not because she fits into three or more minoritized categories. It’s because being mixed multiculturally makes it harder to fall back into self-serving, in-group attitudes. It helps develop the skill to navigate differences. It’s harder to believe that one group is superior to others. A multicultural background like Harris’ constructs a worldview that transcends tribalism.

We should be wary: The trope “Is she Black or is she Indian” harkens back to the One-drop Rule that was codified into law in some U.S. states in the early 20th century, interpreting one drop of Black blood as having any African ancestry. Sorting people into binary categories is a segregationist attempt to simplify the complexity of a pluralistic society, and it’s a mentality that leads to hate. Militant, nationalistic, white supremacist violent extremism has increased exponentially over the past 20 years, and a recent threat assessment by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (2024, January) concluded that domestic violent extremists are an acute threat. 

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“She’s dumb as a rock.”

Ask the speaker: "What gives you this impression?"

They might explain:  “She’s incompetent," (and they won’t be able to back it up with details).

They might as well have said: “Women, and especially women of color, lack a basic intelligence to be regarded seriously.” 

What people should know about this situation: A quick anecdote as an example of intelligence: When VP Harris served as senator during the 2018 Supreme Court confirmation of Brett M. Kavanaugh, she asked the nominee a simple question that left him speechless: “Can you think of any laws that give government the power to make decisions about the male body?” 

We should be wary: A hardworking, accomplished woman has been reduced to “dumb.” Zinger insults that are blatant lies can be irresistible for the populace to mimic. We all grew up with such zingers that stick in our memories, like the one from my early childhood years about “Mexicans are lazy.” These fallacies are not just illogical; they trap people in ignorance. Ignorance is the leading cause of systemic oppression - and it can turn against any one of us.

“Laughing Kamala”

Ask the speaker: "What concerns you about the way she laughs?"

They might explain: "No one will take her seriously."

They might as well have said: "I’m uncomfortable with women in leadership positions who express their feelings."

What people should know about this situation: People in the US predominantly expect their leaders to be friendly and yet stoic and emotionally detached. Women in leadership positions who fit this image, however, are often criticized for being cold-hearted. Anyone who expresses emotions other than anger tends to be viewed as “soft” and not strong enough to deal with big challenges.

We should be wary: Masculine traits have long been considered the ideal qualities for leadership roles. In contrast, women – and especially women of color – in leadership positions have been harshly judged over the minutiae of their appearance (hairstyles, pantsuits, necklines), their voice (shrill, emotional, talks too much, too masculine), and expression of emotions. Feminine leaders have taken measures to lower their voices, for example, just to make their voices more comfortable for men to hear. Such societal expectations continue to shame women into changing their appearance or affect so that others find them more pleasing. But women are not the only ones who are demeaned in this way. Expectations of gender roles and how we express emotions are damaging to all genders, including men who are taught not to feel.

“She’s ungrateful.”

Ask the speaker: "Ungrateful about what?"

They might explain: "She should be grateful for this country and quit complaining about it."  

They might as well have said: "People of color are too uppity for their own good. They should be thankful for what they get and quit setting their sights on things they think they deserve."

What people should know about this situation: “Uppity” is a derogatory term used to lash out at Black people who dare to improve their socioeconomic situation. The word first appeared in the 1880s to mean haughty, arrogant, or presumptuous, and by the 1950s white people used the word to express bitter hostility. The word “uppity” today remains demeaning and hostile. When JD Vance recently accused VP Harris of not being grateful, many listeners immediately recognized his intent.

We should be wary: Saying someone’s “ungrateful” is a tactic intended to shame, control, and “other” them. It's a claim of power that feeds into a system of oppression. It's founded on the idea that one group is harder working, more capable, more noble, more deserving, more advanced, more intelligent, chosen, superior, and so on. And, of course, the opposite qualities are attributed to the other group: stupid, lazy, weak, incompetent, worthless, less deserving, backward, abnormal, inferior. These ideas get embedded in institutions, and then members of these institutions buy into the beliefs. Occasionally, people targeted by this oppression also buy into the idea they are inferior. None of this is healthy. Oppressive systems steal our vitality and drain our resources. 

In fact, the number of far-right attacks continues to outpace all other types of terrorism and domestic violent extremism. Since 1990, far-right extremists have committed far more ideologically motivated homicides than far-left or radical Islamist extremists. (Source: National Institute of Justice Journal, Issue No. 285, June 2024) Given the fact that 10% of the U.S. population self-identify as multicultural, a growing segregationist mentality could potentially delegitimize biracial and multicultural identities, erasing the lived experiences of more than 35 million U.S. citizens.