Some Thoughts: Heteronormatives and Political Labels as Told to an Eight Year Old by Kinzie

I love my nanny kids more and more every day. Though I had a really awkward conversation with Rachel (the 8 year old) about who I was going to vote for in the election. I think they're republican. A news story came on about VP possibilities and she asked me about the party system. So I got into this long winded explanation about picking the best person regardless of their label and labels are bad and blah blah blah and she was like, "So, who are you voting for?" Dead end. So I sheepishly was like, "Probably Obama" [only sheepishly because I don't want the family to fire me] and she was like, "Oh. My mom can't decide who she will vote for. She likes McCain and Obama and she doesn't like them both, sometimes. They're equal. And my dad doesn't want to tell anyone who he's voting for." But obvi, they're Republican (and I think they're Zionists too) because they have all these conservative books and these pictures of the dad in a restaurant posing next to George Bush I and things like that. So anyways. After that vaguely awkward conversation ended, Rachel was silent for a minute and then asked "What does the rainbow on your bracelet stand for?" ........ "Well, Rachel, do you know about gay people? They're people who love each other even if they're the same sex. Like, you know, men who love men and women who love women. Because, what if you really loved someone, or wanted to vote for someone, but you couldn't because they're the wrong thing? That would be silly, wouldn't it?" The hole just kept getting deeper and deeper.

Anyways, things are good. It was a nice conversation and I'm glad I had it. Maybe I can convert this eight year old to my liberal hippy ideals and she'll turn gay or something. I mean, don't hold your breath, but I'm just saying... Two weeks is a lot of time, right?

I'm also excited to come home to my apartment and my roommates. Instead of the ones here. Kris is great. It's just all the opera. It's getting to me. Last night they were practicing vowel sounds for an hour. One would think I would be happy, enthused even, to be hearing vowel sounds. That's my deal, right? But, no. Not from these people. Not at all.