Dads With Daughters Are More Liberal

My Liberalism coincides almost precisely with the birth of my daughter. My wife was 4 months pregnant on 9/11 (in fact, we had an OB-GYN appointment that very morning, which was canceled), so she was born early in the new year and into that supposedly “new world.” But it wasn’t a new world. Bush told us to go ahead and make with the Business As Usual — shop, you terrified fucks! SHOP! — so I decided it’d be a New Me, instead.I was reminded of the effect my daughter’s birth, and life, has had on my politics while standing in line outside the stadium last Fall before a Sarah Palin rally. A group of Obama supporters had formed on the curb across the street from the venue and were chanting YES WE CAN! joyously as we stood waiting to get in and have Sarah Palin Duncegasms. I was in line behind a mother and father and their young son, probably about 9 or 10.”Yes we can … smoke marijuana,” the mother muttered, trailing off on that last bit so the Colored Peoples in the Obama crowd didn’t hear her. You know, because she was a racist piece of shit. “Yes we can … have more abortions,” she continued.Her son, perplexed, asked about abortions and what it had to do with Obama. The mother made with her insane ramblings, and glanced at me with a nod of Parental Bonding. As I was there alone, and feeling particularly baleful towards these people, I asked matter-of-factly, “Do you have any daughters?”"No,” the father answered, tousling his son’s hair. “Just the boys.”"Ah,” I said with grandiloquent satisfaction. “Of course.”This was entirely lost on the Swiss Family Robinson there, but I was reminded in that moment why I was glad, post-daughter, I had pulled my head out of my ass and gotten on the right side — or the Left, I suppose — of the political spectrum.

my dad’s gotten a little less liberal since I was born (I’m a girl, for those who don’t know), but he was uber radically liberal before I came along.and Elvis? You’re a sweetie.

I would tend to agree with this study, accept I would say it heavily depends on where you live. This theory deffinantly wouldn’t hold up in the south. Trust me, I live here…. unfortunately. I know too many young ladies who have been disowned by their families for various reasons, mostly social.

fe -People in general tend to become more conservative with age. These rules are true in general but often have exceptions.I was already liberal before having daughters, and I was so far to the left it was not possible to get any farther left. I was an advocate for the ERA before my first daughter was born because it was the right thing to do. So the daughter rule doesn’t work in my case. Had I been a centrist I would have moved left after having daughters because I have seen more up close and personal how terrible sexism is. Also, I have observed throughout my life that families with daughters were more likely to lean left than families with sons so I think the rule works because it agrees with my not very scientific observations.I haven’t gotten any less liberal with age either, so I guess I’m an exception to that one as well.

Actually it occurs to me that my liberalism is like Teh Gay™. I was born that way, it wasn’t a matter of choice. I don’t think I could not be a liberal.

I agree with JM Ashby: it depends on where you live. Liberal Rednecks? Can’t see it.But not sure about gender though. I’m a dad to a boy and I’ve been liberal since my late teens, and probably before, even though I was born to conservative GOP humping parents and grew up in an ultra-conservative churchy area.Bob has evidently never met me. My liberalism might make him blush. Might that is.

Not a parent yet…but both my parents were Woodstock, Nixon protesters in DC before I was born (actually I was at the Nixon protest on my dad’s shoulders saying “Out Now”) but I digress….My parents views stayed the same into my childhood. And my mom has become more vocally liberal with age.Like Git… could not imagine being anything but liberal. However, I found this study interesting and hopeful in a certain way. Though, I wish, having children in general would have a similar effect.

Careful Git, you’re going to give the wingnuts another very-serious talking point.

I agree with Git…I think you’re born that way. It’s the only way my Dad can explain me. Born in Utah, a Mormon to some very conservative gun totin’ folks….yet I have always been a liberal.Now my brother….he’s a very different story. I would suggest that I was switched at birth, but there are no liberals in San Juan County Utah.

I guess Dick Cheney would be the aberration in this study?

It’s nurture, not nature. You grow up with wingnut parents in Mobile, Alabama, at least 8 times out of 10 you’ll grow up thinking it’s right to be a wingnut. That’s not to say you’ll never change as you’re exposed to more rational people, but your default has been set to wingnut.

I think the older or richer you get; you just become more of what you already are.If you’re a jerk, you’ll be a big old jerk. If your kind, you’ll be an affable elderly example.Richer, just look at getting older Rush – nuf said on that.I was raised Republican, but I’ve always been open to change my mind and opinions if better ones come into view. This is why I’m here with all of you instead of posting on Malkin. The older I get, and I’m pretty old, the more shit I’d rather not step in or pass around. The conservative outlook is just too weird anymore. I find more reason and reasonableness right here in the GDAB than in most conservative hobbyist groups I wind up being around.Oh, yeah, I have only one child – a boy. And my move toward liberal thought and actions came about after he was born. I don’t want him to be a callus jerk and misogynist. So, I don’t want him to be a conservative either.

Bob, I love your post and all the answers here. Sweeeeeet!!! mean it in the best way.

My father was one of the most liberal people I ever knew….died at 93 after voting for Nader in 2004 ’cause Bush was “the idiot” and Kerry wasn’t liberal enough.IMO, a lot depends on WHEN you grew up, too – or at least when you became politically aware.

Heh heh. Sure, you Dads are liberal, until the first time someone of the male persuasion shows interest in your daughter. Then it’s time for The Issuing of The Death Threats.

Hmph! Not me. My dad is an ass.

Urm, sorry, both Bush and Cheney have daughters. And McCain. And probably a lot of other Repugnicans we can name.Not disagreeing, just on the watch for oversimplification.

^And Palin!