To be really emotional that tomorrow we will have a female Vice President?

[AngelicaElizaAndPeggy]

Everything has been so awful recently that I've kind of overlooked how momentous this is.

Go Kamala Harris and the Biden administration. 🇺🇸

I hope theirs is a force for change and renewal and decency and fairness.

Also, to those saying the job should go to those capable regardless of gender, normally I would agree but in the area of politics, where policies are made that affect women, people of colour etc, it is important that those people be represented.

Not emotional about it as such but pleased. There appear to be some concerns about women’s spaces - I don’t know anything about the person just appointed to the health post do need to read up on that - but the person governing (or playing at) for the last four years was a serious threat to women’s rights.
Some interesting examples of previous female heads of government have been mentioned- but I am surprised that one seems to have been missed (apologies if I haven’t spotted it).
Angela Merkel.
Significantly more impressive than the others named.

@AngelicaElizaandPenny Come and join us on this thread:

Its officially time to say ta ta to Trump... its inauguration day (trump #122) http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/amiibeingunreasonable/4141056-Its-officially-time-to-say-ta-ta-to-Trump-its-inauguration-day-trump-122

(And all the other non-Grinches.

YABU and ignorant. You don’t seem to know or even care about her actual politics, you just want to celebrate because she has a vagina

In which case you’re doing women a disservice because you’re saying it doesn’t matter what they believe, as long as they can become a token or a symbol it’s fine.

I'm very happy Trump has gone. Who's replacing him? Not so much. There's no such thing as liberal politics in America, but they think they're showing that side by giving a role to to someone who identifies as a women, rather than actual women who again miss out on an opportunity to male privilege. What a way to celebrate more women in power in the USA .

Trump was horrific. I highly doubt Biden's administration will be the rainbow after the storm though.

I'm not a grinch ;) i'm really looking forwards to Trump's legal difficulties - and possible imprisonment. Can you imagine the celebrations then!?

To hear people dismiss women's rights to single sex spaces as 'anti-trans venom' makes me angry and pessimistic.

Do people understand the president cannot mandate trans laws across the country as the US has a federal system? The Supreme Court could make a ruling that affected all states but its dominated by conservatives who are unlikely to do so.

It's a chink of light in a dark time, OP. Obviously there have been other female leaders in other countries but I personally will continue to be excited about this kind of thing whilst women globally are underrepresented and underpaid.

But do people understand, when you have a president who deliberately omits sex when talking about health issues (but includes gender identity), and who promises to "restore transgender students’ access to sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms in accordance with their gender identity and will direct his Department of Education to vigorously enforce and investigate violations of transgender students’ civil rights" then yeah, we - women - have a problem.

@turnitonagain

Do people understand the president cannot mandate trans laws across the country as the US has a federal system? The Supreme Court could make a ruling that affected all states but its dominated by conservatives who are unlikely to do so.

It's bad enough that any government would even consider implementing any ruling that shits all over women's sex based rights. I've been Left voting my whole life, but it's an issue in our own politics that worries me if the Tories are voted out (as they should be based on many other factors).

@Daphnise

"We will have"?

Not here.

And Thatcher was a woman.......

@Daphnise The problem I have found on another website, specifically with some Americans, is that they do not seem to realise that we live in a very small world, and that what happens in other parts of the world actually affects us. I have read on there comments like "What right do you have to comment on our President's policies on climate control? You aren't from the USA" Now you are demonstrating exactly the same thing over here. I am absolutely delighted that America has got rid of the ignorant orange blimp, and that they have a black female VP. This website may be predominantly British, but we do have a lot of members from other countries, and pulling up @AngelicaElizaAndPeggy on her use of "we" in her post seems unwelcoming and a little unkind. @AngelicaElizaAndPeggy I share your delight that "we" have a new female Vice President!

@sst1234

Not really. Mrs T broke the glass ceiling over 40 years ago and other female leaders in other countries before her.

She didn't "break" the glass ceiling. She reinforced it and made damn sure she wasn't going to be followed. Unless I slept through her 11 years and 50% female cabinets ?

No, I didn't think so.

Massive support for Kamala Harris. Especially since she's come from such a disparate background.

I know that the US has an impact on international politics but I don't think those of us living outside the US can really get a handle on how good or bad Harris will be. Living in the UK I have some idea how Biden/Harris might impact UK/Europe I have no idea how they might impact somewhere like Venuzuela and definitely no idea what impact they will have on American citizens.

Some nasty replies on this thread.

I live in America and yes I'm excited about Kamala but am way way more excited at the prospect of getting some actual government, having a functional vaccine rollout and getting the nuclear launch codes away from a man with less emotional maturity and self control than my 5yo DS.

If we get through the inauguration without anyone dying there's gonna be champagne at lunchtime here!

I like eloquence - the art of saying a lot very simply.

I actually think it’s a shame if she gets to be the first female president. I’d like to see the first female fairly elected and chosen by the public. Not sneaked in the back door as if that’s the only way a woman can get the job.

@Ritasueandbobtoo9

AngelicaElizaAndPeggy

You say “we” but this is a predominantly UK site. Fine to use “we” if you are American or half American but really if you wanted the UK to be excited about this you could have put “the United States will have a woman VP” which would be more accurate.

Women leaders are not a new thing in the UK - Boudicca, Mary Queen of Scots, QE 1,2, Margaret Thatcher, Teresa May.

This. I couldn't care less what the Americans do. That sounds harsh but it's not even (just) cultural imperialism, it's cultural self-deprecation on our part to see them as a main point of reference,. especially when their politics are increasingly dysfunctional and dominated by old men. There are hundreds of other countries in the world, yet every time a fly sneezes in America we have to hear about it.

Good for them and good luck to them, but "we" do not have a VP, female or not.

I can do you one better. Slovakia has a female president.
Can't relly forget Merkel when it comes to female leaders. And MANY more.
There were female presidents and PMs in quite a few countries.

It's lovely taht US is moving on with times now.

@SerendipityJane

I like eloquence - the art of saying a lot very simply.

Really? Seemed like a disappointing amount of empty rhetoric to me sadly. Very easy to say 'and you can do it too', when so many get denied places and positions over the privileged. Especially in America, where if you don't have money then clawing your way out of poverty and disadvantage it a near-impossible task.

I'm delighted too OP. Today is a good day in so many ways.

@jewel1968

I know that the US has an impact on international politics but I don't think those of us living outside the US can really get a handle on how good or bad Harris will be. Living in the UK I have some idea how Biden/Harris might impact UK/Europe I have no idea how they might impact somewhere like Venuzuela and definitely no idea what impact they will have on American citizens.

All we do know is Trump was the absolute best president for foreign policy in decades. No new wars, brokered several new peace deals.

I can understand why people didn't like some of his domestic policies and he did cause a lot of division in the USA. I would not visit the US anytime soon and you can say he is a big part of the reason why it is how it is right now.

But I can't for the life of me figure out why non americans didn't love him and embrace him. His foreign policy is unmatched.

I just hope Biden doesn't continue obama era foreign policy and kill hundreds of thousands of innocent lives in the middle east just because of the colour of their skin.

I honestly think our best bet is biden out of the way very early on and hope that harris is a little more compassionate to non americans than biden has been in the past.

I hope theirs is a force for change and renewal and decency and fairness.

The US is a train wreck. Not an ounce of fairness or decency to be had. Creepy Joe and Kamala are not going to achieve anything.

@Jsnn

Did you like how he moved the US embassy to Jerusalem?

I’m surprised people are so thrilled by this. It’s not the top job - most people outside of America would struggle to name the VP.

There have been high-profile women of colour before: Condoleeza Rice for example. There are many black politicians in America. They had an incredibly high-profile black First Lady for 8 years.

Aren’t we a little past “if you can’t see it you can’t be it”?

I suspect it’s largely because she’s a Democrat. The Dems didn’t care for Condoleeza’s politics so she didn’t count despite being one of the most powerful women in the world for years.

Great for USA but as others have pointed out this is a UK site.

Germany- Angela Merkel
The top person in NZ is awesome
Loads of other female heads in Europe
Nicola s in Scotland
I live in London and we have a Muslim mayor

Yes exciting for USA but. The top job went to a white fella who is not in the first flush of youth.

Obama, that was amazing.

And rip notorious rbg