“The Woman of Politics”: Why Sarah McBride’s Words Hit Me So Hard

This double standard in politics feels way too familiar, especially for anyone who’s ever had to be the responsible one.

Recently, I watched an interview with Congresswoman Sarah McBride that I can’t stop thinking about.

She said something that left me like the 🤯 emoji:

“The Democratic Party is the woman of politics. The Republican Party is the man.”

In that moment, everything clicked.

She explained that Republicans, especially Trump, are praised for yelling, insulting, even breaking the law. People see that and call it strength.

But when Democrats raise our voices, we’re labeled emotional, unlikable, or shrill.

Just like how women are treated in the real world.

Sarah goes even deeper. She says:

“Donald Trump can hate and insult more than half the country because we tolerate deadbeat dads. But Democrats can’t say anything about voters that impugn their motives, because a mom has to love every single one of her children.”

If that feels familiar, you’re not alone.

And if you grew up in a Latino family, like I did, that dynamic isn’t just recognizable. It’s expected.

You can watch the full interview on Pod Save America.

The section I’m referencing starts around minute 13:30.

Living the Double Standard

I’m a computer engineer. I spent nearly 12 years working in corporate America. I was often the only woman on the team, and usually the only Latina in the room.

So yes, I know what it feels like to be held to a different standard.

To be called too emotional for speaking up.

To be labeled “difficult” for holding the line.

And here’s the kicker. I don’t even fit the mold of what people expect from a woman.

I hate to cook (and can barely do it). The only dish I truly excel at is cheese fondue, so we can say I melt cheese better than most. I follow more sports than my husband. I am horrible at “nesting.”

But the expectations were still there: Be nice. Be quiet. Be grateful.

And when you don’t meet those expectations, whether in a workplace, a family, or a country, people notice. They judge. They push back.

When You Disrupt the Role You Were Assigned

In Latino culture, those expectations about how women should behave are turned all the way up.

You’re expected to be strong but not confrontational.

To speak up, but only when it’s polite.

To hold your family together, show respect to everyone, and never make anyone uncomfortable.

And when you don’t fit that mold, people notice. Sometimes they whisper. Sometimes they stay silent. But the message is clear. That is not how a woman is supposed to act.

These dynamics don’t disappear when you step into politics. They get louder.

That is exactly what Sarah McBride was pointing to.

Democrats are expected to be composed, measured, and selfless.

Republicans get to be chaotic, mean, and loud. And somehow, they still get called strong.

It’s the same story so many of us have lived.

One person gets to be loud and reckless.

The other is expected to clean up the mess without making a fuss.

She Cleans Up the Mess and Still Gets Criticized

That double standard doesn’t just show up in how politicians speak. It shows up in what they’re expected to fix.

Let’s be honest. Republicans are great at setting fires and then blaming Democrats for the smoke.

They cut taxes for billionaires, balloon the deficit, and leave regular people behind.

Then Democrats step in to fix it, and somehow get blamed for not doing it fast enough.

It happened when Clinton had to clean up after George H. W. Bush.

It happened when Obama inherited a financial collapse from George W. Bush.

It happened again when Biden stepped in after Trump’s chaotic presidency left a global health crisis, a broken economy, and democratic institutions under attack.

And each time, Democrats, like women, are expected to hold it together. Calmly. Without complaints.

If we show anger, we’re called hysterical.

If we draw a line, we’re called divisive.

If we act boldly, we’re told we’re too much.

Meanwhile, Republicans throw tantrums and still get praised for strength.

Fighting Like a Woman in 2025

What I loved most about this interview is that Sarah didn’t just name the double standard. She offered a way forward.

She said the only socially acceptable way for a woman to fight back and actually be heard is when she’s defending someone else, not herself.

And that is exactly what we need to do now.

Not fight for the sake of fighting. Not to prove a point. But to protect the people we serve.

If we want to win in 2025, we have to stop making Trump the main character.

The main character should be the people we’re fighting for:

• The students who want access to real history and science.

• The workers organizing for better schedules, not just better pay.

• The women forced to travel hundreds of miles for healthcare.

• The families who lost loved ones to gun violence and are begging for change.

• The LGBTQ+ teens trying to exist without being a political talking point.

• The farmworkers, janitors, and caregivers who kept this country going and still live paycheck to paycheck.

That is not weakness. That is what strength actually looks like.

Democrats might be treated like the woman of politics, expected to fix the mess, stay calm, and never offend anyone.

But here’s what they forget.

Women know how to fight.
We’ve been doing it forever.
We fight while raising kids, holding jobs, and holding it together.
We fight even when we’re underestimated, dismissed, or told we’re too much.

So if being the “woman of politics” means fighting for what’s right and refusing to back down?

Good.

Let’s give them something to call “too much.”

It reminds me of this 2025 Nike Super Bowl ad…