Let’s talk a little about misogyny and the patriarchy in politics.
When the free stater GOP in NH want to “own” me they typically use a photo of me from 2019.
I am overweight in the photo. I admit, 6 kids, Lyme disease, PFAS contamination, menopause and life got to me.
This photo was taken 7 years ago.
I no longer look like this, so why do they still use it?
Because they know that other men (even obese men) discredit all women who don’t fit their image of “woman”. They especially discredit women who are overweight – clearly we don’t have enough self control.
Even recently with the news of the Cornell 7 one person in the group chat of the gang-rape was concerned enough to hope that the victim being gang-raped was not “another fatty.”
Women are reduced to what men think please men and in their minds a woman being overweight is something she should be embarrassed of.
And so they try to shame us.
To put us in our place.
They hope that they can force us through embarrassment to be quiet.
This is me being LOUD.
Because you see, when I see that photo. I see a pudgy and happy woman who has no idea what is in store for her.
At the end of 2019 her husband had to have open heart surgery and in 2026 had to have another cardiac procedure.
She helped him through both procedures while serving in the state house as a Representative.
In 2020 – she got a variant of Covid that destroyed her gut and for 2 years she couldn’t taste or smell food. When she ate any food, her gut would revolt. She lost 80 pounds due to malnutrition.
Then in 2022 she was diagnosed with breast cancer which required 3 extensive surgeries – all performed while she was serving in the state house as a Representative and mothering 6 adult children who were scared of what might happen.
She didn’t know it then, but this woman found her inner strength and turned into a warrior.
She found a community of other women who held her up when she could no longer stand on her own and who whispered in her ear – it’s okay, we’ve got you.
She borrowed from their strength when she didn’t think she had any left.
She found resilience she never knew she had.
GOP men think they are shaming me by publishing a photo of overweight, happy Wendy.
What they don’t know is that I feel compassion for this smiling, pudgy woman who has no idea what is in store for her.
And I feel nothing but admiration for her being able to find the spine of titanium and the courage that she needed to get through it all.
