
Rock The Vote: Here's A Rundown Of Where Kamala Harris Stands On The Issues

Early voting has now begun in many states, and we have seen the first rounds of the Presidential debates as well as the Vice Presidential debates. This may very well be the last rounds of debates as COVID-19 is now ravaging its way through not only our President but his staff officials. After the first debate, many voters voiced their disappointment at the complete breakdown of the moderator to control the uncontrollable President Trump. This left many wondering would the Vice Presidential debate be any better at giving a full picture to what each platform had created to fix what is now one of the worst presidencies in American history.
Giphy
Like most voters heading to the polls in their respective states for early voting, you probably already know which way you will vote. And if history is any indicator, we all know which way Black women will be voting again in 2020. However, that still does not excuse us from the responsibility to educate ourselves on our potential leaders' platforms, making sure we are voting down the ballot in our state and local government elections as well. This article is not to persuade you to vote one way or another but rather to give you information so that no matter who gets into office, we fulfill our duty as citizens of this country, to hold our elected officials accountable to things they promised us in exchange for our vote. The work does not stop after the election, the work of the fight for the rights of the people is just beginning.
This debate offered a lot more in the way of policymaking and changes needed for leadership in the next four years. Here are a few of the highlights:
On Coronavirus
The opening topic for this debate was obviously the pandemic that has now taken 200,000+ American lives. It is the most urgent concern in many people's lives as the COVID-19 illness has touched any and every one no matter the race, religion, or creed. We are already experiencing what the Trump administration has done for the people of this country and are still not trusting of his lead going into the future. A few points made by Harris on the handling of the pandemic and what the Biden administration plans to do when they first get into office are:
- The Biden campaign has a plan to start containing COVID-19 by creating a national strategy for contact tracing and creating a vaccine for all that is free.
- Harris ended on a strong point to voters to remember the panic and how they felt when this all started and leadership was behind the ball. "How calm were you when you didn't know where you would get your next roll of paper, when your kids were sent home from school, when your kids couldn't visit your parents because they were afraid they would kill them?"
On if Voters Should Know the Health Condition of Presidential Candidates
This topic is an interesting one because this Presidential election has some of the oldest candidates in American history on the ticket. With 45 being 74 at the time of the election and Biden being 78, the issue of what will happen if the President ever becomes disabled and unavailable to perform the duties of the office are warranted. As you may know, there is a succession of power that is enacted if a sitting President ever becomes incapacitated. We have seen this in history many times but one that you may remember is the assassination of JFK. Lyndon B. Johnson was immediately sworn in as to not have any disruption in power. With two aging candidates, the importance of a potential VP is also a consideration on many voters' minds.
What can be gathered from the cleverly crafted answer from Harris is that Biden chose her because they share similar values in hard work, public service, and fighting for the dignity of people. Also, Biden made his choice based on her career in criminal justice as well as her time and work in the US Senate. They both believe that they can share in the purpose of uplifting the American people around their common core values and principles. Harris also believes that transparency in the health of each candidate is necessary for the voters. Not only should this transparency be applied to health status but also to taxes. This is when Harris reminded voters that 45 has only paid $750 in taxes and according to those taxes, he owes millions of dollars to unknown sources. Harris stated 45 is $400,000 in debt, which she followed with, "Do you know what debt means, you owe somebody."
On American Economy and Climate Change
The American economy and the climate are both burning fires, literally and figuratively. Due to the pandemic, millions are out of jobs and are unable to pay at the very least their rent. With man-made change to the climate, we are starting to see larger hurricanes at a more frequent rate, enormous forest fires engulfing California, terrible air quality, etc. These two issues may seem to be disconnected but work very much in consequence with one another. Let's just jump into what Harris said the Biden campaign will do about both:
Economy:
- The bill that was passed to provide a tax loop for the top 1%, Biden will get rid of this bill and reinvest those funds into the American people.
- They will also invest in roads, infrastructure, and clean energy.
- Funds will be used for education to provide college for free at 2-year universities, families that make less than a determined amount will be able to attend public 4-year institutions for free
- Student loans will be cut by $10,000
- Taxes will not be raised on families who make less than $400,000/year
- Will not end fracking
- Will continue to support AHCA to make sure families do not go bankrupt trying to receive medical services
Climate Change:
- Climate change is an existential crisis
- Biden has a plan to create 7 million jobs that will be in the clean and renewable energy sector
- This platform believes in science and will use it to help in the fight against climate change
- US will reenter the Paris Agreement
With the recent passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, there is a seat vacant on the supreme court at what is a pretty unusual time. It has been argued that the seat should be filled by the next sitting President, but as we know 45 is trying to get Amy Coney Barrett in the remaining seat before the election. Here is where the Biden/Harris campaign stand on choosing a new justice at this time:
- Biden believes that we are in an election and that the American people should choose who fills that seat. Simply put, the next President should be voted in and that person should be able to make the appointment.
The decision of the Supreme Court appointment also raises questions about very important Supreme Court decisions such as Roe vs. Wade and current cases like the AHCA and pre-existing conditions. The very fate of not only the healthcare system but women's rights hangs in the balance. Harris never really answered the question of whether or not she was pro-choice or pro-life directly but she had these points to make:
- Harris and Biden both consider themselves to be people of faith and that should never be questioned.
- Harris will always fight for the rights of women to do whatever they want with their bodies.
- ACHA will continue to cover pre-existing conditions by expanding coverage for those who need it.
On Racial Injustice:
This year has been intense with the issues of racial injustices being front and center. We have seen many of these very moments played out on video which has energized marginalized communities to organize and protest. Atrocities against people of color in this country are what weaves the story of America together. With the current state of racial tensions, the question was necessary for this debate. Especially after 45 refused to denounce white supremacy in the Presidential debate, calling on the Proud Boys to "stand back and stand by." This was also followed up by Pence denying systematic racism's very existence and putting his full faith in an obviously problematic judicial and law enforcement system. Harris, who has an extensive background in criminal justice laid out what the Biden administration's platform around racial injustice would be:
- Harris stated that she believes that Breonna Taylor was a beautiful woman with dreams and aspirations. Harris was able to sit down and speak with her mother and still believes she deserves justice.
- Harris was a part of a few of the recent protests happening and marched for equal justice. Harris feels the protests were peaceful but does not approve of the violence that has occurred.
- Harris stated, "Bad cops are bad for good cops." Which is the focal point of what needs to be unpacked to be able to reform policing.
- The Biden/Harris platform believes in police reform which involves a ban on chokeholds, a national registry to identify bad cops, decriminalization of marijuana, getting rid of cash bails, and doing away with industrialized prisons.
For more information on the Biden/Harris campaign vision, click HERE.
Are you a member of our insiders squad? Join us in the xoTribe Members Community today!
Featured image by Giphy.
Devale Ellis On Being A Provider, Marriage Growth & Redefining Fatherhood
In this candid episode of the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker talked with Devale Ellis, actor, social media personality, and star of Zatima, about modern masculinity, learning to be a better husband, emotional presence in marriage, fatherhood for Black men, and leading by example.
“I Wasn’t Present Emotionally”: Devale Ellis on Marriage Growth
Devale Ellis On Learning He Was a ‘Bad Husband’
Ellis grew up believing that a man should prioritize providing for his family. “I know this may come off as misogynistic, but I feel like it’s my responsibility as a man to pay for everything,” he said, emphasizing the wise guidance passed down by his father. However, five years into his marriage to long-time partner Khadeen Ellis, he realized provision wasn’t just financial.
“I was a bad husband because I wasn’t present emotionally… I wasn’t concerned about what she needed outside of the resources.”
Once he shifted his mindset, his marriage improved. “In me trying to be of service to her, I learned that me being of service created a woman who is now willing to be of service to me.”
On Redefining Masculinity and Fatherhood
For Ellis, “being a man is about being consistent.” As a father of four, he sees parenthood as a chance to reshape the future.
“Children give you another chance at life. I have four different opportunities right now to do my life all over again.”
He also works to uplift young Black men, reinforcing their worth in a world that often undermines them. His values extend to his career—Ellis refuses to play roles that involve domestic violence or sexual assault.
On Marriage, Family Planning, and Writing His Story
After his wife’s postpartum preeclampsia, Ellis chose a vasectomy over her taking hormonal birth control, further proving his commitment to their partnership. He and Khadeen share their journey in We Over Me, and his next book, Raising Kings: How Fatherhood Saved Me From Myself, is on the way.
Through honesty and growth, Devale Ellis challenges traditional ideas of masculinity, making his story one that resonates deeply with millennial women.
For the xoMAN podcast, host Kiara Walker peels back the layers of masculinity with candid conversations that challenge stereotypes and celebrate vulnerability. Real men. Real stories. Real talk.
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
Featured image by YouTube/xoNecole
My personal relationship with birth control pills is a bit of an odd one. Back when I first became sexually active (I started having sex with my first boyfriend a couple of months shy of 19), I took them for a couple of months, didn’t like how they made me feel, and so I quit using them altogether (and got pregnant almost immediately after). The rest of my adult life, I stayed off of the pill and pretty much only used condoms (and even then, not consistently — SMDH).
And yet here I am, now, all these years later, back on them again: surprise, surprise.
These days, it's for a completely different purpose, though. Now that I am in the hopefully latter stages of perimenopause (I’m not sure because my mother had a full hysterectomy at 29, her mother died at 53 and I don’t deal with my paternal grandmother because…chile… ) — although I have always had relatively easy cycles and I could definitely set my watch to them, about two years ago, my periods started to show up whenever they felt like it and it was damn near a crime scene once they did.
It was driving me crazy, and so, my nurse practitioner recommended that I take progestin-only pills to shorten, if not completely stop, my cycle: “After a year or so, we can wean off and see if you are entering into menopause on your own.” (Whew, perimenopause, chile.)
Although the first five months of being on this particular pill made me wonder if it was worth it to take this approach, I actually re-upped for another 12-month cycle because the extra progestin (a synthetic form of progesterone) has benefitted me in other areas as well because I am sleeping more soundly and my weight is more stabilized (by the way, when these things are “off,” they are signs of low progesterone levels). However, I did ask my nurse practitioner if, once I do decide to wean off of the pill, would there be any issues.
Her response is what inspired me to write this article because, until she said “post-birth control syndrome” to me, I had no idea there was such a thing. Anyway, if you give me a sec, I’ll explain to you what it is and why you should care if hormone-related birth control is currently a part of your life.
Yes, Post-Birth Control Syndrome Is a Very Real Thing
Okay, so it’s important to always remember that the way that birth control works is it “manipulates” your hormones so that you can significantly reduce your chances of conceiving. This means that taking them could result in some side effects including nausea; weight gain; headaches; irregular periods and/or spotting; increased stress; depression; blurry vision; breast tenderness, and/or a lowered libido.
That said, even though birth control pills are basically 99 percent effective (when taken correctly and consistently), if the side effects that you are experiencing are making you close to miserable, you should absolutely share that with your healthcare provider because…what’s the sense in preventing pregnancy when you don’t even feel up to having sex because you don’t feel good or your sex drive is shot? More times than not, your provider can find you another pill brand or option that will help you to feel more like yourself.
With that out of the way, think about it — if going on the pill can produce side effects, why would going off of it…not? And this is where post-birth control syndrome comes in.
For the most part, it’s what can happen to your body once you decide to come off of birth control. Typically, the symptoms will last anywhere between 4-6 months and, although the symptoms seem to present themselves most intensely as it relates to going off of the pill, any hormone-related birth control (like IUDs, injections, patches, the ring or implants) could produce similar outcomes.
Outcomes like what?
- Irregular cycles
- Breakouts
- Excessive gas and/or bloating
- Weight gain
- Anxiety and/or depression
- Fertility issues
- Migraines and/or headaches
- Shifts in your libido
- Sleeplessness/restlessness
- Hair loss
Whoa, right? And if a part of you is wondering, “Okay, if this is indeed the case, why have I not heard of this syndrome before?” It’s because it’s not a term that conventional method uses nearly as much as alternative medicine does. Still, it makes all of the sense in the world that if your body has to adjust to an uptick in hormonal intake, it would also need to adjust to removing those extra doses of hormones from your system as well. COMMON. DAMN. SENSE.
Anyway, if you were thinking about taking a break from birth control and taking all of this in has you feeling a bit…let’s go with the word “trepidatious” about doing so, I totally get it. There are some things that you can do to make experiencing post-birth control syndrome either a non-issue or a far more bearable one, though.
7 Home Remedies That Can Make Coping with Post-Birth Control Syndrome Easier
1. Take a multivitamin.Something that’s fascinating about what going off of birth control can do is it sometimes has the ability to lower your nutrition levels as it relates to certain vitamins and minerals; this is especially the case when it comes to vitamins B, C, E and minerals like magnesium, selenium and zinc. So, if you don’t currently take a multivitamin, now would be the time to start (along with consuming foods that are particularly high in those nutrients as well).
2. Up your vitamin D intake. Speaking of nutrient levels, a vitamin level that commonly drops after going off of birth control isvitamin D. This is hella critical to keep in mind as a Black woman since many of us tend to be naturally deficient in the vitamin as-is and vitamin D is important when it comes to fighting off diseases, regulating weight and keeping your moods stabilized (for starters). So, make sure that your multivitamin has vitamin D in it. Also make sure to consume vitamin D-enriched foods like fatty fish, eggs, mushrooms, yogurt and fortified orange juice.
3. Drink herbal teas. Since going off of birth control will cause your hormones to be all over the place for a season, consider drinking some herbal teas that will help to stabilize them. Black cohosh contains phytoestrogen properties, Chasteberry can help to level out your prolactin levels and green tea can help your hormones out by helping to balance out your insulin (which can sometimes directly affect them).
4. Keep some ibuprofen nearby. The headaches and migraines? Until those subside, you and ibuprofen are probably going to become really good friends; although I will add that ginger tea and inhaling essential oils like chamomile and lavender can help to ease migraine-related symptoms too.
5. Do some meditating. Waiting for your hormones to get back on track can be stressful as all get out. That said, something that can get your cortisol (stress hormone) levels to chill out is to meditate. If meditation is new for you, check out “7 Meditation Hacks (For People Who Can't Seem To Do It).”
6. Get massages. As if you needed an excuse to get a massage, right (check out “12 Different Massage Types. How To Know Which Is Right For You.”)? However, there is some evidence to back the fact that regular massages (somewhere around once a month) can help to lower your stress, boost your dopamine, increase blood flow and drain your lymphatic system so that you will have more energy.
7. Sleep/rest more. There is plenty of scientific research out here which says that sleep deprivation can throw your hormones out of whack — and since your hormones are already trying to stabilize themselves, you definitely need to get 6-8 hours of sleep and not feel the least bit guilty about taking naps sometimes too.
____
Post-birth control syndrome may not be the most pleasant thing about getting off of birth control yet it is manageable. So, now that you know all about it, you can feel more confident about taking a birth control break (or getting off altogether) — without the surprises that can come with doing it. Give thanks.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Unsplash