Rachel Powell, a mother, was found guilty on nine federal charges.
Is it necessary to specify “a mother”?
Do they also mention Adolf Hitler, a son, loving boyfriend, and proud dad to a golden retriever, waged war on Western Europe?
“Rachel Powell, a woman who rawdogged her husband multiple times for the purpose of procreation, was found guilty today.” doesn’t have the same ring to it.
if you wanted to get mildly conspiratorial about it, you could say they phrased it that way to make you feel sympathy/pity for her because they don’t want you to think she did anything wrong
I don’t think that’s conspiratorial whatsoever. It’s pretty plainly the intent.
Same as they did for Kim Potter when she went to trial. Cardigan sweater, dressed like everyone’s grandmother, looked like she should be offering you cookies every day as you rode your bike by her house.
Makes me less sympathetic for her. Her having kids though & being part of that MAGA culture is VERY concerning though. But you know… there are lots of men & women that don’t think too deeply about politics & many that don’t share their spouses politics as well. It surprises me - but I honestly don’t think someone wakes up crazy one day.
Also spouses that get surprised later most likely didn’t know because they were too afraid to ask &/or probe into meaningful & telling areas for one reason or another. And many just go along to get along, & I hate that as I couldn’t be attracted to anyone w/ shitty political beliefs & I feel like others should do the same so us that care aren’t stuck looking for partners or a partner unknowingly being w/ a crazy person.
I agree with @picassowary, but I also read this as complicating the virtuousness surrounding motherhood. We put mothers on a moral pedestal for being sacrificial, yadda yadda, but here is a mother violating that expectation of purity, good sense, decorum, and sacrifice. What questions can we now invite?
How vile are mothers on the far right? How tantalizing is the Kool aid on the far right to seduce virtuous mothers into debased insurrection? How troubling is white supremacy that white women participate in it because they are rewarded for being complicit?
The list goes on if you read the inclusion of the word mother as a way to violate the expectations of motherhood more than read it as a pull for sympathy.
its quite straightfotward. Having offspring has no significant relation to how virtuous a person is.
The moral pedestral is a thing particularly peddeled in the US (but also other countries) to justify a society that enables a middle class culture still revolving around unemployed stay at home women, often dependant on their husband and living in a state of purposelessness beyonf “being a mom”.
It is the toxic femininity to accompany toxic masculinity of a conservative/far right society
Perhaps because it was her primary occupation, even if it’s not considered formal employment. The name Rachel Powell isn’t very unique, so it doesn’t leave much other information to identify her from all the other people named Rachel Powell in the US.
It might be an attempt to elicit sympathy, but I dont think so in this case. It might even be more of a subtle way to shame her for not having paid employment.
