J.D. Vance's wife explains "cat women" commentary
J.D. Vance's disparaging remarks about childless women have come back to haunt the Republican vice-presidential hopeful. Now, his wife is speaking out. He meant something completely different, she says.
Republican vice-presidential candidate J.D. Vance is getting support from his wife after past comments have caught up with him. To understand his 2021 remarks about "childless cat-lady women," Usha Vance told Fox News, one must consider the context. She described his language as a "joke" and said he was trying to express "how hard it is for parents in this country and that there are laws making it even harder."
Former President Donald Trump introduced Vance as his running mate at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in mid-July. Soon after, the 40-year-old faced criticism, including for his sexist remarks about childless women. In a 2021 interview, the father of three referred to leading Democratic politicians, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now running for president herself, as "childless cat-lady women" who are unhappy with their lives. The clip resurfaced and spread quickly after his rise to Trump's running mate.
It wasn't his only remark in that vein. His stance that childless people should have less say in a democracy has been met with disapproval from many Americans. In U.S. politics, spouses often serve as humanizing figures, showing the caring side of candidates. Usha Vance fulfilled this role at the Republican National Convention, delivering a speech to tens of thousands of viewers that painted a picture of an approachable husband.
Despite the backlash, Usha Vance defended her husband's use of the term "childless cat-lady women," stating that it was meant as a critique of policies negatively impacting parents, not an expression of sexism. The controversy surrounding J.D. Vance's past remarks about childless women has highlighted the issue of sexism in politics.
