The Socio-Political Ramifications of Aging White Men and Their Postures on Incredibly Uncomfortable Plastic Chairs: A Dissertation by Me, A White Woman
In the words of the late, great Maya Angelou (my personal hero, go off queen!), “Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible.” The inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris was a historic moment, and therefore, deserves support and respect from those in attendance. That includes support in unconventional ways, such as body language — even if one is seated on what some are referring to as “two pieces of shitty plastic held together by yarn.” Specifically, Bernie Sanders’ undoubtedly miserable-looking posture during this iconic moment for women, and particularly women of color, speaks volumes to me — a straight, white woman.
It is a fact the widely spread “Grumpy Bernie On Chair” memes could be conceived as funny, lighthearted, even lovable. For example, Bernie sitting in on the Iron Throne, Bernie sitting next to Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte of Sex and the City (so excited for the reboot), and even my personal favorite that took me three hours to make in Photoshop, Bernie chained to the wall in the popular horror film “Saw.” Sure, it could be argued the man was cold, uncomfortable even. By and large, those types of plastic chairs are designed for less momentous events — a barbecue, a child’s birthday party, the waiting area at the DMV, perhaps an AA meeting. And some could even argue Bernie is the most championed fighter for human rights in our lifetime. But do those factors make him immune to pepping up a bit in freezing temperatures in the name of underrepresented voices? Could the 79-year-old who survived a heart attack and who spent his entire life fighting for marginalized communities have just sat with his legs uncrossed, which signals openness and support, according to my psychic? The answer is yes.
Women have politely sat in less than comfortable seating situations for centuries. For example, according to Encyclopedia Britannica (Vol. 6b), Princess Diana (RIP to an absolute queen) once had to sit in an extremely low, child-sized beach chair at the knighting of Sir. Paul McCartney. Per sources, she was as happy and graceful as ever. Additionally, per Wikipedia, at Richard Nixon’s inauguration in 1973, Gloria Steinem wasn’t even given an official seat. She sat gleefully on a tree stump. Suffice to say, if Hillary Clinton had sat in Bernie’s exact posture during these events, they would’ve found a way to finally lock her up (LOL, am I right?).
In conclusion, society cannot continue to praise white men who don’t check their privileged posture when they sit in chairs that will certainly make one’s sciatica act up. We have yet to see the toll Bernie’s thoughtless arms-crossed, bad vibe will have on our society. One thing is certain, this white woman will continue to fight for things no one’s asking her to fight for.
