"For years, I didn’t have my own political opinions. In fact, I was firmly in the “political apathy” category throughout my late teens and early 20s. I didn’t keep up with the news (too sad), wasn’t interested in listening to the candidates speak (too boring), and didn’t really form opinions of my own (I let those around me form them for me). I don’t say any of this with pride—the opposite, in fact. I’m white and heterosexual, so my inherent privilege formed a shield from the need to get involved with politics or listen to what was going on in the world.
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That all changed a little under 10 years ago. With the rise in social media, the news was now impossible to ignore, and candidates were becoming more and more inflammatory in their views and law proposals. Suddenly, it was as if a light turned on. I had my own views and opinions—so why was I not using my voice?
Becoming politically active in my 30s
Today, Gen Z and Generation Alpha both seem to be coming of age in a far more politically knowledgeable environment. Because of social media, it seems like those in their early and mid-20s (and even before voting age!) know far more about what’s going on in the world than I did when I was growing up in the ’90s and early 2000s. Part of this is also for the tragic reason that they’re having to deal with a lot of the effects of politics on a daily basis, even at a young age. They’re the ones who have to participate in school shooting drills, deal with book bans, and fight to share their authentic selves in public.
As a millennial in my early 30s, my political knowledge definitely came later in life. I grew up in a household where things like politics, money, and anything that could be seen as uncouth weren’t discussed around the dinner table. But I was surrounded by my parents’ own very strong opinions. Because of that, when anyone asked for my own thoughts in my late teens, I often found myself simply parroting what I’d heard from them.
Then, in college, I met my boyfriend (now husband), who was very involved in politics. With a major in political science (and a future career in the field), I soon found myself parroting his politics when asked. It wasn’t done as a conscious choice but done more so as an uninformed person who didn’t want to look unknowledgeable in conversation.
It was around this time that I got into a heated political exchange with a family member. They had made a few derogatory comments about the transgender community that I vehemently disagreed with. While I had never considered myself a particularly political person, I still felt inherently that people had their own rights, freedom, and autonomy over their own lives—and it was during this argument that I realized just how strongly I felt on the subject. These were my opinions and my values, not something I was parroting from someone else. And it was after that conversation that the light fully turned on—it was time for me to become more politically aware and start using my voice.
Simple ways to become more politically aware
Here’s the embarrassing fact—part of the reason I wasn’t more informed was simply out of laziness. I felt so “behind” on what was happening in the world that I only ever really had the cliff notes version at any given moment. But becoming informed doesn’t have to become a chore or something you dedicate X number of hours to a day. Here’s how I got started:
Listen to news podcasts
The easiest way to do this, for me, has been listening to podcasts. Before my daughter wakes up for the day or after she’s gone to daycare, I’ll have a cup of coffee and listen to a news podcast to catch up on what’s going on in the world. Subscribing to national newspapers like the New York Times as well as local newspapers has also become part of my daily routine.
Stay locally informed
One of the most important aspects of staying informed for me has been staying involved with what’s going on both locally and at a statewide level. It’s always easier to stay informed on a national level, as that’s what the majority of news media is going to be covering. However, knowing what’s happening on your school board or your state senate race is also going to affect your daily life—and information on those candidates is never as flashy or easy to track down. That’s why subscribing to a local newspaper or joining local groups you feel passionate about can be so important in staying informed at every level.
While social media is certainly part of where I get my news (as it is for a large percentage of Americans), I try not to let it inform too much of my opinion. From my experience, social media is a lot of headline news, meaning you are only ever getting a (often inflammatory) snippet of the larger story.
It’s never too late to become more politically aware
Declaring to the world I was blatantly politically apathetic feels pretty vulnerable. But the reason I do it is because I know I’m not alone. In the past decade, I went from one of the most politically ambivalent of my friend group to one of the more informed—the one that my friends come to when they want a breakdown of what’s going on with an election, amendment, or recent announcement.
I know there are many others my age who want to get involved but don’t know where to start. And to them, I say that there is never a wrong time to get active in causes you truly believe in. The candidates, amendments, and causes that you vote for truly matter and will make a difference in the lives of yourself, your family, and your community. As we head into election season, now is the time to make sure you are registered to vote and to get informed on what your ballot will look like so you can make sure you vote for the causes that are important to you. Because, like me, you have your own voice, and it does matter.
Morgan Flaherty, Contributing Writer
Morgan is full-time writer, editor, and mom. Along with her work as a contributing writer for The Everymom on all things Disney World, beauty products, and the latest fashion trends, her writing has appeared in Well + Good, InStyle, Scary Mommy, Byrdie, and Baby Chick.