Are you wondering how to have political conversations with your friends and loved ones without things turning, well… hostile?

Election time is here, and the political atmosphere is so divisive it can feel impossible to have political conversations without things getting heated. 

So does this mean we just avoid talking about politics altogether? 🙊

Sarah Stewart Holland & Beth Silvers of Pantsuit Politics say, “No!” 

Sarah and Beth are both mothers and attorneys who are passionate about helping others have open-minded and respectful political dialogues. They believe that we can “choose to respect the dignity of every person, choose to recognize that issues are nuanced and can’t be reduced to political talking points, and choose to listen in order to understand.”

Their book I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening) has helped me so much in my personal life as I’ve learned to navigate tricky political conversations, and I’m so excited to share their three takeaways for how to have grace-filled political conversations. I hope you find it helpful as you navigate this election season!

 

3 Tips for How to Have Grace-Filled Political Conversations: 

 

1. Take Off Your Jersey

This doesn’t mean that you don’t identify with a party. It doesn’t mean that parties are bad. It doesn’t even mean you can’t get excited about your party! But it does mean that we remember that our identity includes more than what party we are or are not affiliated with. Remembering this allows us to show up as whole human beings in the conversations we have with others – and to remember that those we talk with our whole human beings as well.

So, feel free to affiliate with a party, and feel free to organize and campaign for your party, but please remember to be your whole self with others and allow them to be their whole selves with you when having political conversations. Remember, we aren’t in a sports game where only one team wins – getting creative, listening, compromising, showing respect – these things will help us progress as a country. 

2. Exit the Echo Chamber

It’s really easy to get stuck in an echo chamber of what news media we’re consuming. This is especially true if we get most of our news on social media, where the algorithm is designed to take you further and further in one direction because that’s good for ad revenue. When we only see things we agree with, we don’t allow ourselves to confront biases and get the entire picture, and it becomes very easy to become more and more partisan. Sarah and Beth suggest spending some regular time with a news outlet that is a little outside of what you usually consume. They’ve provided a great list of sources to help you know what to look for. 

3. Get Curious. 

Don’t hold back from speaking up or voting just because you feel a little under-informed on some issues. Get curious and start researching and talking to people to learn more. Stay open-minded and be vulnerable.Get curious about people who disagree with you and ask them questions and try to really hear them out.  You’ll be surprised at what information you’re able to gather and what great political conversations you’ll be able to have. 

 

If we can take these three steps, I truly believe that political conversations could become something that refines us and our opinions, connects us to other people and a broader worldview, and builds our communities in meaningful, hopeful ways. Doesn’t that sound so much better than staying angry and divided? 💛

 

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What did you think of this discussion on having grace-filled political conversations? Have you had any experiences with this? Comment below! 

 

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Related Episodes like this one on How to Have Grace-Filled Political Conversations:

• 031: Three Easy Ways to Teach Your Children about Patriotic Holidays // The American Moms
• 051: How (and Why) to Get Involved in the Political Process as a Mom // Lacey Parr
• 256: Why Unsexy Elections Matter and How to Get Involved as Busy Mom // Laney Hawes
  

Mentioned in the Episode:

• I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening) (book)
• “Sources Swap” suggestions from Beth and Sarah

About our Guests:

Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers are mothers and attorneys who are passionate about civic engagement, community, and politics. They believe that we can “choose to respect the dignity of every person, choose to recognize that issues are nuanced and can’t be reduced to political talking points, and choose to listen in order to understand.” Sarah and Beth co-host a podcast called Pantsuit Politics, where they model how to have grace-filled political conversations. They also wrote the book I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening).

Get in Touch with Our Guests:

• Podcast: Pantsuit Politics (on Apple, but it’s available everywhere)
• Website:  https://www.pantsuitpoliticsshow.com/
• Instagram: @pantsuitpolitics

Sponsor:

This month’s sponsor is BetterHelp, the world’s largest provider of online therapy. Use the code 3IN30 for 10% off your first month!