Who are we, and what are we doing here?

Who is the West Virginia Federation of Democratic Women? We're occasionally asked that question. Lately, we’ve heard from more than a few folks trying to tell us who we are. Or who we should be.

Let's set the record straight.

The WVFDW is a group of women who have joined together to speak out for Democratic principles in West Virginia. We are doctors, lawyers, and stay-at-home moms. We are teachers, retirees, veterans, and business owners. We are union members, college students, artists, moms, daughters, wives, sisters, and much, much more. With approximately 3,000 members, we don’t fit into a nice, neat little box.

Does every member agree on every issue?

No. 

Does every member voice her opinion the same way?

No.

Does every member have the same priorities?

No. 

That’s what’s great about our group. We are alike and different at the same time. 

So how do we determine the WVFDW message.  It's simple: majority rules. Since we cannot vote on every issue within our group, we agree to stay consistent with the platform set by the West Virginia Democratic Party, defining our message. We have a Communications Committee and Board that keep the message going at all times in many different outlets. 

We were known, not that many years ago, as the tea-and-cookie branch of the County Executive Committees. We still raise money, but we’re doing that differently now. It is the 21st century, after all. Stay in touch with us by subscribing to our quarterly newsletter. And we’re launching a modest retail therapy effort today, as well.

Strong women speaking out with a strong message can stir emotions. Not a week goes by in which we are not criticized, sometimes constructively, sometimes not so much. We’ve been called names. We’ve been ridiculed. We’re frequently given unsolicited advice.  

Here's the deal.

We listen to all constructive ideas.

We toss them around within our membership to see if they are ideas we want to embrace.

Labeling and name-calling do not bother us.  

We occasionally dish it out, and we can take it. We’re not easily intimidated. How you define us is your opinion; if you do so rudely, that says more about you than it does about us. We know we're making a difference when you react.

Snarky comments may be met with snarky comments.

“Snark” is something we do and do well. Sometimes we feel the need to respond, sometimes we don’t. There is no policy here.

We have made mistakes, and we will make more.  

We are not perfect, and we don’t pretend to be. You will find typos, missing words, grammatical errors, misspellings, and more. We try to correct errors when we see them, and we try to thank you when you point them out. We try to be factual in everything we do, but we make mistakes. We also have used poor word choices (very recently, as a matter of fact!). We sincerely apologize when we’re wrong and move on. Let him who is without sin …

We might offend you.

No matter how much we try not to offend people, it happens. It’s not personal. We can’t scrutinize each and every image or word we display, hoping to somehow please everyone. Respectful dialogue is a welcome, but rare, occurrence, especially behind a screen.

We promote Democrats and Democratic principles.

We do not agree with all the Democratic legislators’ votes or positions, nor do we speak for them. The Democratic Party is a big tent, and we feel that adds to our strength. Also, um, we’re partisan.  

We aren't trying to impress you, and we're not seeking your approval.

You don't have to agree with us. We love it when you do, but we also know that many, many, many of you follow us for the sole purpose of finding something with which to disagree. 

We're strong, and we're here to stay. If you are a Democratic woman, we welcome your ideas and input to help us grow stronger.  

We are the West Virginia Federation of Democratic Women. Join us.