Gisele Fetterman, wife of freshman Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) wrote an op-ed for Elle magazine published Thursday about her tribulations since her stroke-damaged husband was admitted to the psych ward for “severe clinical depression” last month after flaming out as senator just six weeks from being sworn into office.
Gisele complains and complains and complains about how she’s been treated. She denies having political ambitions, saying she has “no interest in the politicking of policy.”
Gisele writes she “never wanted to be in the public eye”. But it is quite telling Gisele did not publish this in a Pennsylvania newspaper where it might be read by her husband’s constituents, but in an elite fashion magazine with 100 million unique online visitors.
And when her husband fell apart in severe depression, she rushed to Canada, not by his side, and then posted photos for the world to see. (Look at me! Don’t look at me!)
https://twitter.com/giselefetterman/status/1629120488944418819
We also talked about how joy and fun can and must still exist, even when someone we love is in pain. And tomorrow? Who knows. Will try all over again. ❤️
— Gisele Barreto Fetterman (@giselefetterman) February 24, 2023
Gisele chose to stay behind in Braddock to maintain her fulfilling life as a new firewoman and civic activist rather than accompany her husband to Washington as he embarked on a challenging new job while still recuperating from the stroke and having trouble processing conversations with people.
John Fetterman soon fell into such a deep depression he was not able to feed or hydrate himself properly and his staff was unable to deal with him. John was admitted into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on February 15 a week after he spent a few nights in a D.C. hospital for “lightheadedness.” He didn’t even last two months as senator.
Gisele visits him perhaps once a week. She recently posted a photo of herself in pajamas at Walter Reed to let the world know she spent the night with her husband. (Look at me! Don’t look at me!)
https://twitter.com/giselefetterman/status/1636725265295454208
Excerpt from the Elle op-ed (notice who is in color and who is in black and white):
Wrote a thing ❤️ for @ELLEmagazine “When we demand that women steel themselves in the face of unending attacks, we teach the next generation to normalize and accept harassment.” https://t.co/Sl7LYTqTM8
— Gisele Barreto Fetterman (@giselefetterman) March 30, 2023
The Tired Trope of the ‘Power Hungry’ Woman
In an exclusive op-ed, Gisele Fetterman recounts the “vicious attacks” she received after her husband, Sen. John Fetterman, checked into Walter Reed to seek treatment for clinical depression.…From the moment John shared his news, vicious attacks started pouring in. John suffered a stroke during his Senate campaign, so I already knew how cruel people could be about judging someone’s health and using it as a weapon. But I’ll admit, I was surprised to find that this time the vast majority of the harassment wasn’t directed toward John—but at me.
On social media, people accused me of kidnapping the kids and running away to Canada. They promoted conspiracy theories claiming I was an ambitious, power hungry wife, secretly plotting to fill his Senate seat. It was all so wildly preposterous.
…Back then, he was the mayor of Braddock, a small town outside of Pittsburgh that we still call home today. I hadn’t sought an office of any kind, and I had never wanted to be in the public eye; in fact, that’s the last thing I’d want. While I’ve dedicated my professional life to non-profit work and community support, pursuing change as a politician is something I would never do. I’ve always preferred serving others as a private citizen and have no interest in the politicking of policy.
…From our days in Braddock to our most recent journey to Washington, D.C., attacks on my character and physical appearance have always been about control.
…They’re the same attacks leveled at Meghan Markle, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Jill Biden—my apparent competitors for “worst wife in America.” They echo the dehumanizing bullying that women like Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama have faced for decades.
…As much as I try to block them out, these attacks are really exhausting. Some days I just feel drained and have to let it out in a good cry. Even more, I worry about the millions of women who hear these attacks on TV and social media and then internalize these myths in their own lives.
In those moments, I try to focus on what’s important: my family, my community. I remind myself that I can only value the opinions of those who are willing to treat me with basic dignity and respect.
You get the idea. Gisele is now everyowman of the world. She does not want to be in the public eye. And how sexist of you to notice her seeking the public eye while her husband struggles to recuperate. Now stop looking at her!
Funny how Gisele compared herself to Meghan Markle.
Wikipedia about Elle (excerpt): “Elle (stylized in all caps) is a worldwide women’s magazine of French origin that offers a mix of fashion and beauty content, together with culture, society and lifestyle. The title means “she” or “her” in French. Elle is considered one of the world’s largest fashion magazines, with 45 editions around the world and 46 local websites. It now counts 21 million readers and 100 million unique visitors per month, with an audience of mostly women.”
Gisele doesn’t mention in the op-ed how her husband is doing, but his staff put word out Wednesday Fetterman hopes to return to the Senate the week of April 17.
