A 2019 video of California Governor Gavin Newsom's wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, discussing her approach to parenting her sons has resurfaced and gone viral. In the interview, she described giving her boys dolls and altering male protagonists in books to female ones. The comments have drawn sharp criticism from conservative commentators.
Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California's self-titled 'first partner,' spoke in a 2019 interview with Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez during Women's History Month. She explained giving her sons dolls 'to learn that care and caregiving is not just an activity reserved for women but is also an activity that is a responsibility for men.' She added, 'If I’m reading a book and the protagonist is a male, I just change the he to a she' to normalize women as the stars of stories, saying 'women matter and women are interesting.' Siebel Newsom also linked conservative politics to conflicts with gender equality, noting she grew up revering Ronald Reagan but that such politics were 'in conflict with seeing women as equal.' She attributed California's economic disparities to the 'devaluation of all that we’ve feminized,' including industries like education and health care, and attributes like empathy and collaboration. Conservative commentator Allie Beth Stuckey criticized the approach, stating, 'Being a boy isn’t a disease that needs to be cured. Masculinity is a strength that needs to be fostered and encouraged.' Fox News' Tomi Lahren called Siebel Newsom 'the woke weight on [Newsom's] ankles,' while commentator Link Lauren described her as 'one of the most radical women in public life.' Siebel Newsom has acknowledged her husband occasionally critiques her statements, saying he sometimes tells her, 'That’s not really helpful that you said that,' but she prioritizes speaking the truth and advocating for women and California's children.
