The husbands of the Biden admin are redefining the political spouse

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March 19, 2021

Good morning, Broadsheet readers! Les Wexner cuts his last ties to L Brands, the Tokyo Olympics face another scandal, and Washington’s typical ‘power couple’ looks different than it used to. Have a great weekend.
– Power couples. The many ‘firsts’ in the Biden administration aren’t alone in their history making; their spouses are breaking the mold too.
The New York Times yesterday profiled the “new kind of political spouse” that’s arrived in Washington in recent weeks. There is, of course, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris; Chasten Buttigieg, husband of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who’s the first openly gay cabinet member confirmed by the Senate; as well as lower-profile spouses like Dan Mulhern, who is married to Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm.
These husbands are now taking on the tasks usually associated with wives in Washington, from the practical—like settling the family in a new residence—to the politically advantageous—stepping back from previous professions, making public appearances, and carving out their own identities and agendas in D.C.
The new dynamic is no doubt forcing Americans to rethink the profile of a political partner, just as they shed preconceived notions about who’s fit to wield power in Washington.
At the same time, I appreciated the insight of Connie Schultz, a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and wife of Sen. Sherrod Brown (D–Ohio). “We’re having these conversations now because men are becoming recognized in their spouse role,” she said. “Which is also frustrating when you’re a woman and have been doing this for quite some time.”
Even as we celebrate the actions of Emhoff and Buttigieg for shattering stereotypes, we can’t overlook that political wives have long provided the same kind of support and made the same kind of sacrifices with little to no fanfare.
Claire Zillman
claire.zillman@fortune.com
@clairezillman
The Broadsheet, Fortune’s newsletter for and about the world’s most powerful women, is coauthored by Kristen Bellstrom, Emma Hinchliffe, and Claire Zillman. Today’s edition was curated by Emma Hinchliffe.

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