Chloe Brown knows what women need from their city
One look at Brown’s costed campaign platform and it’s clear that this is a woman who knows what women want and need -- a truly caring society that helps people achieve their best and thrive.
“I think a lot of people discount how women play a role in discouraging other women from being in politics,” Toronto mayoral candidate Chloe Brown told Small Change during a recent interview.
Brown shared that her looks have been one of the biggest issues with voters because she doesn’t look like a politician and voters don’t think she’s ready for the job.
“There’s just been so much conversation about my appearance as opposed to my policy that it makes me realize people don’t care about good ideas – they care about the way that you look and the way that your look represents them. It’s very aesthetic politics and women have been the biggest critics in my in-box,” stated Brown.
The policy analyst realizes that no matter how hard she works to produce a good policy or budget, people judge her based on her physical and aesthetical appearance.
That gender bias is highlighted by the fact that male candidates like Josh Matlow and Brad Bradford show up wearing jeans, while people expect Brown to dress like a ‘professional’ – even though the woman is thoroughly professional, just look at her budgeted campaign platform.
Brown, who placed third out of 30 candidates in the 2022 mayoral election, said, “It’s not surprising to me that women are discouraged to run because then you’re under a microscope about your insecurities. In order to do good work, I can’t focus on that.”
It was suggested that Brown throw her support behind Olivia Chow because the veteran politician already has the look and is already a professional. Brown has also been told that she has to wait and put in the time because she’s only 32-years-old.
Brown’s response to those critics is, “How much carnage do you need me to see before I take action?”
She went on to say, “I’m just as smart. I’m just as capable. Why should I help? Why should I quit? Because I don’t look like I fit the political establishment? I don’t mind running to talk about policy, I’m just not a politician where I delve into the branding of Chloe.”
Brown has hit the proverbial nail on the head. Younger women in politics are seen as either eye candy or arm candy. They’re encouraged to be sexualized helpers who help others win.
Older women have passed through the candy phase and entered into the arena where they are respected exactly because they no longer attract the focus of men. In other words, those older women can be trusted not to tempt men.
That’s where Brown experiences a disconnect with the public. She is interested in political governance because she is literally up at night worried about the uncertain, and seemingly impossible, future facing constituents’ kids, youth, and young adults.
“Being a woman in this male dominated field can be very exhausting because you have to compete. The power structure is held by men. Men don’t care about how they look on TV. They’re allowed to just speak and be heard,” observed Brown.
“And, that’s the approach that I’m taking. I’m just as good as any man or woman that I’m competing against. You need to listen to me and hear that,” Brown added.
Brown likens the public’s attraction to good looking people to a need to be close to beauty and power, but at the end of the day, it’s actions that speak volumes.
“Popularity is very easy, it’s all about ignoring the people who don’t like you. But that’s not governance and that’s why the city is failing because every criticism offers an opportunity for feedback. But if you’re popular, criticism is a slight against you,” maintains Brown.
Brown believes the executive class has grown too large and needs some thinning out because their undisciplined appetite is literally consuming Toronto. Unfortunately, politicians are unwilling to state that to their affluent donors.
“Look where chasing popularity has gotten us – that’s the real conversation I’ve been having. Because the truth is, no one is speaking for the people and folks on OW/ODSP [Ontario Works/Ontario Disability Support Program]. People don’t want to live in poverty, it’s just very convenient to have people in poverty because then they need a hero,” declared Brown.
Instead, Brown wants people to make government work for them. She wants people to understand that they have already outsourced their humanity to technology, but that artificial intelligence (AI) is not a threat.
Right now, the biggest threat to Torontonians is their appetite for convenience that has addicted them to what Brown calls, ‘junk food’ policy.
Think of it this way, harvesting good food takes time. It requires planting, weeding, sometimes pruning. It’s labour intensive and requires a variety of hands-on activities before the bounty can be harvested, shared, and enjoyed.
When it comes to ‘junk food’ policy, Torontonians have abandoned a lot of their involvement and hands-on activities. They’re content handing power over to corporations and bureaucracies with vested interests that don’t necessarily align with what’s best for Torontonians or what workers actually want.
One look at Brown’s costed campaign platform and it’s clear that this is a woman who knows what women want and need – access to health care; family doctors; day care that pays workers a living wage; affordable and available locally sourced healthy foods; and land trusts hosting deeply affordable citizen-owned housing. In other words, a truly caring society that helps people achieve their best and thrive.
The naysayers point out that Brown is still going to have to work with non-aligned councillors and, of course, Premier Doug Ford. But Brown is the visionary politician, policy maker, and advocate who can get Toronto working for the people.
As for detractors, Brown remains optimistic because as she sees it, “Every no creates an opportunity to move on.”
Check out Chloe Brown’s 3C Policy that combines a costed plan to integrate Community, Connectivity, and Commerce. It is truly a common-sense plan focused on poverty reduction, public service standards, and government efficiency achieved through civic engagement.
On Monday, June 26th vote for Toronto’s only progressive choice, vote for Chloe Brown.