Why Is Kveller So Political?

Over the past few months, we’ve gotten asked this question every few days: Hey! Why is Kveller so political all of a sudden?

So, we wanted to take a minute and answer you. We’re living in a very political moment. And at Kveller, which is mostly powered by brilliant freelancers, our content is largely determined by what our readers, who are also our writers, feel moved by and compelled to say.

So yes, at this particular point in time, many of our authors who typically write about bedtime routines have been sending us posts about their fears, and their musings about policies, and politics—and we welcome those thoughts.

We welcome those thoughts because this is the stuff on all our minds. The concern about how to talk to our kids, and how to manage ourselves as parents and human beings in the face of disturbing news, from bomb threats to travel bans to abortion bans and budget cuts, is of paramount importance to our community —and it’s crucial for the world’s future, if we’re being honest.

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That’s why the editorial staff here at Kveller feels so excited to honor our writers’ voices, even if it occasionally leads to discomfort or disagreement (although let’s be real, it can be less intense than some of the arguments people have about parenting styles—have you seen the comments on any piece about sleep training?!) We welcome, and even love, diverse viewpoints as long as it doesn’t get personal or mean.

We’re running pieces about immigration, refugees, abortion, healthcare and gay marriage because that’s what is preoccupying so many of us, including our staff.

But that’s not all we’re running! We’ve had some terrific posts in the last few months in the same vein as they’ve always been: how to dress our tree-climbing girls. How to contend with teenagers, and losing our parents. How to get along with our spouses when we’re freaking exhausted! How to celebrate the holidays in inventive, relevant ways. How to find toys and games that are empowering, not upsetting, for our kids—and prayer shawls that are perfect for us and them.

If there’s anything I know from my time in Jewish communities, it’s this: we love to debate everything, and our absolute favorite thing to debate is what’s best for the Jews. The old saying is, two Jews, three opinions. We’ll never agree 100%, but we choose to embrace that mindset at Kveller. Even as we’re entering fraught territory thanks to world events, we can guarantee our commitment to smart parenting discourse with compassion and heart.

Sarah M. Seltzer

Sarah Seltzer, former editor for Kveller, is a writer and editor in New York City. She is a journalist covering culture, activism and gender, most recently as Deputy Editor at culture website Flavorwire.com. Her print and online work has appeared in publications including Poets & Writers, The Forward, Lilith, The Washington Post, Ms. Magazine, The New York Times, Salon, The Nation, The Wall Street Journal, Jezebel, The Hairpin, Refinery29, The Toast, Rolling Stone, and many more. She is a graduate of Harvard University, where she edited The Crimson’s weekend magazine, as well as the MFA in writing program at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her first baby, Mikey, is growing up way too fast and she can objectively report that he is very cute. You can follow her at @sarahmseltzer and reach her at sarah@kveller.com.