“If you vote for Trump in the upcoming election, we are through.” Thus began a letter from a son to his Boomer parents. “I was somewhat willing to overlook your decision in the previous election, despite his divisive rhetoric. But, if you still fail to recognize the harm he represents, I cannot allow you to be around my children or my wife.”
Political disagreements within families are increasingly common. A 2016 Ipsos/Reuters poll found that 16% of people in the U.S. aren’t speaking to each other because of political differences.
Blood is no longer thicker than water, especially if that water is political affiliation.
As a psychologist specializing in family estrangement, I’ve seen political differences tear families apart. Psychologists have long understood that simply identifying with a group—no matter how small—can trigger a sense of division from others. According to a report by Pew, political identity has become the most powerful marker for determining who we associate with or reject, surpassing differences in race, age, gender, or religion.
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