DETROIT (WXYZ) — It was around 10 a.m. on Friday, June 24, when the U.S. Supreme Court decided to officially overturn Roe v. Wade, setting off a wave of reaction from people on both sides of the debate.
Differing political views have been causing division at the dinner table.
The family separation is even coming from the state’s top lawmakers.
Michigan Sen. Jim Stamas’ daughter Jessica went to TikTok to share her views on abortion.
“Hi, my name is Jess and I am the daughter of a Republican state senator in Michigan,” Jessica Stamas said. “This is a message for Gretchen Whitmer: I want to fight with you.”
@lifeofjess_15 This is a time to stand our ground. I am here with you. I am here for you. @BigGretchWhitmer ♬ original sound - Jessica Stamas
Sporting a Roe v. Wade shirt, she felt compelled to take a stand, even if it meant shutting down her father’s pro-life views.
"I will not go down without a fight,” Jessica Stamas said.
The one-minute clip captured the attention of thousands, with the original video collecting over 114,000 likes and 5,000 comments. She says she didn’t consult with her father before making the video.
Luckily, Jessica Stamas says her father was shocked but overall supportive. But not every family with opposing political views can come together. A local therapist explains how families can bridge that divide when politics pull them apart.
“It’s definitely more than doubled. I would say four out of the five days I see clients, somebody brings this up,” therapist Joe Kort said.
Kort, a relationship therapist with The Center for Relationship Health in Royal Oak, says the craze right now is to cut people off, but that’s not always best.
“Differences are how we grow,” Kort said.
But how do you grow instead of cutting people out of your life?
“There is a word for it in therapy called 'differentiation.' Can you allow for differences and not make someone right or wrong or good or bad?” Kort said.
Kort says think about how the person treats you instead of how they view the world. Listen to understand and validate their feelings, while expressing your own at the appropriate time. But if the issue becomes too personal or you feel your health is at risk, "then a cut-off may have to happen,” Kort said.
Jessica Stamas says it’s a work in progress.
“To be totally transparent, it’s hard. Like there are parts of me that are sad ... I definitely want to feel more heard in my family,” she said.
Jim Stamas says the friction in his own family has helped him understand and collaborate with people across the aisle.
“Our country was built on diversity in both people and opinions. It’s quite frankly what makes our country great,” he said.
The Stamas family says even if feelings are hurt and someone needs to step away for a while, love will always bring them back together.
“It happens, but there are things I think my dad does an amazing job at,” Jessica Stamas said.
