Kamala Harris, the current Vice President of the United States, holds a unique position in American political history. She is the first woman, the first Black woman, and the first South Asian American to hold this office. As a prominent figure in today’s political landscape, Harris often gets associated with Generation X (Gen X), typically referring to people born between 1965 and 1980. However, despite her birth year of 1964, Harris fundamentally differs from what we know as a Gen Xer in both experience and outlook.
In this article, we’ll explore why Kamala Harris doesn’t embody the essence of Generation X by examining the defining characteristics of Gen X, the significant generational divides between Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials, and how Harris’s life and career align more closely with Baby Boomers than with the disaffected, pragmatic, and tech-savvy Gen X.
Who are the Gen Xers?
Generation X, commonly defined as people born between 1965 and 1980, is often overlooked in discussions about generational identities, falling between the massive Baby Boomer generation and the more widely discussed Millennials. Gen Xers grew up during a time of transition—between the post-WWII optimism of the Baby Boomers and the digital revolution that shaped Millennials. They were raised amidst the aftermath of the Vietnam War, Watergate, and the 1970s energy crisis, and many experienced the early days of personal computing, the rise of punk rock, and a growing sense of economic and political disillusionment.
Culturally, Gen Xers are often characterized by skepticism, independence, and a strong “DIY” ethos. The term “latchkey kid” became synonymous with their experience, as many Gen Xers were left to their own devices due to shifting social norms around parenting and work. Growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, many in this generation had access to burgeoning technology—like the Atari, Walkman, and later, personal computers—that shaped their relationship with the digital world, making them the first generation to blend analog and digital experiences.
Moreover, Gen X is known for its rebellion against the traditional corporate ladder climb that Baby Boomers were taught to value. Gen Xers were more likely to reject the pursuit of status or wealth at the cost of work-life balance, and they leaned heavily into alternative lifestyles and subcultures such as grunge, hip hop, and skate culture.
Kamala Harris: Born on the Cusp of Two Generations
Born in October 1964, Kamala Harris is technically on the cusp between the Baby Boomer and Gen X generations. Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, came of age during the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and the countercultural revolutions of the 1960s. They were deeply shaped by post-war prosperity and the cultural explosion that defined that era.
Harris’s upbringing, which took place in the midst of these defining Boomer moments, set her apart from those who were shaped by the more cynical, individualistic forces that defined Gen X. Her parents were intellectuals and civil rights activists, her mother hailing from India and her father from Jamaica. This family background of activism and academia reflects an experience more aligned with the idealism and civic engagement of Baby Boomers than with the cautious pragmatism of Gen X.
Moreover, Kamala Harris spent part of her formative years living outside of the U.S., specifically in Canada, when her mother moved to Montreal for work. Living abroad during such crucial years distances Harris from the typical American Gen X experience. While many Gen Xers were shaped by unique U.S. events like the rise of video games, MTV, the Watergate scandal, and economic uncertainty, Harris was removed from these key moments of American culture. Instead, she grew up in a Canadian environment that was significantly different from the political and social atmosphere of the U.S. during the 1970s and 1980s.
Additionally, Harris frequently visited Jamaica, her father’s home country, further adding to her international experiences during her formative years. This time spent in both Canada and Jamaica set her apart from the typical American Gen X upbringing, which was largely rooted in the cultural, social, and political landscape of the U.S.
Her experience abroad meant she wasn’t immersed in the same disillusionment and rebellious cultural movements that defined Gen X’s identity in America. This international background gives her a broader, more global perspective but separates her from the specific shared experiences that many American Gen Xers had.
The Gen X Experience: Independence, Disillusionment, and Technology
Generation X is often described as the “forgotten” generation, overshadowed by both Baby Boomers and Millennials. This feeling of being overlooked and left to fend for themselves shaped their worldview. Raised during the rise of divorce rates, many Gen Xers grew up as latchkey kids, coming home to empty houses after school and learning self-reliance at a young age.
This generational characteristic of independence and skepticism is tied to the political and economic climate in which Gen X came of age. They witnessed the fallout of the Vietnam War, the Watergate scandal, and economic recessions that created a deep sense of disillusionment. Unlike the Baby Boomers, who had a more collective sense of identity shaped by large-scale social movements, Gen Xers leaned into a more individualistic, entrepreneurial spirit. They were more likely to reject large institutions, mistrust government, and favor alternative paths to success.
In terms of technology, Generation X straddled the analog and digital divide. They grew up with rotary phones, vinyl records, and cable TV, but also embraced the rise of the internet and digital technology in their early adult years. Their fluency with both analog and digital worlds gave them a unique vantage point, different from the tech-native Millennials or the analog-heavy Baby Boomers.
However, Kamala Harris’s professional life, which began in the early 1990s, did not see the same engagement with or reliance on digital technologies as Gen X professionals did. By the time the internet was taking off in the mid-1990s, Harris was well into her legal career, already established within the institutional framework of government and law. Her relationship with technology, therefore, aligns more with a Baby Boomer perspective—using technology as a tool rather than an integral part of her identity.
Civic Engagement and Public Service: Boomer or Gen Xer?
One of the starkest differences between Kamala Harris and the typical Gen X experience is her early commitment to public service and civic engagement. Gen Xers are often characterized by their skepticism of large institutions—whether government, corporations, or religious organizations. This skepticism led many Gen Xers to explore non-traditional career paths, such as startups, the arts, or independent contracting, in contrast to the Baby Boomers’ more traditional career trajectories in large organizations.
Harris, on the other hand, pursued a conventional path into government and public service. After attending law school, she began her career as a deputy district attorney, working within the established systems of law and government. Her ascent into higher office followed a clear and traditional career trajectory, from district attorney to attorney general of California, then to U.S. Senator, and eventually Vice President. This career path is more aligned with the Baby Boomer emphasis on working within established systems to create change, rather than the Gen X tendency to rebel against or circumvent those systems.
Moreover, Harris’s lifelong engagement with activism, largely shaped by her family’s involvement in the civil rights movement, also aligns her more closely with Baby Boomers, who were deeply shaped by the protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s. Gen X, by contrast, came of age during a more politically apathetic period, often characterized as the “Me Generation” that focused on personal success rather than collective activism. Although Gen Xers are certainly politically active today, their formative years were marked by a focus on individualism rather than the collective movements that defined the Baby Boomer era.
Pop Culture and Kamala Harris: A Disconnect with Gen X
Gen Xers are often defined by their relationship to pop culture. They were the first generation to grow up with MTV, cable television, and home video game consoles, and they embraced subcultures like punk, grunge, and hip hop as forms of rebellion and self-expression. Movies like The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Reality Bites defined the Gen X experience of adolescence and young adulthood—a time of existential questioning, rebellion against authority, and a search for identity outside of the mainstream.
Kamala Harris, by contrast, does not seem to share this deep connection with the pop culture touchstones of Generation X. While she has made references to pop culture in her public appearances, such as her affinity for hip hop artists like Tupac, her public persona is more closely aligned with the political and cultural touchstones of Baby Boomers, such as her references to civil rights leaders and figures like Thurgood Marshall.
Additionally, the subcultures that defined Gen X—whether grunge, skate culture, or the early tech revolution—are not a significant part of Harris’s public identity. This lack of connection to the pop culture landscape that shaped Gen X further distances her from the generational identity that she is often associated with.
Conclusion: Kamala Harris’s Baby Boomer Roots
While Kamala Harris may technically fall on the cusp between Baby Boomers and Generation X, her life and career trajectory, her cultural references, and her approach to public service align her far more closely with the Baby Boomer generation. Born in 1964, she grew up during the civil rights era, a time that deeply shaped her outlook and commitment to activism and public service—values that are more characteristic of Baby Boomers than of the skeptical, individualistic, and often disillusioned Generation X.
Her early engagement with traditional institutions of power, her conventional career path through government, and her lack of connection to the pop culture touchstones that define Gen X further emphasize her Baby Boomer roots.
Moreover, even if Kamala Harris were elected President of the United States, she would not be considered a true representative of Generation X. Some may argue that, due to her birth year, she could be labeled as an “honorary Gen Xer,” but this argument doesn’t hold up. The experiences that shape someone’s worldview are far more significant than technicalities surrounding birth dates. Harris’s formative years, including her upbringing abroad in Canada and frequent trips to Jamaica, place her outside the realm of the traditional American Gen X experience.
The defining characteristics of Generation X—independence, skepticism of institutions, disillusionment with authority, and a deep connection to U.S.-based cultural shifts—are not reflected in Harris’s background or career. Her life experiences, both personal and professional, align much more closely with the values and outlook of Baby Boomers. Therefore, despite being on the generational cusp, Kamala Harris cannot be considered Gen X, nor does the notion of her being an “honorary” member of that generation make sense.
As the world continues to change and generations shift in the political landscape, Harris represents a bridge between two eras, but her identity is firmly rooted in the idealism and activism of the Baby Boomer generation. Generation X, with its skepticism and independence, may have shaped many of today’s leaders, but Harris’s approach remains fundamentally shaped by the generation before it. Her blend of international experiences, commitment to established institutions, and focus on public service make her more of a Baby Boomer than a Gen Xer, even though she may be seen as close in age to those in Generation X.
In conclusion, Kamala Harris may be on the cusp of two generations, but her life, career, and outlook align far more closely with the Baby Boomer generation. Even if she were elected president, she would not be considered Gen X, and labeling her as such would be misleading. The experiences that define Gen X—independence, disillusionment with institutions, and a deep connection to American pop culture—are not a part of Harris’s formative years or professional life. While she may carry some characteristics that overlap with Generation X, she is ultimately a product of an earlier generation and should be recognized as such.