suzmccarth wrote:

>
> > Don't you also have to be a US voter?
>
> I should have remembered that - you are quite right.

Well I am neither a mom nor a suv driver, but I am a US voter. I am not
sure that one needs to actually vote to be in the (broadly defined)
demographic group called "soccer moms". After all, no one really knows
who votes and who doesn't, and given the abysmally low voting rates in
the best of times, I doubt anyone uses the term with that nuance in
mind. Surely no group labeled "soccer moms" votes 100% in every election.

What they might be referring to sometimes (not in all usages) is the
demographics that might be more likely to vote then others in their
jurisdiction, and tends to think alike on most matters. Depending on
your point of view, this might be a good thing or a bad thing - no
comments on that heard from me - but in that sense, one does not really
need to be a mom or an suv driver or have anything to do with soccer to
be labeled a "soccer mom".

But for the most part, it is a term meant to summarize a demographic
category, that is fuzzy around the edges, in a few syllables, not unlike
"teen agers", "seniors", or "people of color", "illegal immigrants" or
"descendants of the original Mayflower pilgrims". It has more
connotational meaning then denotational. They are close to being
political and marketing shibboleths: (OK, before anyone asks :) , see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiboleth, esp. "Modern Usage")

I don't know if other countries have such terms or not - I'd be curious
about a list, via direct email if it is considered enough off topic.

Best,

Barry