Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
We inform. You decide.
Friday, March 29, 2024

Is a Trump presidency actually good for the feminist movement?

After the 2016 Presidential election, many American women felt anguish and fear for their future. The actions and words of President Donald Trump during his campaign hinted at a “The Handmaid’s Tale”-esque future and a lack of progression for the feminist movement and general equality.

However, what we’ve seen not only contradicts the anxieties many women and men had, but actually goes beyond what any of us could have hoped for. It would appear women have used Trump’s presidency as a wake up call to get to work making history.

Has Trump continued to debase women and their value? Yes. Has he maintained an utter disrespect for most Americans other than those with white skin, a plump bank account and both an X and Y chromosome? Of course. And that’s exactly what Americans expected. Yet, there is a difference between the dystopian future we expected and the one we are living in. The distinction is this: we didn’t choose to sit down and take it. Women, in particular, didn’t chose to sit down and take it; they chose to fight to preserve their place in society.

According to Fortune Magazine, as of April 5, 309 women — Democrats and Republicans alike — have filed papers to run for seats in the U.S House of Representatives. The last time the country saw a number this high was in 2012, when 298 women filed to run, according to data from the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University that AP analyzed.

Unsurprisingly, the House and Congress have been full of men throughout U.S. political history. As such, seeing women strive to change the norm and insert themselves in a male-dominated arena is a big win for modern feminists. It also proves Americans are not only rejecting the attitude Trump has put forth toward women, but we are showing him just how wrong he is and how little we care about his frequent belittlement of females.

Jennifer Palmieri, a top Hillary Clinton Aide, told Vox in an interview, “I think Trump’s victory proved to women — if you did not support him — you could draw two conclusions. One: Women were only meant to go so far, and men like that were meant to win in America, or we were playing by an outdated set of rules that women politicians and women in business followed for decades.”

Basically, women are more inspired than ever to make their voices heard and advance the feminist agenda. The ignition provided by Clinton’s loss and by Trump’s victory has propelled American women to further their agenda and see it come to fruition. It didn’t stop at pink hats or sarcastic signs, it continued all the way to the House floor, where they are sure to continue to fight for and represent American women.

The Trump presidency has helped to fire up some women who are ready to take back their country. Women are making America what they want it to be, regardless of who’s in charge.

In Trump’s attempts to silence women and their goals, he’s only made them louder. This record-breaking number of women filing to run for seats in the House is proof of this.

Enjoy what you're reading? Get content from The Alligator delivered to your inbox
Support your local paper
Donate Today
The Independent Florida Alligator has been independent of the university since 1971, your donation today could help #SaveStudentNewsrooms. Please consider giving today.

Powered by SNworks Solutions by The State News
All Content © 2024 The Independent Florida Alligator and Campus Communications, Inc.