The 2024 election brought with it the possibility to break the continuous cycle of men running our country. That opportunity is now crushed. Had Vice President Kamala Harris won the election, women would have been empowered and encouraged, as they would see a woman in a position that has only ever been dominated by men, and young women would be more inspired for their own futures. Instead, a rapist, felon, and fraud was elected to lead the country. With his misogynistic views, pro-life perspectives, and more, Donald Trump’s second presidency will have a terrible effect on the women in the United States, taking away their safety and freedom.
Trump has made astoundingly sexist remarks throughout the years; in a leaked footage from 2005 that surfaced in 2016, he spoke of his pursuit of women, stating “I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait.” How are women supposed to feel safe under a president who openly wants to assault them? In recent speeches, Trump has often mentioned that he wants to protect women by making their communities safer. When telling the crowd that his advisors had urged him to not say that line, he refused the advice and told them, “I’m going to do it whether the women like it or not. I am going to protect them.” How can this be true when these two sentences refute each other?
Because Trump was also found guilty of sexual assault, he faced a lack of female voters, a clear sign of how Trump’s election win will impact women. He sends a message to men across the country that there are little consequences to rape. In fact, one can still become President. Additionally, his beliefs will create policies that are unfair and harmful to women, such as abortion bans.
Since the beginning of his campaign dating back to 2016, former President Trump has always been pro-life. In his first term, President Trump appointed three Justices to the Supreme Court who struck down Roe v. Wade 1973 in 2022. This ended the laws that stood in this country for nearly half a century and left abortion laws up to individual states. Many fear that with the overturning of Roe, some states could revert back to their pre-Roe era, where abortion was completely illegal.
Now that President Trump has won the 2024 Presidential Election, there is no telling what he has in mind for women and their reproductive rights. Some believe that since Trump has accomplished his goal of overturning Roe v. Wade, he will back off and leave abortion decisions up to states. However, an overwhelming majority disagree. Medical providers, politicians, and reproductive rights advocates worry that Trump might seek out a federal ban on abortion, despite him recently saying that he is okay with a 15 week maximum.
To everyone who feels worried and confused about what the future holds, we understand. As we enter this new era together, we hope that women’s rights do not go ignored.
