Dear College Women,
Most of us felt the ache as we woke up for class on November 9, the slow realization that the election hadn’t turned out the way we planned. The election had dangled the prospect of the first woman president in front of us—and suddenly, we were no longer tantalizingly close to shattering the glass ceiling. As Trump’s camp declared victory, it seemed as if the country was moving backwards once again. The United States of America has still never enacted a female president—for one of the most advanced countries in the world, this seems quite reactionary. After all, women have served as Egyptian pharaohs and European queens, and many have led great nations in the past and in the present. Why are we consistently left behind in America?
We are the generation that will change this. For those of us who were severely impacted by this election, the result can be a call for new leadership. We have seen Hillary Clinton become the first woman nominee of a major party, and she has inspired us to work even harder, to strive for more than the status quo.
Instead of focusing on the fears of Trump’s presidency—the possible anti-abortion laws, his own misogynistic rhetoric—we must remain determined to break this status quo that has led to men running our country for three hundred years. Women have proved that we are just as capable, hard-working, and intelligent. As students, we have the opportunity to enter positions of leadership and continue the fight.
We should be unafraid of leadership and responsibility. By running in an election on campus, stepping up to a leadership position in a club, we can slowly prove to ourselves that the strides Hillary made for us were not in vain. This is not to say that we should only support candidates (whether it be in a national or local election) just because they are women. However, it is important for us to stand together to tackle the modern stance of the country—a stance that supports the white, affluent man over practically every other group.
We are millennials, and we are women; these are two important identities that will guide us into this uncertain future. Throughout the murkiness of this election and its aftermath, at least we have this solidarity to move forward. Hillary may have paved the path, but eventually a woman will shatter the glass ceiling. Instead of waiting, we have to motivate ourselves to be that woman and to be that leader. No fear, just action.