 What will it mean if citizens of the United States of America, in November 2024, elect Kamala D. Harris as the first female president in the country’s history? What might it imply if they do not, and instead elect Donald Trump to the office for a non-consecutive second term? For all the passionate proclamations declaring the U.S. as a leading defender of democracy around the world, the absence of a woman president in its 248 years of history poses a serious challenge to that claim. So does the systemic insistence on controlling women’s reproductive rights, gender pay gaps, and unsettling statistics documenting violence against women. The imbalance becomes even more glaring when comparing the U.S.’s omission to that of various countries branded as less developed or commanding, but which nevertheless have placed women in their highest seats of power. THE UNEXPECTED EXAMPLE OF MEXICO Think about the different points of criticism which the United States’ government has leveled against its neighbor, Mexico, over the course of two centuries: human rights violations, drug wars, and border/migration disputes. With such serious diplomatic grievances, it seems ironic that Mexico should have elected its first woman president, Claudia Sheinbaum, before the U.S. That, however, is exactly what happened when Ms. Sheinbaum, an environmental scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, won the office June 2, 2024. Commenting on her herstoric election, Sheinbaum pointed out: “I didn’t get here on my own, we all got here together: our female heroes who created the nation, our female ancestors, our mothers, our daughters, and our granddaughters.” The kind of decisive difference which President Sheinbaum emphasized solidarity among women made in her election, did not do the same, as many thought it might, when Hillary Clinton ran against Donald Trump for the U.S. presidency in 2016. According to post-election analysts at the Pew Research Center, some 47 percent of White women voters cast their ballots for Trump compared to 45 percent for Clinton. Is there any reason to believe Harris, a Black woman, would do any better with this powerful demographic? Possibly yes. THE FEMININE FOCUS Prior to the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe versus Wade in 2022, the idea of Americans electing a president who could relate more directly to the lives of women seemed less urgent, or necessary. Now, with subsequent bans, or restrictions, on women’s access to abortions in effect in almost half our politically polarized states, Harris’s gender, among women of diverse backgrounds, may serve as a greater advantage for her than it did for Clinton. In addition, there are other concerns on which, generally, more women appear to dwell than men: 1) the gun violence which has been described as the leading cause of death among children in the U.S.; 2) the rising costs of starting and maintaining a family; and 3) what President Sheinbaum identified as “femicide”, or the murder of women and girls simply because they are women and girls. In her August 22, 2024, acceptance speech before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, Harris outlined how her intent to govern both aligns with and extends beyond what could be categorized as women’s concerns: “In this election, many other fundamental freedoms are at stake. The freedom to live safe from gun violence––in our schools, communities, and places of worship. The freedom to love who you love openly and with pride. The freedom to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live free from the pollution that fuels the climate crisis. And the freedom that unlocks all the others. The freedom to vote.” Expanding further on leadership vision, she boldly asserted: “I will make sure that: We lead the world into the future on space and Artificial Intelligence. That America—not China—wins The competition for the 21st century. And that we strengthen—not abdicate—our global leadership.” TOWARDS A BALANCED REPRESENTATION Declaring oneself a leader in any given context includes providing examples of preferred standards and practices. When we think about the U.S.’s designation as “leader of the free world,” we have to question why it is that not only Mexico, but many other populous nations across the globe (as seen in part 2 of this article) have already taken the historic step of electing a woman to head their government while the U.S. has insisted on dragging its collective feet in this area. After all, Hillary Clinton’s selection as the first woman major-party nominee for president in 2016 came close to a full century after American women were granted the right to vote in 1919-1920. Why does any of this matter? Because a primary component of what we like to call modern democracy is a balanced representation of a country’s diverse populations. Such representation reduces the sense of being defined, or treated, “as marginalized,” dis-empowered, or oppressed. It increases the chances a person who sees their likeness reflected in a position of power is likely to develop their individual potential in a way that benefits themselves as well as their community. It is also significant because of the emphasis women may place on issues which male statesmen may be more likely to minimize or endlessly debate due to monetary costs of implementing them. PREFERRED MYTHS AND DOCUMENTED REALITIESThis article began with two questions about possible implications regarding whomever Americans choose for their president in November 2024. When examining, in part 2, the list of countries where women have already served as presidents or prime ministers, one thing in particular becomes clear: Harris’s election would mean America is catching up with the global community when it comes to entrusting capable women with top leadership positions. It would also mean the ultimate glass ceiling has been shattered. In addition, it would put an end to speculations on how long it might take, following Barack H. Obama’s eight years in the Oval Office (2009-2017), before U.S. citizens elect a second African-American president. In regard to the second question: the implications of Donald Trump winning a non-consecutive second term would be numerous and profound. His frequent denial of confirmed facts which most find self-evident––like climate change and devastations of the COVID-19 pandemic during his presidency––can only be described as either intentionally deceptive or unintentionally delusional. As such, electing him to the presidency for a second term would, in fact, present Americans and those watching around the world with yet more disturbing considerations. Among those considerations: Why would Americans choose to invest with such power someone daily described on numerous diverse media platforms as a spreader of falsehoods, someone who is a convicted felon, who praises dictators while branding Americans opposed to his authoritarian leadership style as “enemies within,” and whose incitement of violence among January 6 election deniers landed scores of his “MAGA supporters” in prison? Why, despite the hardcore verified reality of Mr. Trump’s legal and ethical transgressions, do millions insist on mythologizing him as a kind of messiah who suffers persecution on their behalf? Given the observations just noted, his infamous video-recorded statement that he believed being a celebrity entitled him to grab women by their genitals, and his installment of Supreme Court justices most likely to repeal such progressive social gains as women’s reproductive rights and colleges’ practice of affirmative action (which they have done), it is clear certain Americans prefer the mythological version of former President Trump to the real person. The list of some of the countries which have already elected women presidents or prime ministers presented in part two of this article is arranged chronologically rather than by any kind of meritorious ranking. Some are well-known, but for those who do not regularly study or monitor such issues, some will be surprising. To check out the list and read concluding reflections on the 2024 race for the U.S. presidency, please click: Kamala Harris and Women Leaders around the World (part 2): 10 Countries ahead of the U.S.A. . Aberjhani Author of Dreams of the Immortal City Savannah Co-author of Encyclopedia of the Harlem Renaissance Creator of Silk-Featherbrush Artstyle For more by Aberjhani, enjoy Reading for Free his Conversations with the World
0 Comments
 (“Shakespeare Considered Sepia” 2024 digital painting by Aberjhani based on original 1623 First Folio engraving by Martin Droeshout.)
|
AberjhaniContemporary award-winning American author of classically-styled works in history, poetry, creative nonfiction, speculative fiction, and journalism. 
Archives
October 2024
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed