In his November 9 victory speech to claim the US presidency, Donald Trump said it was time to “bind the wound of division” in America. But mollifying words now cannot undo the Republican’s hostile comments made over the past 18 months, which vilified anyone considered to be “other” – and women, perhaps, most of all.
Donald Trump’s platform has been fuelled by hatred of those who are different from him, both inside and outside of the United States. The divisive Trump campaign exposed the full extent of the racial, ethnic and gender fissures in American society for all the world to see.
Were they always there? Yes – but they could have been mended with equality and inclusion. Instead they have been torn wide open.
Muddled policy and Islamophobia.
As a result, any attempts by Trump (and, by consequence, the US) to upholding or imposing human rights and gender equality beyond American shores, and particularly any finger-pointing, will now not only fall on deaf ears but could also backfire.
Trump’s Middle East policy is isolationist but not entirely clear. The president-elect’s unpredictability alone is reason for fear, but his favour for closed borders to Syria and clear anti-Muslim sentiment are explicit and worrisome, both inside and outside the US.
The glass ceiling remains in tact. (Image via Carlos Barria/Reuters) [/img_caption]
What do we tell young girls about the America we tried to build, and the America the world will now face? Is this the end of the global landmark Roe vs Wade abortion decision, Planned Parenthood funding, bodily integrity and protection of sexual rights and marital equality?
Accusations of sexual assault at the hands of Donald Trump abound. When such a man becomes president, it leaves little hope that the women who have come forward will ever see any form of support. The message is simple: you can brag about sexually assaulting women and it will not affect your career. In fact, it could very well propel you into the presidency.
These are the ingredients that fuel rape culture and allow cases like that of Stanford swimmer Brock Turner to proliferate in the US. They serve as an example to condone such abuses abroad.
Hear Mia Freedman, Rosie Waterland, Jessie Stephens and others debriefing about the US election on a special Mamamia Out Loud bonus episode, here:
Trump could also close doors to much-needed international aid. The US is a critical donor to the United Nations’refugee agency in an era with massive war-spurred displacement and migration. Trump has made no secret of his disdain for the UN and similar institutions. His lack of support for key international institutions risks undermining the Sustainable Development Goals and other global compacts.
Again, all of this would hit women hardest.
In Clinton’s concession speech, she told her supporters, “Never stop believing that fighting for what’s right is worth it”. Yet Trump supporters chanted, “Lock her up”.
The glass ceiling Clinton tried to crack has now been reinforced; it is stronger than ever.
This article originally appeared on The Conversation and has been republished with permission.
Top Comments
Oh pat a therapy dog or something. Give the guy the chance to be inaugurated at least before you declare we are back in the Dark Ages.
Bernie was +15 vs Trump compared to Clinton at +6 when she cheated him out of the race. If your wonderful woman hadn't been handed the DNC debate questions by another wonderful woman, now disgraced and fired, Bernie would have faced and on the evidence, most likely beaten Trump.
If she hadn't set up a private server to hide her government business from review and oversite, if Wonder Woman Huma hadn't backed up classified documents to her Yahoo account, maybe she still would have won anyway.
She tanked, it wasn't others sexism, it was all her. Own it.
I saw much more hatred directed toward Trump than toward Clinton during the campaign.
You find it strange a vicious racist, sexist and sexual assaulter of women received hate? Really?? Trump getting hate is understandable. I think, to most decent, fair-minded human beings. Normally most people would hate or dislike someone who sexually assaults women - and brags about it, who mocks the disabled, etc. Are you trying to tell us that you think someone like that shouldn't get hatred or people shouldn't be repulsed by someone like that? That would be a very interesting and unusual idea to put forward. Imagine if Trump said those things, and was a Muslim... I think those praising him would be using him as an example of Islamic treatment of women. Rather ironic, when you consider it. Further ironic, when you consider Trump said that women over 35 could be 'traded in' (his words) as they lose their looks and become over the hill. Maybe he has more in common with Islam than he thought.