You’ve undoubtedly realized this isn’t the Women Rule history-making edition. It is the Women Endure redux, although as we’ve said throughout the election campaign: We are ready. Bring it on. We all knew that no matter who won the election women would be targeted for attacks and bullying because the Republican campaign promoted as normal the sexist abuse common to our lives. In the four days since our edgy hopes sharpened painfully and turned to despair, we have reflected on how women voted; consequences likely to result from this election and those already manifesting; what this means to us; and what we can do about it.
We may be ready in general, however along with other marginalized citizens (e.g., LGBTQ, Blacks, immigrants, Latinx, Native Americans, non-Christians, disabled), first we have to mourn our losses and face our justifiable fears. Advocacy groups already are announcing opposition and protection plans. They too are ready. Today we put aside the usual War on Women reports from the past week and look at what happened, including some wins for women, and how to handle what comes next.
The consequences of Tuesday’s election already are occurring in our schools, workplaces, and streets. These consequences require immediate attention and planning. One instant response is the safety pin movement that emigrated from post-Brexit U.K. to the U.S. and offers a fast simple means of showing support for people marginalized even more than usual in Trump’s America. The #safetypinusa concept addresses our fears and is a beginning, a small action but not the only action.
In her speech for Wellesley’s 1969 graduation, Hillary Rodham talked about fear of the future, a theme still pertinent 47 years later.
One of the most tragic things that happened yesterday, a beautiful day, was that I was talking to a woman who said that she wouldn't want to be me for anything in the world. She wouldn't want to live today and look ahead to what it is she sees because she's afraid. Fear is always with us but we just don't have time for it. Not now.
How did Hillary Clinton’s election loss happen? Haven’t we worked to promote women’s rights since the 1960’s as did our fore-mothers? Weren’t women loud and proud enough during the campaign season? What about #StrongerTogether? Were women really together?
What few of us guessed is that white women in general preferred Trump (53% for Trump vs 43% for Clinton), especially those who didn’t graduate from college (62%-34%). Only among college graduate white women did Clinton get more votes (45% for Trump vs 52% for Clinton). White women, as Samantha Bee pointed out, have some karma to work off. We might say “hey I voted for Clinton” but just like men, we aren’t let off the hook with the hashtag #NotAllWhiteWomen because one major failing all along in the feminist movement has been exclusivity. Second wave feminism coalesced during the 1960’s in places like Wellesley and other universities as an educated white women’s movement, although Latina (Chicana) and Black women also made major contributions. But it wasn’t inclusive activism.
Our white woman from Wellesley presidential candidate won greater support from Black and Latina women than from white women. Exit polls say only four percent of Black women and 24 percent of Latinas supported Trump. We also owe women who weren’t alive during second wave feminism our gratitude and reparations for letting them down. Among all women voters, 64 percent of those in the 18 to 24 age group voted for Clinton compared to 29 percent for Trump. Thus the granddaughters of second wave feminists heavily supported Clinton but likely will face the harsh abortion and reproductive rights restrictions of their grandmothers’ era. And apparently their grandmothers forgot what they learned as young women.
Women did see some gains in the election. This was reported dramatically: the number of women of color in the Senate quadrupled. In actual numbers what this means is we had one (Japanese American Mazie Hirono who represents Hawaii) and now we have four.
In Illinois Tammy Duckworth (whose mother is Thai and Vietnamese) beat the male Republican incumbent. California Attorney General Kamala Harris (of Indian and Black heritage) won over another Democrat, Latina Loretta Sanchez. And in Nevada, Catherine Cortez Masto became our first Latina Senator. Oregon’s Kate Brown is the first openly LGBTQ elected Governor. In Dania Beach (Broward County, FL) a Black woman, Tamara James, was elected Mayor; and in Minnesota Ilhan Omar became the first Somali-American elected to a state legislature.
The first South Asian woman, Pramila Jayapal, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives by Washington state. Jayapal’s statement echoes the sentiments of Clinton’s campaign and the post-election determination of feminists.
As your elected representative in what is likely to be a hostile Congress, I will need all of you at my side, not just in some theoretical way but literally every step of the way. Because our task is not just to fight when it is convenient. But when it is absolutely urgent and when it is the hardest. [...]
I have never backed down before, and I will not back down now.
What comes next began immediately with gloating abuse of marginalized and aspiring citizens. This happened to all age groups in many locations throughout the U.S., although the majority occurred in K-12 schools. The next most common locales (in descending order) were universities, businesses, driving, private property, public transportation, public parks and streets, and even places of worship. Blacks, immigrants, and Muslims were the most frequently reported targets, although the data doesn’t note cases where these types overlapped (e.g., Black Muslim woman). And this only documents those cases reported to Southern Poverty Law Center’s Hatewatch.
The good news is the rate of reported hate actions was highest the day after the election (>100), decreased on Thursday (~80) and again decreased on Friday (~20). Hatewatch has a website form for reporting hate and intimidation incidents and asks people to notify local police first (although use your own judgment on the safety of this action).
Organizations such as Planned Parenthood, National Women’s Law Center and ACLU are promising to oppose abuse of our rights and freedoms.
Planned Parenthood’s article 7 Things You Can Do to Help lists actions and advocacy organizations to help all marginalized citizens. As have other organizations, PP assures us that we aren’t alone and helps us fight back as they have for over 100 years.
Women of color leaders in Our 100 know that one election is not the whole story and ask people to pledge their support (and then do it!).
Black lives, women’s lives, immigrant’s lives, the lives of LGBTQ folks, of people with disabilities; of working people of every race, region and ethnicity, including those at Standing Rock and others protecting our land. We know that the future and well-being of this country depends on the health and well-being of all women.
Latinx culture website Remezcla offers suggestions: Feeling Helpless After Trump’s Win? Here Are 10 Organizations to Support. This article spotlights groups like National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, Trans-Latin@ Coalition, and Border Angels. Moms Rising asks you to join them. The Urgent Action Fund lists steps to fortify women’s and LGBTQ equality, including sharing information through #sheleadstoo. The young women at Feministing remind readers we have work to do and now isn’t the time to quit with examples of where to begin. So does Jezebel.
Let’s be clear: people of color, queer and trans people, immigrants, Muslims, women, and folks with disabilities are extremely vulnerable right now. The most important thing right now is to show up, commit to their work, and if you’re able, support them.
The National Disability Leadership Alliance’s statement echoes the same sentiment.
We cannot go back to that all too recent past in which we thoroughly ignored and excluded the voices of disabled people who belong to multiple communities. Disabled people of color and Disabled LGBTQIA people are not tangential parts of our community; they are us.
Disabled people live in every corner of our society and for our work to have any meaning it must represent all of our interests. There is no victory in clawing for a smaller piece of a diminishing pie. We must continue to fight for the constitutional and civil rights of ALL disabled people. Beyond that, we must fight for justice for all. We cannot for one second forget that our diversity is our strength, and unity is essential to our cause.
Now, more than ever, we are urged to work together on the problems affecting all marginalized people not just women, not just Blacks, not just our particular group. This election has catalyzed intersectionality by sending the loud message that none of us is safe until all of us are safe. This has always been true, but more than ever now we are attending to this truth. White college-educated women are not saviors nobly lifting up others to our safe place above it all. We are vulnerable to many of the same threats and will survive this battle and win this war together.
In the days following the election, stories of small kindnesses and shows of support streamed across social media, many arising from the nearly 3,500,000 members of the Facebook group Pantsuit Nation. One woman baked cookies and took them to the local Muslim Center. Another left the StrongerTogether bumper sticker on her car as a sign to others that she supports them and offers safety. Someone followed through on her long-held intent to sign up as a volunteer tutor for ESL students. Other people expressed their distress and asked for help.
Jewish and very very afraid. Tell me you're with me... I already got called "queer kike' twice on my way home yesterday from the store, by two men in Trump hats. I'm so scared. Please tell me you're with me.
It’s going to take more than safety pins, cookies, and messages of support. If you are interested in running for office in 2018 we can mitigate some of the 2016 election’s consequences. Emily’s List Political Opportunities Program has training and support programs to help you begin.
In a show of broad support for everyone affected by Trump’s presidency and as an opportunity for catalyzing action, the Women’s March on Washington is planned in Washington DC for the day after the inauguration. This is an inclusive march and everyone who supports women's rights is welcome. National and state organizing events are linked on the March’s Facebook page.
...to show our strength, power and courage and demonstrate our disapproval of the new president and his values in a peaceful march. ALL women, femme, trans, gender non-conforming and feminist others are invited to march on Washington DC the day following the inauguration of the President elect [as] a show of solidarity to demand our safety and health in a time when our country is marginalizing us and making sexual assault an electable and forgivable norm. We align with all POC and LGBTQ causes, and we will show our support in a non-violent protest
In her concession speech Hillary Clinton said
Let us have faith in each other. Let us not grow weary and lose heart, for there are more seasons to come and there is more work to do.
Remember, we’ve been in training our entire lives and this is not the end. Opposition won’t be easy but it is urgently needed, as is compassion and kindness. The next four years will involve abuses we know well, some we’ve thought relicts of the past, and others we are only beginning to imagine. As women, people with disabilities, Blacks, Latinx, Asians, Jews, Muslims, Native Americans, LGBTQ, white, with and without college degrees — we all have a place in this society. Our backs are against the same wall. Let us work together.
We are ready. Bring it on.
Thank you Hillary for being a fierce feminist.
Women’s rights group
Ultra Violet sent Hillary 1,000 red roses to her home in
Chappaqua, New York. Friday, Clinton brought them to
her Brooklyn campaign headquarters and gave a rose to each person on her staff.