On Nov. 6, Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election. Americans chose a twice-impeached convicted felon with no regard for the Constitution to lead the country. A man who openly idolizes Adolf Hitler and other dictators will soon hold the highest office in the nation.
And, yet again, we have not chosen a woman to lead the United States. Vice President Kamala Harris was indisputably qualified for the presidency—she has worked in politics for decades, has experience in all three branches of the government and pledged to protect our rights and freedoms. She does not worship authoritarians, is not a criminal and respects the Constitution. Despite it all, a clear majority of Americans chose Trump over Harris. They chose a conman over a woman politician.
The same occurred in the 2016 presidential election. A significant number of Americans chose Trump over the more qualified woman presidential candidate, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. She too had worked in politics for decades, having acquired extensive experience in the executive branch. Yet Americans still preferred the failed businessman with no political experience.
The 2016 and 2024 presidential elections show us how far we are from gender equality. Even if a woman has all the qualifications and experience in the world, a man will be preferred. Even if the man has zero morals and no competence, he will be chosen over the woman. Other levels of the U.S. government are no better. Only 28% of the current Congress is made up of women. Only 12 women currently serve as state governors. Only four women are Supreme Court justices. Women are simply not seen as equal to men.
The U.S. is not alone in its dismissal of women leaders. Out of the 195 countries in the world, only 80 have had a woman serve as their head of state or government. Only 26 countries have a woman currently leading them.
There is a global gender gap in leadership, and it must change. When women are kept out of positions of power, their voices are diminished. Decisions are made by men and for men, without any regard for women—the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the restrictive abortion bans that followed are one such example. Gender discrimination prevails—such as how women continue to make 82 cents for every dollar earned by men in the United States.
To bring more women into positions of power, we need to shatter gender stereotypes. Women can be strong, competent and rational leaders. There is no shortage of examples in U.S. politics. Just consider former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Senator Elizabeth Warren, former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and former First Lady Michelle Obama in addition to Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Contrary to the beliefs of Vice President-elect JD Vance, women do not need to have children to live a fulfilling life and contribute to society—pursuing a career will not put women on “a path to misery.” Women cannot and should not be boxed into the role of caregivers and childbearers.
We also need to bolster women running for, and currently in, leadership positions—not drag them down. Elected officials, political activists and party donors need to encourage and invest in women running for office. The media needs to focus on women’s policies and achievements rather than scrutinizing their personalities and appearances. Voters should not hold a “pragmatic bias” against women candidates. And we should not normalize derogatory behavior toward women candidates as Trump does—it is unacceptable.
Women who pursue positions of power are not “a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made,” as Vance has stated. Women in positions of power are not “evil, sick, crazy bi—” or “low IQ,” as Trump has repeatedly said. Women can be and have been resilient, capable leaders—we just need to elect them.
Until then, the highest and hardest glass ceiling will remain unbroken.