“You’re not allowed to retire from women’s issues. You still have to pay attention ‘cause someone is gonna try to yank the rug out from under you. And that’s what’s happening now.” — Virginia Whitehill
Since April 12, 2015, when Hillary Clinton first officially launched her campaign, I, like so many other people, fantasized about the moment when she would make her acceptance speech.
I would be surrounded by a bunch of badass women and we would pop pink champagne and dance on the shards of the the now-broken glass ceiling. I would call my grandma, sister, and mom and we’d talk about how grateful we are to have witnessed this profound moment in America’s history. We’d share stories: my grandma would tell us about being one of the first women to wear a pantsuit to work (it was purple by the way). And then we’d share the battles we’ve conquered in our own lives and how meaningful it was to cast our ballots for Hillary Rodham Clinton, the first female President of the United States.
In many ways, Hillary Clinton’s campaign brought me closer to the women in my family. It made me think about how different the country was when my grandma and mom were growing up. I thought about how their feminist spirit was passed down to my sister and me like a precious family heirloom. I thought about how proud my grandma was when I pursued sports in college, something I know she would’ve loved to do. I felt a sense of gratitude to all the women, especially my mother and her mother, for paving the way forward.
And then Tuesday night came and the results and reality rolled in.
As I sat on the couch and watched each state go from too close to count to confirmed, I felt a spectrum of emotions I wasn’t quite prepared for. It started with unbridled confidence, then a very confusing combination of excitement and anxiousness, and then culminated in deep disappointment.
It’s about more than not getting to watch the first female sworn into office.
What makes this loss so painful is the irony that our President-elect openly disrespects and objectifies women. Instead of a progressive victory, I watched a man who treats women like props make his acceptance speech to a sea of khaki-clad white men.
And then on Wednesday, there was a flurry of emotions — anger, sadness, and regret at not having done more to help get her elected. Like a montage scene from a low-budget film, all of Trump’s bigoted campaign promises rushed forward and played on a never-ending loop. I thought about what a Trump presidency would translate to in reality. And the fears that so many people across the country are now experiencing.
The fear that they or their relatives could be deported, the fear that wearing a hijab in public could put them in physical danger, the fear that police brutality and institutionalized racism will be pushed into the shadows, the fear that more people will be put behind bars for nonviolent offenses, the fear that their health insurance will become unaffordable, the fear that LGBTQ progress will be undone and stalled, the fear that disability rights will be belittled and mocked, the fear that sexual assaulters will go unprosecuted, the fear that women will have to cross state-lines to get an abortion, the fear that a “Muslim Registry” (reminiscent of Japanese internment camps) could actually be put in place.
The fear that we’re going backwards.
It’s beyond upsetting that Hillary’s campaign has ended in defeat. And that we now have to halt progress and fight like hell to simply maintain the status quo.
We now have to go back fifty years and discuss the merits of Roe v. Wade, instead of focusing all our efforts on the battles that so desperately need our attention — institutionalized racism, islamophobia, transgender rights, immigration reform, and so many other issues.
In Hillary’s concession speech she said, “our campaign was never about one person, or even one election. It was about the country we love and building an America that is hopeful, inclusive, and big-hearted.”
So let’s feel this sadness for a moment. Let’s hug each other, support each other, remind each other that we are so much more than bodies to be grabbed and judged as this President-elect has minimized us to.
But let’s not wait long before we mobilize this community that we’ve woven together to create a more “hopeful, inclusive, and big hearted” America. Even though Hillary didn’t win this election, she did create a powerful, indestructible group of women who will carry the torch for her.
We will not let you down, HRC.
The future is still very much female. And we will be on the front lines finishing what you started.
— Julia LaSalvia
Organizations That Support At-Risk Populations:
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization whose mission is to defend human rights. Here’s a report on exactly what the ACLU plans to do with the recent influx of donations. If you’d like a preview, over the next few months, the ACLU will be focused on protecting “Dreamers,” obstructing efforts to defund Planned Parenthood, preventing “stop and frisk” policies from being adopted nationwide, and protecting Muslims from discrimination.
- Planned Parenthood is a not-for-profit organization that provides sexual education and health services for millions of women and men across the country. It also has a non-partisan political arm, referred to as the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, that is committed to protecting women’s health, educating teens, and preventing unintended pregnancies on the policy level.
- The Boys & Girls Clubs is an organization that helps children and teens from disadvantaged circumstances realize their full potential by providing after school programs, tutoring, counseling, and other services. Find out how to volunteer here and donate here.
- Campaign Zero is a police reform campaign that has integrated community demands, policy recommendations from research organizations, and the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing to create comprehensive solutions to police brutality.
- The Audre Lorde Project is a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit, Trans, and Gender Non Conforming community center in the New York City area that is focused on community wellness as well as social and economic justice.
- Border Angels is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that advocates for human rights, humane immigration reform, and social justice, with special attention paid to the US-Mexican border. The organization also focuses on community education and awareness through programs like guided trips to place water along crossing routes as well as trips to the border to learn from firsthand experience.
- Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is the largest Muslim civil liberties organization in the country; it’s mission is to encourage dialogue, enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and promote justice and mutual understanding.
Please leave comments if you know of other organizations/volunteer opportunities that we should add to this list!
