Breathe
By Heidi Osuna
Donald Trump's return to the White House is a direct blow to the advancement of women in a country that presents itself as a bastion of democracy and progress. This triumph not only diluted the possibility of seeing, for the first time, a woman in the presidency, but also implies the return of a party and a man who has had no qualms about showing his misogyny, pushing for the criminalization of abortion in several states and facing accusations of sexual assault and harassment by nearly 20 women. It seems that, in the United States, misogyny and abuse do not weigh heavily enough in deciding who should govern the nation.
Why did Mexico succeed in having its first female president and the United States did not? In Mexico, the advance towards female representation in positions of power has been steady and significant. Claudia Sheinbaum made history by becoming the first woman president in a race in which, for the first time, the two coalitions with the best chances of winning nominated women, because they were the best positioned in their parties. This fact reflects the spaces that have opened up for women in our country, largely thanks to gender quotas, a conquest achieved after years of struggle. Today, 13 of Mexico's 32 states are governed by women, and our Congress is parity for the second time.
In contrast, the United States has only 28% of seats held by women in its Congress, and only 12 of its 50 states have female governors. Although these figures are historic for that country, they are far from reflecting the real parity that we are already experiencing in Mexico.
The results of the November 5 election show that the United States is a deeply polarized country. According to exit polls, men and women voted differently and in similar proportions: Kamala Harris received 54% of the female vote, while Trump obtained 54% of the male vote.
Unlike in the United States, where the election showed a clear division, in Mexico, from the beginning of the race, Claudia Sheinbaum was emerging as the undisputed winner. There were no signs of a divided society, as Sheinbaum was consolidated as the favorite among women and men, and in all age ranges, educational and socioeconomic levels. In the United States, the situation was very different: Harris won the support of 54% of women, college-educated (57%), African-American (86%) and Hispanic (53%). However, by gender and race, she failed to position herself among white women and Hispanic men. Trump, on the other hand, consolidated his support base among men (54%), particularly white (59%) and Hispanic (54%) men, white women (52%) and people without a college degree (54%).
These results make clear the deep polarization of the United States, an election that could have had a very different outcome if only women, college-educated people or those with a vested interest in protecting democratic rights and abortion rights had voted.
Kamala Harris' defeat is not just an individual failure; it is a reflection of the deep gender barriers in American politics. Her loss to Trump, like Hillary Clinton's, demonstrates that Americans are still unwilling to have a female president, whether white or African-American. This could jeopardize the aspirations of future female presidential candidates, as it will likely take a long time for the parties to nominate another woman, in the face of an electorate that has made it clear it is not yet ready to see her in power.
Trump's win carries with it a deeper message. Unlike the relentless scrutiny women face for every aspect of their lives, men are rarely judged with the same severity. Even when they face accusations of violence and have been convicted, their lives often continue almost without consequence. They can aspire to any office, and, as we have seen in this case, become president.
This election reminds us that the challenge is not just to win an election, but to transform a culture that remains wedded to models of power in which women's voices and value do not count. Trump's victory, far from being a simple political shift, is a warning that the fight for fair and dignified representation for women is, more than ever, a race of endurance.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
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