The U.S. election held on the 5th of November 2024 weighed heavily on women’s lives. One of the most hotly debated topics throughout the election had turned out to be women’s access to important and necessary healthcare, like contraception and abortions. While Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris vowed to provide a safer and less restrictive future for women’s health, Former President Donald Trump continued his pro-life campaign. Thus, Trump’s victory means one thing: a threat to women and their health throughout the U.S.
The Republican party does not hide the fact that they are majorly against women’s healthcare rights. Under Trump’s previous administration, this stance was most prominently seen in the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade, which he enabled by appointing justices to the Supreme Court
likely to overturn the landmark case. Trump prides himself in accomplishing this: “After 50 years of failure, with nobody coming even close, I was able to kill Roe v. Wade, much to the ‘shock’ of everyone,”1 which causes fear about what other detrimental decisions he will be proud of throughout his regime. The overturning of Roe v. Wade granted individual states the authority to decide on abortion laws, creating a patchwork of access restrictions across the country. However, there is significant momentum within the Republican Party to impose a federal abortion ban. Such a nationwide ban would place countless women in jeopardy, as restrictions on safe abortion access historically led to increased risks from unsafe procedures rather than preventing abortions altogether.
Moreover, Trump’s re-election will not only mean a restriction of necessary healthcare but also a rise in conservative ideas that also have the potential to harm women. Trump has a history of misogynistic standpoints, having been accused by at least twenty-six women of sexual misconduct. This man as president, and more importantly, as someone young people will look up to, will inflict negative and stereotypical views of women to the younger generation. This is further seen through right-wing social media influencers and Republican public figures who shared their view on women right after Trump’s win. One example that went most viral was Nick Fuentes, a far-right commentator, who released a video saying “Your body, my choice” a somewhat disgusting play on the well-known movement “My body, my choice” started by women who were fighting back against abortion restrictions. The sexist attacks on women online have taken a rise after Donald Trump’s win. The Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) found a 4,600% increase in mentions of the terms “your body, my choice” and “get back in the kitchen” in X 24 hours following the election.
However, thankfully the increase in misogynistic actions has caused many feminist movements to rise as well. The biggest example seen currently online is the ‘4B movement’, an anti-misogynistic movement that originated in South Korea around 2016-2017 and has now made it to the US following the elections. The movement promotes avoiding relationships with men altogether—including marriage, dating, and childbirth—to counter what participants see as systemic patriarchy. For some women, the thought of Trump’s America is so concerning that they believe distancing from men is the only way to protect themselves.
Overall, even though Trump’s re-election presents challenges to the safety and security of many women all around the US, many international and domestic movements are rallying in support. Solidarity among women and feminist groups offers some hope that, even amid fears and potential restrictions, women will continue to find ways to advocate for their rights and access necessary resources. While the challenges may be daunting, this continued support shows that women are not alone in their struggle for equality and autonomy.