The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian reality where women live in complete terror. The book was published in 1985 by Margaret Attwood. Gilead, the fictional setting, first became an idea because fertility around the world was at an all-time low. Religious tyrants overtook American leadership, resulting in extremism. In my opinion, extreme republicans and religious fanatics are shaping our country. Under Donald Trump’s administration, women are being controlled; the republicans have taken control of the Senate, which will make it that much easier for them to pass hateful laws. You might be thinking, “This is an overreaction,” “You’re being dramatic,” or “That would never happen” but I’ll explain why we are going back in time (not only in America, women’s rights around the world are being eradicated).
In Gilead, society ranks women by their assigned roles: Wives, the most respected, are married women living under the strict image of faith. Marthas, infertile women without unforgivable past sins, are relegated to housework and domestic service. Unwomen, however, face exile to the toxic Colonies if deemed noncompliant or infertile, while Handmaids – fertile women forced into state-sanctioned rape – must conceive children for the ruling elite.
Afghanistan women are being completely silenced. To me, this is the scariest issue right now. The overtaking of the Taliban bans women from going to school, getting a job, talking to other women, and leaving the house without a male chaperone. They can not show skin, let alone choose their partner or use birth control.
In Iran, women are in danger if they do not comply with the mandatory hijab laws set for them. In 2022, an Iranian girl named Jina Mahsa Amini was arrested by the morality police and later killed for her alleged noncompliance with the law. This unlawful death triggered a wave of protests in Iran which have not been successful. In the two years since, state authorities have increased repressive measures, now surveying women in private spaces like homes and cars. Female activists can be sentenced to death, and women who do not obey the mandatory hijab law can be kicked and beaten in the streets.
I will not stand by and let people tell me that we are overreacting. I am not a feminist for only women in America; we are not free until we are all free. It is completely horrifying what is happening in countries around the world, and the simple fact that women are being treated like second-class citizens is a reminder that Trump absolutely can survey us and take away our rights. I want to remind readers that it was not long ago that women were unable to own credit cards in their own name.
The recent election of Donald Trump felt like a deep betrayal to many women. It raised questions like: Why would our grandmothers, mothers, or sisters choose to support a man who seems to be against them – and against me? How should we respond when someone close to us either appears oblivious to the realities we face or, worse, openly harbors hateful views?
Trump’s rise has intensified a gender divide, with young men – especially Hispanic and white men – expressing increasingly vocal and unabashed misogyny. Many of these men, particularly on platforms like TikTok, use slurs against women advocating for bodily autonomy and even celebrate movements like 4B, saying it will push women to “keep their legs closed.”
Slut shaming was an issue in the Handmaid’s tale. The “dystopian” reality that some claim could never happen. The main character, June, had a relationship with a man while he was still in the process of getting a divorce. Therefore Gilead labeled her an adulterer and a sinful woman. She was made to serve as a handmaid to redeem herself. Other sinful women become Jezibels – forced prostitution for the pleasure of high ranking men. The hypocrisy is men are allowed to be adulterers, have casual sex outside of marriage. Sound familiar?
When Roe v. Wade was overturned, many, including myself, were shocked but assumed it wouldn’t be a lasting change or alter our daily lives. Living in Texas, I thought, “Yes, this is bad,” but if I or someone close to me needed an abortion, we could still travel out of state. That isn’t how things have turned out. Since then, countless women in Texas have faced serious harm or even death because they couldn’t access the medical care they needed. Treating a miscarriage is viewed as an abortion, which creates extreme risks for the mother.
I feel that Trump’s win in the recent election happened largely because people chose based on charisma, personality, and image, rather than policies. In 2016, Trump defeated Hillary Clinton, an experienced Democratic candidate who happened to be a woman. Even as a middle schooler, I remember hearing that Clinton “wasn’t good enough” to be our first female president. It’s clear that women are held to a different standard than men, who don’t face the same scrutiny. In this latest election, I heard people say Kamala Harris is ‘unlikable,’ as though that justifies supporting a convicted felon with a history of misconduct.
We must stand together now more than ever and hold on to hope. One day a woman will be president, and one day we will restore Roe v. Wade. But it’s crucial to remember that dystopian realities can become real. Women aren’t overreacting – we have every right to be afraid.