For the record, I’m not an American citizen—but I am concerned. Threatening women’s rights across the globe is an attack on all of us. An attack that reveals unsettling truths about the direction of world politics; from Afghanistan, where women are stripped of their rights, through to growing anti-abortion stances across Eastern Europe, and now of course, embodied by the president of the United States.

These truths are underscored by the harsh reality that, contrary to popular belief, rape allegations are not enough to limit a powerful man’s career. In fact, we learned that the requirements for becoming president of the United States don't feel all that unattainable.

You can age without consequence,

Fail in business,

Even face criminal convictions,

But never, under any circumstance, make the mistake of being born a woman.

If I were a rich white man looking out at the world, I would think there was nothing I couldn't do. As it stands, I’m just a woman looking for hope in the aftermath of the US election. So in a bid to gather my thoughts, I want to first examine how we got here.

We know that history repeats itself, time and time again; and yet we never learn from our mistakes. In the words of Machiavelli, "whoever believes that great advancement and new benefits make men forget old injuries is mistaken." This is especially true in a Capitalist society where new advancements breed further inequality and sow division. For those it leaves behind, the effects are fatal.

When we feel we have lost our purpose, we desperately seek someone to blame. We are tantalised by those who come forward and give a voice to those desires. They are able to say what we cannot because they are protected by their wealth (they are literally above the law).

In dark times, I take comfort in this: it’s happened before. For too long, we’ve considered ourselves progressives, cocooned in comfortable echo chambers and emboldened by social media. We built metaphorical walls around ourselves. Now, the American people have elected a president promising to turn those walls into physical realities.

In our heart of hearts, we know the history books will speak of these events unfavorably. Borrowing her words from Martin Luther King, Kamala Harris’ concession speech reminds us that “only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.” For things to truly change, we need to be shaken to our very core.

And in the words of Viktor Frankl, who was able to access hope even when his surroundings reflected the darkest, bleakest manifestations of mankind:‘When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.’

I’m not sure if I’ve found hope yet. But I am hopeful that it will find me some time soon.

Sources

Frankl, Viktor E. Man's Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy. Hodder and Stoughton, 1974.

Machiavelli, Niccolò. The Prince. 2 ed., London, Vintage Books, 2009.

Mandell, Jonathan, ““Only when it's dark enough can you see the stars” Kamala Harris concession speech video and transcript.” New York Theater, 6 November 2024, https://newyorktheater.me/2024/11/06/only-when-its-dark-enough-can-you-see-the-stars-kamal-harris-concession-speech-video-and-transcript/. Accessed 17 November 2024.