Feminists across the nation were tuning their trumpets for a Clinton presidency since early 2015. Now that Donald Trump has officially won the election, all hopes of “breaking the glass ceiling” have been lost. A woman in the Oval Office would mean great things for the feminist movement by proving that women can do anything a man can do. Clinton has been a pioneer for women’s rights for the past few decades, but her loss in this election indicates that even the most powerful woman in the world cannot garner the support of our nation.

Meanwhile, it is no secret that Trump does not have the best track record with women. Everything from his inappropriate comments toward his daughters and the multiple women who have accused him of sexual assault has proved that he will not be on the front-lines for the feminist movement. Moreover, a Trump presidency will also mean that a conservative will be nominated to the Supreme Court, which heightens the probability for cases like Roe v. Wade to be reversed. Women have gained a lot of traction recently in terms of politics, but a lot of progress will be jeopardized in the next four years. Future speeches from our newly-elected president are likely to include the misogynistic rhetoric that women have grown too accustomed to hearing.

Although the Clinton loss is devastating for feminists worldwide, it has also sparked more interest in social activism and dedication to promoting minority rights. Women, and men, who still stand with her have voiced their disappointment with the outcome, but vowed to work even harder to promote Hillary’s platform. The motto, “Love Trumps Hate,” may actually prevail, despite the circumstances. I believe that the future is female. I believe that women can and will break the glass ceiling. I believe that in my lifetime, I will witness the election of a woman president.

In the mean time, let’s hear what some students have to say about the recent election. As a whole, only 45% of Northland students identified themselves as feminists and of that percentage, 29% were happy with the election results. On a more personal level, I spoke with two students to gain better understanding of what they think a Trump presidency may bring for women’s rights. Madison Lewis, a senior, states:

“I believe his presidency will prove and reflect flaws in our country’s ideologies that all people will be able to form coalition behind to fight and counteract both sexism and racism in our country.”

In addition, I spoked with Brady Trieu, sophomore, and when asked whether or not Trump will hurt female  progress, he said no.

Despite all of the negativity in this situation, it seems as if Trump will not be able to silence the feminists who have worked immensely to get to the place we are today. Stay tuned more further election updates!