27. Women in a Gender-Polarized Time
The 2016 Election and its aftermath marked a transformative era for women’s rights and gender politics. It also marked a reemergence of racial equality as a preeminent issue. Organizations like Black Lives Matter forced the public to confront prevailing racism throughout society. Hillary Clinton's historic 2016 campaign faced intense opposition, with Donald Trump's polarizing rhetoric, allegations of sexual misconduct, and controversial behavior galvanized both conservative and progressive women in deeply divided ways. The resulting resistance manifested in movements such as the 2017 Women’s March, which mobilized millions globally, and the #MeToo movement, which exposed systemic sexual harassment and assault across industries. Meanwhile, the Trump Administration’s appointments of three conservative Supreme Court justices signaled lasting ramifications for women’s autonomy and equality with the culmination of the Dobbs decision which overturned Roe v. Wade. Despite the challenges, women continued to make strides in leadership, business, sport, culture, and activism.
How to cite this source?
Remedial Herstory Project Editors. "27. WOMEN IN A GENDER-POLARIZED TIME." The Remedial Herstory Project. November 1, 2025. www.remedialherstory.com.
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The Election of 2016 and the Women's March
After four years in the Obama administration, Hilary Clinton resigned as Secretary of State to make another bid for the presidency. The 2016 election was marked by deep polarization of the American public and the racial and gender divides of the electorate were palpable. Throughout the 2016 campaign, Donald J. Trump revealed deep disrespect for women, causing even some longtime Republican women to turn against him. On October 5, 2016, the infamous Hollywood Access tape from 2005 was released to the press. In the tape, he bragged about sexually assaulting women, using the phrase, “grab ‘em by the pussy.” Trump’s crude language on the tape about how wealth and fame gave him license to force himself on women prompted numerous women to come forward with accusations of sexual harassment, assault, and rape. Trump and his allies dismissed his foul language about women as “locker room talk,” which infuriated people across the political spectrum.
The tape also proved to be problematic for a number of female politicians. Incumbent Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte from New Hampshire was in a hotly contested race against Democratic challenger Maggie Hassan. In a calculated choice, she spoke out against Trump. Trump turned his ire on her and Trump supporters didn’t show up for her. Her choice to part with Trump caused her to lose the election, showing just how much power Trump had over members of the Republican Party.
Many conservative women did accept Donald Trump's campaign of grievances and hatred of class, education, expertise, and government. They tolerated his racism, anti-semitism, and disrespect for women. His rallies attracted women who believed that he was being mistreated by a Democratic Party conspiracy to undermine him. White, suburban, and rural women supported Trump. Many were loyal Republican voters who voted along party lines. Others opposed abortion, while some favored Trump's stance on immigration and national security. Many, like their male Republican counterparts, simply hated Hillary Clinton who represented the political establishment they felt had left them behind. When Clinton called Trump supporters “deplorables,” some women saw it as a badge of honor and wore it on shirts.
During the 2016 campaign, there was a notable and widely covered incident involving candidate Donald Trump and Megyn Kelly, a journalist and former anchor at Fox News. Kelly was one of the moderators for the debate and asked Trump about his derogatory comments toward women that had been noted by the press on the campaign trail. She read some of the things he had called women, including but not limited to "fat pigs," "dogs," "slobs," and "disgusting animals." She asked if this language was befitting of a presidential candidate. This angered Trump and, after the debate, he ripped into her on social media. He insinuated that her tough questioning might have been due to her menstrual cycle. Kelly and her family were harassed by Trump supporters. Trump's treatment of Kelly throughout the campaign cycle was seen as emblematic of his confrontational and unfiltered communication style.
It seemed all but assured that Hilary Clinton would win. Polls and conventional wisdom suggested she would. Then, on November 8, 2016, as Americans gathered around the country to watch the first woman win a presidential election, Trump began winning states that Clinton was slated to secure. 54%, the overwhelming majority, had voted against Trump. But while 98% of Black women voters went for Clinton, only 45% of white voters did. Trump won the Electoral College despite Clinton winning the popular vote, marking only the fifth time in US history that this has happened. It is important not to understate the profound disappointment felt by the majority of women who had voted for Clinton. Not only did she lose, but she lost to a man credibly accused of being sexist.
This was a history making moment, however, for one woman: Kellyanne Conway. Conway, Trump’s campaign manager, became the first woman to successfully manage a presidential campaign. Then and through the early part of his presidency, she was one of the most visible and vocal defenders of the Trump administration's policies and positions. She will be most remembered for her assertion that Trump’s false statements did not represent lies but rather, “alternative facts.”
54% of women were shocked at Trump’s victory. Veteran women’s organizers went to work planning a mass Women’s March in protest of the new administration. Planned for the day after his inauguration, a nod to suffrage organizer Alice Paul, the march drew more than double the expected attendance as 500,000 women and allies arrived in Washington, DC. Sister marches were staged around the world in almost every major city. Marchers donned pink clothing for the occasion and knit hats at home with cat-like ears on top. These hats were dubbed “pussy hats,” referencing Trump’s choice word in the infamous 2005 recording.
Ire (n.), intense and usually openly displayed anger
Women Marching on Washington in January 2017, Public Domain
#MeToo
A few months later, Alyssa Milano encouraged people who had experienced sexual harassment and abuse to tell their stories using the #MeToo hashtag on Twitter. The goal was to show how widespread sexual harassment and assault are and to combat the harmful rhetoric used by Trump. The hashtag came from a term coined by social activist Tarana Burke on MySpace as part of her work. Milano’s tweet in 2017 capitalized on the despair so many women felt around the world. It quickly generated 1.7 million #MeToo tweets in over 85 countries. The movement also sparked conversations on Facebook, with 4.7 million people from around the world talking about it within 24 hours. The power and importance of social media in mobilizing this social movement were evident.
On October 5, 2017, journalists at the New York Times, Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, published an investigative report detailing Holywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s decades of sexual abuse. More than 80 women publicly accused Weinstein of sexually abusing or assaulting them. He was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 23 years in prison. Weinstein was one of a number of famous Hollywood men taken down by the #MeToo movement. His conviction was overturned, and he was scheduled to be retried in 2025.
#MeToo spread to other industries. On January 18, 2018, Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Simone Biles released a statement on Twitter confirming that the former USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar had sexually assaulted her and that USA Gymnastics covered up the abuse. 300 other women made similar claims. After a class action lawsuit, Nassar is serving a life sentence.
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#MeToo Protest, Public Domain
Women and the Trump Presidency
By most feminist measures, Trump’s presidency was an assault on women’s rights. Trump was credibly accused of sexual assault by many women during his campaign for the presidency. He was accused of falsifying records to pay hush money to a former adult film actress, Stormy Daniels, to stop her from talking about an alleged affair with him. Trump reimbursed his lawyer, Michael Cohen, through a series of checks, which prosecutors say caused business records to be falsified to disguise the true purpose of the payments. Cohen served prison time for his role in this scandal, and in 2024, Trump was convicted of thirty-four felony accounts of falsifying business records.
First Lady Melania Trump was in the middle of these events, and the public spotlight on her marriage and young son were hard. She stood in stark contrast to Michelle Obama, a lawyer and an activist. Melania was a former model and the first immigrant to hold the role of First Lady. She was reserved and private. She initiated a BE BEST initiative which hoped to address bullying and became an ambassador for kindness, which was a bit ironic given the bullying espoused so publicly by her husband.
Yet women were visible as forceful leaders all over the Trump administration. Ivanka Trump, his daughter, served as a senior advisor to the President. She focused on issues such as workforce development, women's economic empowerment, and paid family leave. She often represented the administration at international events and supported policies related to education and economic opportunities.
Sarah Huckabee Sanders served as the White House Press Secretary from July 2017 to June 2019. She was responsible for communicating the administration's message to the media and the public. Sanders played a significant role in shaping the narrative around Trump's policies and decisions. She was later elected Governor of Arkansas.
The Trump administration experienced a high turnover of key staff members, including Cabinet members, advisors, and other officials. This turnover led to a lack of consistency and stability in policy implementation and decision-making. Trump's rhetoric on various issues, including immigration, race, and international relations, was often polarizing. His statements and tweets sometimes sparked controversy and backlash, both domestically and internationally.
The most lasting effect of the Trump presidency was his appointment of three conservative justices to the Supreme Court. Early in 2017, he appointed Neil Gorsuch, a Bush-era appointee, to the federal bench. Shortly afterward, Trump nominated an even more controversial figure: Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Even before Dr. Christine Blasey Ford publicly accused him of sexual assault, his nomination was controversial because of the potential implications for women’s rights. Many progressive women opposed Kavanaugh’s appointment, fearing that his confirmation would shift the balance of the Supreme Court toward conservatism, potentially endangering the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. These concerns were amplified by the prospect of a conservative majority on the court which had been a key motivator for many voters in the 2016 presidential election.
When Dr. Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault, the hearings became a focal point for the broader cultural reckoning sparked by the #MeToo movement. Progressive women saw Dr. Ford’s allegations as a test of whether survivors of sexual violence would be believed, especially when testifying about powerful men. Julia Peters, a protestor from New York, described Kavanaugh as a figure who did not align with progressive values, emphasizing that his lifetime appointment could have long-lasting effects on issues such as abortion rights. Similarly, Grace Perret, a college student from Louisiana, expressed concern about the disproportionate impact that overturning Roe v. Wade would have on poor women.
Conservative women rallied behind Kavanaugh, viewing the hearings as unfair and overly politicized. Supporters like Rachel Gill highlighted the principle of "innocent until proven guilty" and expressed concern that the allegations lacked concrete evidence. Others, such as Nancy Wilson, argued that the allegations were part of a politically motivated smear campaign designed to block Kavanaugh’s confirmation. For these women, Kavanaugh represented a judge who adhered to constitutional principles and whose confirmation could restore what they saw as a lost balance in the Supreme Court.
The testimonies of both Dr. Ford and Kavanaugh during the hearings further deepened the political divide. Dr. Ford’s testimony was widely viewed by progressives as heartfelt and credible, with many seeing her willingness to come forward as a selfless act of courage. In contrast, Kavanaugh’s emotional and angry defense was seen by his supporters as a passionate rebuttal of unfounded accusations. For conservative women, his testimony reinforced their belief in his innocence and suitability for the court.
The hearings underscored the deep divisions in American society over issues of gender, power, and justice. To many progressives, Kavanaugh’s confirmation signaled a failure to support survivors of sexual violence and a setback for the progress of women’s rights. To many conservatives, his confirmation represented a triumph of fairness and due process against what they perceived as a politicized attempt to derail his career. These conflicting perspectives have made Brett Kavanaugh a symbol of broader cultural and political battles in the United States.
Leading the resistance throughout Trump’s chaotic administration was the first female speaker of the house, Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi is a Washington insider, a feminist, and a Democratic moderate. She took bold stands against Trump. Perhaps the most notable moment in her career was one in which she tore up a copy of Trump’s State of the Union Address with a look of disdain as the country watched on.
At every State of the Union address during Trump's presidency, Democratic women, who made up the majority of women in Congress, wore white clothing at the House’s opening session as both an homage to the suffragists and to stand apart from male members of Congress typically wearing black suits. Republican women did not join them. The women in white made headlines as they visibly showed disapproval of Donald Trump and their solidarity with each other.
Proponents of women’s rights continued to advocate for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), even though the deadline for ratification had long since passed. In January of 2020, Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the ERA, raising some important legal questions. Precedent shows that deadlines for passage are not constitutionally binding so many consider the ERA the law of the land. Since the 1980s, several states had attempted to rescind their ratification of the amendment. These efforts held no legal weight based on court precedent, but they created confusion. Trump declined to certify the ERA, leaving the equality of women and girls in limbo.
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Ivanka Trump Official White House Portrait, Public Domain
Palo Alto University professor Christine Blasey Ford rises to give an oath prior to her opening statement, Public Domain
Democratic Women at the State of the Union 2019, Public Domain
Kamala Harris, Amy Coney Barrett, and the 2020 Election
Just as the election rhetoric was at its peak in the Fall of 2020, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, creating a vacancy on the court. Trump forced the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett in the Senate just a few weeks before the 2020 presidential election. A strong opponent of abortion, Coney Barrett told the Senate Judiciary Committee that she respected legal precedent. This was very quickly proven to be false. Barrett’s appointment turned the Supreme Court conservative for the first time in a half century, ushering in a new era of court decisions.
Trump lost the 2020 election, a fact he has long denied, claiming election fraud. On January 6, 2021, Congress convened to certify the results of the 2020 election, a process that historically received little fanfare. On the same date, Trump held a rally on the mall outside the U.S. Capitol. He spoke to his supporters and urged them to “fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore." Following the rally, protesters stormed the Capitol building where the certification procedure was taking place. Republican and Democratic members of Congress barricaded doors and took refuge inside the building as rioters broke windows, doors, carried and used guns, and beat Capitol police. They hunted for Vice President Mike Pence, in charge of the proceedings, and Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, who had opposed Trump most of his presidency.
Richard “Bigo” Barnett, carrying a stun gun, entered Pelosi’s office. Barnett claimed he was looking for a restroom, but once inside, he stole property and left behind a sexist note stating, “Nancy, Bigo was here,” followed by an expletive. Using a bullhorn, Barnett gave a speech to the crowd, “We took back our house, and I took Nancy Pelosi’s office!”
On January 25th, the House of Representatives, led by Pelosi, voted to impeach Trump for the second time. This time, Republican Representative from Wyoming, Liz Cheney, joined the team in putting Trump on trial in the Senate. Cheney’s decision to join Democrats in the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump was a pivotal moment in her political career as she was one of the few Republicans to break with her party over the Capitol insurrection. As vice-chair of the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021 events, Cheney became one of Trump’s fiercest critics, focusing on his role in inciting the attack. Despite facing increasing hostility from the Republican Party, which was largely loyal to Trump, Cheney took a leading role in the investigation. This position reflected her deep sense of duty, inspired by her family’s legacy of public service.
Cheney’s position drew sharp criticism from Republican colleagues, leading to her removal from her leadership role in the House GOP and making her a target for Trump’s supporters. The former president campaigned against Cheney in Wyoming, rallying behind her challenger, Harriet Hageman. With Wyoming’s heavily Republican electorate, Cheney’s actions were seen as a betrayal by many voters who aligned with Trump. As a result, she lost reelection. Cheney was stalwart in her position, emphasizing the importance of standing united in defense of the republic. She expressed confidence that history would judge this moment and the choices made in preserving democracy.
Through all of this, Kamala Harris became the first woman Vice President in American history. This accomplishment cannot be understated and it led to hope that more women could follow. In addition to Harris, Biden appointed more women and people of color to Cabinet and judicial positions than any president before him. Biden made significant strides in advancing gender equity and defending women’s rights through the establishment of the first-ever White House Gender Policy Council. This landmark initiative developed the National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, a comprehensive framework to address systemic gender inequalities across various sectors, including healthcare, economic security, and education.
Trump Nominates Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, Public Domain
January 6, 2021 Insurrection, Public Domain
Stalwart (n.), marked by outstanding strength and vigor of body, mind, or spirit
Dobbs v. Jackson
Although Democrats had retaken the White House, Trump appointees on the court gave it a conservative majority. On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court, stacked with three Trump appointees, issued a historic decision in Dobbs v Jackson [Mississippi] Women’s Health Center, overturning almost 50 years of precedent set by the 1973 decision in Roe v Wade. Roe v Wade had permitted the termination of a pregnancy prior to the viability of a fetus, placing this important medical decision generally in the hands of women and their doctors. In Roe, the Court had presumed a woman‘s right to make her own reproductive health decisions with state intervention only in the final stages of a pregnancy, when it was presumed that a fetus could survive outside the womb. This created a standard based on fetal viability. Over the course of half a century, the point at which a fetus could be considered viable shifted earlier and earlier, raising the question of the point at which a fetus should be considered a person. Significant advances in fetal viability contributed to a powerful, often vitriolic, debate over whether a fetus is, in fact, an unborn child with inherent rights to personhood. The Dobbs case was brought by the Center for Reproductive Justice challenging a Mississippi 15-week abortion ban that left women with pregnancy complications in danger and with little recourse. The decision in Dobbs left it to the states to determine the availability and regulation of abortion. This left the country with no coherent policy on the matter. Women’s rights groups saw this as a devastating setback in women’s struggle for reproductive autonomy.
Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion represents a profound attack on the rights of women, particularly in its originalist claim that women have no guarantee to rights that were not protected by the Fourteenth Amendment that was ratified in 1868. In Dobbs, Justice Alito adopted the reasoning of his late colleague on the Court, Antonin Scalia, who argued that the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause contains no explicit protections for women and that the concerns of the authors of the Reconstruction Amendments focused on race, not gender. From the originalist point of view that appears to dominate the current Supreme Court, providing for equal protection for women, pregnant or not, has no constitutional legitimacy. Women, then, are to be considered in light of the law and practice of the late-1860s rather than practices and standards of today.
The fallout from Dobbs meant that state bans on abortion quickly went into effect. In August 2022, just two weeks after the Georgia abortion ban went into effect, a 28-year-old mother, Amber Thurman, died as providers in the emergency room watched, unable to provide the abortion necessary to save her life. The effect of Dobbs was devastating for women’s rights and health.
An expanding body of evidence has documented the widespread harm Dobbs has inflicted on reproductive healthcare. Studies and reports reveal a dramatic decline in the number of clinics providing abortion care with 66 clinics in 15 states ceasing services within 100 days of the decision and no clinics operating in 14 states, enforcing total abortion bans. Despite these losses, the total number of U.S. abortions has paradoxically risen, fueled by innovative care models such as telehealth services offering medication abortions and a surge in out-of-state travel for care. Virtual clinics now account for nearly 20% of all abortions and many patients in restrictive states rely on shield laws in supportive states to access medication abortion. However, these options have not mitigated the logistical, financial, and emotional burdens placed on individuals, particularly those from marginalized communities.
Further, physicians in states with abortion bans report delays in emergency care, moral distress, and legal uncertainties, with many considering relocating to states where abortion is legal. Medical students in these states face diminished training opportunities, raising concerns about a decline in expertise. Beyond healthcare access, Dobbs has exacerbated existing inequities, including higher maternal mortality rates and worsening mental health for vulnerable populations. Emerging research reveals that states enforcing abortion bans also have poorer maternal health outcomes, disproportionately impacting Black and Indigenous communities. Harrowing accounts of patients denied life-saving care in obstetric emergencies further highlight the dangers of restrictive abortion policies. These findings underscore the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to address the devastating consequences of the decision and to reimagine abortion rights and access nationwide.
Since 2022, defenders of women’s health have worked tirelessly to expand access to information, resources, and medical abortion by mail. They have also fought back in court.
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Abortion Protest, Public Domain
Shield laws (n.), a law that protects journalists and health care providers from having to disclose confidential information
Women’s Advocacy Organizations
Conservatives remained concerned about shifting gender norms and anti-religious sentiments in schools. Moms for Liberty was founded in 2021 by former Florida school board members, Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich, to push back against what they called “wokeness” in American schools. The group rallied people to school board meetings, advocated for school policies and legislation, and defended what they considered a “parent’s right” to determine their child’s education. This group particularly targeted LGBTQ+ issues and teachers with “they/them” pronouns. They pushed states to adopt anti-critical race and feminist theory legislation. Moms for Liberty developed state chapters and, in some states, established bounties for members of the public who provided them with evidence that could get teachers fired for teaching about systemic racism and sexism. No teacher has been fired under these efforts, but many educators left the profession in response to the harassment and pressure.
Moms Demand Action was a grassroots movement of Americans dedicated to demanding public safety measures aimed at protecting people from gun violence. It also collaborated with communities and business leaders to promote a culture of responsible gun ownership. The movement was founded by Shannon Watts, a mother of five, who launched a Facebook group the day after the Sandy Hook, Connecticut tragedy. Her goal was to encourage Americans to take action against gun violence. This online initiative evolved into a national movement, uniting moms, dads, students, families, concerned citizens, and survivors to collaborate with partners in the gun violence prevention movement to address this pressing issue.
The COVID-19 pandemic proved just how vulnerable the US economy was without a more sustainable plan for childcare. Moms First, a nonprofit working to fight for an economy that put the needs of mothers first. It was founded by Reshma Saujani in 2020. The organization fights for expanded family leave policies, investment in childcare, and government solutions to fight the failure of the market to meet the childcare needs of parents. The group was successful in advocating for the first ever question about childcare to be asked in a presidential debate in 2024. Sadly, neither candidate had a plan for solving the childcare crisis.
The issues facing families, particularly mothers, are numerous. 12 percent of women in the private sector don’t have maternity leave. 25 percent of women must return to work within two weeks of giving birth. Nine percent of workplaces offer paid paternity leave and 76 percent of fathers return to work within a week of their child’s birth, making mothers the primary caregiver and, by default, denying them support in recovery. The US has the highest infant mortality among developed countries at 6.1 for every 1,000 births. One in 10 women suffer from postpartum depression in the United States. Single-parent households are mostly headed by women and have more than tripled since 1960. 35 percent of children live in single-parent households. Mothers are 40 percent more likely than fathers to report that they had personally felt the negative impact of childcare issues on their careers.
Shannon Watts 2023, Public Domain
Women's Sports
In 2022, the United States celebrated 50 years of Title IX. The full effects of the law can be seen in the flourishing of professional leagues, increased scholarships for female athletes, and greater representation across various sports. By 2024, women’s sports were experiencing a watershed
moment. The movement "Everyone Watches Women’s Sports" took off, marking a cultural shift in how women’s sports are viewed and celebrated. This movement, combined with decades of advocacy and progress, continues to push for equality in viewership, sponsorships, and pay, solidifying the importance of women’s sports in the global athletic landscape.
Gymnastics has historically been a predominantly white sport, but Black women and girls have steadily reshaped its landscape. Pioneers like Dominique Dawes, Gabby Douglas, and Simone Biles have excelled in their craft while challenging racism and sexism in the sport. These athletes often navigate a field that prizes Eurocentric beauty standards and lean body types, emphasizing a need to reframe how strength and athleticism are valued.
Despite these advances, gymnastics remains plagued by systemic issues, including coaching practices that foster unhealthy relationships with food and body image. The Larry Nassar case exposed pervasive abuse and highlighted the need for greater accountability, demonstrating how women athletes face both external and internal institutional challenges. Simone Biles’s decision to prioritize her mental health during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics marked a significant cultural moment, underscoring the importance of mental well-being in sports and earning her the title of Greatest of All Time (GOAT).
Billie Jean King’s work benefited many tennis stars to come and she was an inspiration to all women athletes, most notably, Serena Williams, the greatest tennis player to date, and her talented sister Venus. Serena Williams had an illustrious career marked by 23 major singles titles. She achieved significant milestones, including two "Serena Slams" and an Olympic gold medal in singles, completing a Career Golden Slam. Williams was known for her powerful serve and groundstrokes, becoming the world No. 1 in singles multiple times despite battling injuries. Her return to dominance in the early 2010s, culminating in her 23rd major title at the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant, solidified her legacy. Beyond singles, Williams excelled in doubles with her sister Venus, winning 14 major titles and three Olympic gold medals, creating an unbeaten record in major doubles finals.
The Williams sisters significantly influenced the sport by introducing a new era of power and athleticism in women’s tennis. They are credited with increasing diversity in the sport and inspiring countless young athletes. Off the court, Serena Williams has been a vocal advocate for gender equality, championing equal prize money, and supporting women’s rights through her foundation and public statements. Her relationship with Venus, also an extraordinary athlete, has been a central theme of her career, as the sisters have dominated both singles and doubles tennis while supporting each other’s pursuits and challenges. Williams’ impact extends beyond tennis, making her a cultural icon and a trailblazer for future generations.
In 2024, women’s basketball experienced a surge in popularity as a result of the record-breaking senior season of a white college basketball star, Caitlin Clark. Clark, who played for the University of Iowa, is widely regarded as one of the greatest women’s college basketball players in history, known for her exceptional three-point scoring ability. Clark shattered numerous records, including becoming the all-time leading scorer in National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA) basketball with 3,667 points in 2024. She also led Iowa to several NCAA tournament runs, including two national title game appearances, while earning accolades such as Big Ten Freshman of the Year and the Associated Press Player of the Year in 2023. Her popularity, bolstered by record-breaking performances and a massive social media following, elevated women’s basketball to unprecedented levels of attention, accompanied by sold-out arenas and record TV ratings. Fans followed Clark straight off of her college season into the 2024 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft as the number one overall pick. She joined the Indiana Fever team where she continued her dominance by setting rookie records for assists and points and earning WNBA Rookie of the Year honors.
Clark’s successes overshadowed that of many of her Black counterparts in the rookie class as well as veteran players in the WNBA. Many have called out the media hype around the white star while other talented Black players received less attention. Kamilla Soares Cardoso’s college team, South Carolina, beat Clark in the NCAA tournament and she was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. She was the number two pick and was selected by the Chicago Sky team. Although she was only the number seven pick, Angel Reese’s rivalry with Clark in college and professionally drew a lot of media attention. Reese and Clark have both denied that they don’t like each other and have pushed back against attempts to make their professional rivalry more personal.
College women’s volleyball also set records in 2024 for attendance, showing that the tide was turning on women’s sports. An outdoor match between Nebraska and Omaha drew a record-breaking crowd of 92,003, the largest ever for a women’s sporting event. It also shattered the previous US record of 90,185 from the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final. Nebraska, which has led the nation in volleyball attendance every year since moving to Devaney in 2013 further cemented its reputation as a powerhouse in women’s sports.
At the 2024 Summer Olympics, women’s sports were front and center. Team USA women made a historic impact at the Paris Olympics, comprising 314 of the 593 athletes and winning 57% of the country’s 126 medals, including 26 of 40 golds, which tied China atop the gold medal count. At the Opening Ceremony, 20-year-old Coco Gauff became the first American woman to serve as the US flag bearer, symbolizing a remarkable Olympics for Team USA women.
Swimming legend Katie Ledecky became the most decorated American woman in Olympic history with 14 career medals, breaking her own records and leading the U.S. to gold in the 4x100m medley relay. Simone Biles cemented her status as the gymnastics GOAT with three golds and a silver, becoming the most decorated American gymnast ever. In track and field, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set a world record in the 400m hurdles and won gold in the 4x400m relay, while Valerie Allman became the first American woman to win two discus golds. The U.S. women’s basketball team won its eighth consecutive gold, led by Diana Taurasi, the first athlete to earn six Olympic golds in a team sport.
Ilona Maher became an American icon after the US women took home bronze in women’s rugby, giving the country its first Olympic medal in rugby sevens. While a beast on the field, Maher is known for her social media presence, her strong role modeling for girls, and consistent stance against sexist messaging about preferred women’s body types.
Women athletes weren’t excelling only against other women. Women endurance athletes had unique traits that gave them physiological advantages over male athletes. In 2024, Tara Dower set the fastest known time on the Appalachian Trail. Dower, however, was not the first woman to hold this record. Jennifer Pharr Davis held the record in 2015. It was beaten by three hours by Scott Jurek, then Karel Sabbe, whose record was 41 days, seven hours, and 38 minutes. Dower smashed Sabbe’s previous overall record by 13 hours at 40 days, 18 hours, and five minutes.
Watershed (n.), an event or period marking a turning point in a course of action or state of affairs
Serena and Venus Williams during their first round of doubles in the 2013 US Open, Public Domain
Transgender Rights
Shifting attitudes in the 2000s allowed trans youth to come out with greater frequency, leading to questions of appropriate bathrooms and school literature that gave voice to LGBTQ+ voices. Many schools added single stall bathrooms for trans girls and boys to use, but that solution failed to honor their gender expression and allow them to use the restroom of the gender they felt best represented them. The practice frequently restricted trans kids to using a single bathroom in a school. Trans women were elected to public office too, helping to fight for trans rights from the inside. Althea Garrison was elected to the Massachusetts state legislature in 1992 but was outed by the Boston Herald and lost re-election. She was also controversial for her conservative views on women and was adamantly anti-abortion. Danica Roem of Virginia became the next openly transgender person elected to a state legislature in 2018, over two decades later. James Roesener became the first openly transgender man elected to a state legislature in New Hampshire in 2022 while Sarah McBride, Representative for Delaware in the US House of Representatives, was the first elected at the federal level in 2024. The Trump and Biden administrations instituted and later reversed bans on trans people serving in the military. In his second administration, Trump reinstated the ban.
Trans women and girls became controversial in sports, despite little compelling evidence that their involvement disadvantaged female athletes. Title IX protects people from discrimination on the basis of sex, but gender identity is more of a social construct, making the law somewhat confusing. While in 99 percent of people gender expression aligns with their sex, for those for whom it does not, the binary “girls sports” and “boys sports” pose challenges. Should they follow the sex they were assigned at birth, or with their gender identity? Many conservatives have felt the need to “protect” women and girls sports from trans women. They argue that the purpose of Title IX was to create a safe space for girls and to prevent trans girls from dominating the game. From 2011-2021, under NCAA rules, transgender athletes are allowed to compete in women's sports after one year of hormone therapy that suppresses testosterone. This rule was updated to be even more restrictive in recent years. Professional leagues have their own rules and the levels of testosterone expected of women athletes, which poses challenges when women assigned female at birth don’t meet those standards based on natural human variations. Primary and secondary schools often don’t have such rules and either follow a student’s gender expression or force them to follow the sex they were assigned at birth. Most advocates for trans youth think this is bad for mental health as it stigmatizes trans youth who just want to play.
Transgender runner CeCe Telfer is a good example of how varying policies give transwomen whiplash. Telfer was assigned male at birth and competed on the men’s track team in college. After she transitioned, she competed on the women’s team and won the Division II NCAA hurdles title. She received significant public attention when President Trump referred to her publicly as a "biological male," calling her wins unfair against young women. Telfer claimed her wins were fair because her testosterone levels were lower than the average woman and her height (over six feet) was not an advantage in her chosen event. Her coaches protected her physical and mental well-being during the competition by hiring security and keeping her off social media where transphobic comments were rampant. Telfer was banned from competing at the US Olympic trials because she didn’t meet their hormone requirements and recent regulations by the Track and Field governing body currently exclude her from elite-level competitions. To that, Telfer said, “I want to live my life just like everybody else is living their life.”
Telfer is not alone. Trans women and youth around the world face these challenges everyday. Using testosterone in sports regulations raises the question: What makes someone a man or a woman? Socially or biologically, the research shows the distinction can be blurry and more complicated than people think. These challenges are not new, trans athletes have always competed in sports.
Some women assigned female at birth struggle to accept trans women into the fold of feminist advocacy and see the battles for trans women as battles for them as well. Trans exclusive feminism is not endorsed by scholars, scientists, and mainstream feminist organizations, despite some opponents of trans rights calling themselves feminists. In 2023, many states began introducing the “Women’s Bill of Rights,” which seems eerily familiar to the way the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 (DOMA) tried to “protect” marriage at the expense of gay women. The law would create a biological definition of womanhood based on the capacity to produce human eggs. Defining womanhood this way leaves out women born with ovaries who don’t produce eggs. This definition of “woman” also excludes trans women who are subjected to the same social challenges these women face, and more. This “trans exclusionary feminism” and advocacy reflects a very limited understanding of gender and sexuality, even on a biological level.
Historically, women’s “biology” prevented their inclusion in many aspects of society. Anti-trans rhetoric and laws do not help women; they actually contradict feminism by reinstating the stereotypes that have oppressed women for millennia. It is hard to separate the argument that trans girls should not play with other girls from the suggestion that this is because women are the “weaker sex.” Bans on trans women and girls participating in sports abound everywhere, from state legislatures to the NCAA. In 2023, over 400 anti-trans bills were introduced in state legislatures, driving back progress. Many continue to assert that the inclusion of trans women on sports teams threatens Title IX protections for cis-gendered women.
While significant strides have been made in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, challenges persist today. Legal equality has not translated to social equality and there are active threats to LGBTQ+ rights. The first Trump Administration attempted but failed to roll back military service for LGBTQ+ people. When the court struck down Roe v. Wade in 2022, it challenged the legal foundation on which Windsor and subsequent cases stood: The right to privacy. Ongoing social struggles such as book banning, restrictions on drag shows, debates over hormone therapy, parental rights, and trans bathroom access, demonstrate that the work towards equality is far from complete. LGBTQ+ youth are far more likely to struggle with mental health and suicide as a result of the social stigmas. Recognizing the past accomplishments and the present struggles is important. The remarkable resilience of women in the LGBTQ+ movement can inspire us to continue working towards a more inclusive and equitable future for all.
Questions remain as more research and evidence comes forward about the threat to competition that less than one-percent of the population posed to girls sports. It remains unclear: How will these issues shape the landscape of privacy, equality, and personal freedom in the years to come?
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Protest Trans Military Ban, White House, Washington, DC USA 2017, Public Domain
2024 Election
As the incumbent, President Biden faced no opposition in the 2024 primaries. Trump faced several competitors, but none was as formidable and forceful as Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and US ambassador to the UN under Trump. Haley focused her campaign against liberal gender politics and categorized Trump as unfit. Haley’s campaign failed but was successful in that she became the first Republican woman to win a presidential primary or caucus when she prevailed in Vermont and Washington, DC.
Trump was less active in this stage of the campaign, refusing to appear on the debate stage with Haley and other challengers because he was embroiled in litigation. In Spring of 2024, Trump was convicted of 34 felony counts in a scheme to influence the 2016 election through hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, a porn actor who had had an affair with the former president.
As Biden prepared for reelection, his age and the public perception of his ability to lead became a problem. Nancy Pelosi, a longtime friend, privately urged him to step aside to ensure Democratic victory. In the summer of 2024, just before the Democratic convention, Biden stepped down and urged the party to nominate his Vice President, Kamala Harris. Harris had just 107 days to pull together a campaign against a vindictive opponent, Donald J. Trump.
The campaign again featured deep polarization of the American people and the gender divisions in society. Harris’ campaign leaned into her commitments to marginalized peoples, while Trump appealed to white, male voters directly, an appeal that proved effective. Trump ran for the presidency three times, only losing once – to a man. When asked why men voted for him, one voter explained, “The Democratic Party has somehow become the anti-male party.” This sentiment, though inaccurate, reflected a broader perception. While women were not oppressing men, the shift toward gender equity and the rhetoric surrounding that fight felt oppressive to some. Men, especially those concerned about boys’ and men’s challenges, often struggled to see these as separate to the issues facing women, turning gender issues into a zero sum game where, if one group wins, the other loses.
Many women who were personally affected by abortion bans joined Kamala Harris on the campaign trail to share their stores but the overwhelming majority of Americans ignored their pleas and reelected the party responsible for imposing the abortion bans after the overturn of Roe v. Wade. Michelle Obama urged voters to “take our lives seriously,” as women literally died due to state bans that prevented life-saving care in many instances. The gender gap in the electorate grew and American men responded defensively, voting to reinstate the administration that had created deadly conditions for women.
Richard Reeves, a senior analyst at the Brookings Institute, reflected on Michelle Obama’s speech, noting the disconnect between concerns about women’s lives and men’s preoccupation with economic matters. Contrary to claims that Harris’ campaign was solely focused on women’s rights and abortion, Harris’ platform addressed all major issues. However, she was judged by a double standard. Expert reviewers expressed concern over Trump’s policies, such as his tariff proposal, but this critique seemed irrelevant as voters fixated on economic concerns, often using them as an excuse to perpetuate sexism. Many voters rejected Harris not because of her policies but because of her gender and their attraction to the machismo presented by Trump.
This election was not about policy failure on Harris’ part but about deep-rooted sexism. While both men and women struggled with economic hardships, male voters often favored what they perceived as Trump’s strength. They accepted the idea that Harris, despite her extensive credentials, was not qualified to be president. Some pundits attributed Trump’s win to a superior ground game, ignoring the fact that Harris raised over $1 billion and ran a strong campaign in swing states. Harris, like Hillary Clinton before her, encountered a nation that altered the rules to favor a man. While analysts claimed that anti-establishment sentiment accounted for Trump’s victory, the reality was that women had never been in the political establishment. Women held only a fraction of positions of power in the government, which made the claim unsubstantiated but convincing. Despite Harris’ sound policies, many voters rejected her simply because she was a woman.
Harris’ loss highlighted the extent to which sexism had permeated American society. White women, particularly Gen X women, overwhelmingly voted against Harris, with 63 percent of women without college degrees supporting Trump. This was significant, given that Trump’s policies were expected to harm working-class women, raise inflation, and cut funding for essential services. Black women, however, remained loyal to Harris, with 92 percent voting for her. This voting pattern echoed historical trends: While white women often upheld the racial status quo, Black women consistently voted for progress. The election’s outcome was a blow to marginalized groups who bore the brunt of its consequences.
In the aftermath of the election, it became clear that voters had been swayed by rhetoric rather than policy details. Trump’s promises, although unrealistic, had appealed to humanity’s worst impulses. Harris, despite her competence and qualifications, was rejected because of her gender. This historical moment underscored the ongoing struggle for gender equality. In the days after the election, the hashtag #yourbodymychoice trended and online misogyny spiked. What work remains to be done so future female candidates don’t face such unfair scrutiny based on gender? And is the American public willing to do that work?
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz at campaign rally in Glendale, Arizona 2024, Public Domain
Machismo (n.), 1: a strong sense of masculine pride : an exaggerated masculinity ; 2: an exaggerated or exhilarating sense of power or strength
Conclusion
The early 21st century was defined by women’s leadership, resistance, and growing independence. Female governors, senators, and members of the House of Representatives represent a variety of political views, both liberal and conservative. This suggests that issues beyond women’s rights contribute to the election of women to serve their states. Still, women make up only fractions of our political and economic leaders and remain less visible in the media. Women make up seven percent of the Fortune 500 CEOs, six percent of Nobel Prize Winners, 24 percent of “heard, read about or seen in newspaper, television and radio.” Women reported 37 percent of news stories, 31 percent of speaking characters, 23 percent of protagonists in film, 21 percent are filmmakers. In sport, they are paid staggeringly less than men in wages and prize money. In the 2018-midterm elections, women only made up 20 percent of Congress and only six out of 50 state governors were women. In 2022, only 12 out of 50 governors were women.
Issues related to how to prosecute sexual assault and harassment remain and whether these issues should prevent someone from being president are yet to be determined. It is an empowering and yet strange time to be a woman in America with so many rights and policies in question.
By the end of this era, so much remains in question. What lasting effect will a second Trump presidency have? How will women respond? What effect will Republican control of all three branches of government have on women’s rights, health, and representation in American democracy?
