OPINION: The Threat a Trump Administration Poses to Women
By: Maya Tinajero, Skyline Reporter
Illustration By Alyn Covington, Skyline Cartoonist
ALPINE – “Your body, my choice. Forever,” white supremacist, misogynist and avid supporter of former President Donald Trump Nick Fuentes posted on his X account moments after the presidential election was called in favor of Trump. Some might characterize his comments as satire. But to many women, who are watching their reproductive rights slip away, it’s salt in the wound.
According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network every 68 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted, with 90 percent of incidents involving a female survivor. Despite these statistics, a plurality of Americans voted for a man with over 20 accusations of sexual misconduct made against him, several of which included assault. Rather than avoiding individuals who have been accused of sexual assault, the controversy in his second term, the President-Elect has chosen several individuals who have been investigated for similar alleged offenses, including former House Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who recently took himself out of the running for attorney general, and former Fox News weekend host Pete Hegseth, who Trump has nominated for secretary of defense.
Both Gaetz’s and Hegseth’s problematic pasts have been brought to light in the days following Trump’s nominations. But if over 20 accusations can land you a second term, who’s to say that Gaetz’s accusation of being intimate with a minor who he paid for sex, or the fact that Hegseth paid his “alleged” victim as part of a non-disclosure agreement, will be handled any more justly?
In a world where we believe women and men with these allegations against them should not be ushered into positions of power where they could then share their platform with other abusers. So, to those individuals who continuously ask, “Why didn’t she say anything?” or “Why didn’t she report it?”, let this election answer your questions.
Even if these accusations are proven false, and Trump’s cabinet nominees are found innocent of any wrongdoing, the president-elect’s statements made toward women do not necessarily reflect someone who respects women. In the infamous Access Hollywood tape, leaked in 2016, Trump stated, “And when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the pussy.” Other than the bold vulgarity of this statement, the idea that one can “do anything” given a high enough status is both disturbing and highly concerning.
As seen with Gaetz and Hegseth, one of the major threats of Trump’s victory is that he provides a platform for men who share his sexist ideology. Vice President-Elect J.D. Vance faced rightful backlash after an interview from 2021 resurfaced where he referred to Democrat women as “childless cat ladies.” On the surface, Vance’s statement may appear as a mere jab at his opposition, but the trope of being a “childless cat lady” is one women have had to deal with for decades. Determining a woman’s value and importance based on whether or not she has children inherently objectifies her by reinforcing the stereotype that a woman’s sole purpose is to reproduce offspring. In October, Vance was questioned over his comparison, and although he said he wished he had phrased it better, he stood by his statement.
Overall, the people, particularly the men, the President-Elect has surrounded himself with raise some valid concerns for women. With cases such as those involving Jeffery Epstein and Sean “Diddy” Combs in recent years, one cannot help but wonder; if we held these men accountable when the warning signs were there, could we have helped limit the total harm they caused? Are we making the same mistakes?
