Isa Abbott, Asst. Opinion Editor–
In a crowd of thundering applause, a white man stands behind a podium, only with the intention of holding himself above the law, even if that means suppressing others. The applause fills the space with selfishness, hypocrisy, and the yearning for excessive power. Behind him stands the most wealth and greed driven men, and under his belt, is a vast group of Americans who are a victim of this excessive “need” to also become wealthy and powerful. In effect to this new power and leadership is a group of marginalized, non-white women, in which his (Donald Trump’s) system discriminates and silences with intention.
Trump’s campaign was fueled by racism and sexism, which led vast groups of white men to secure his vote. The white male patriarchy continues to prove that it is terrified of what might happen when, in particular, non-white women become of high authority to a nation that has always been fueled on racism and sexism in favor of white men. In response, white men in support of this patriarchy will continue to vote for oppressive men like Trump because they fear a reality in which they are no longer in control of a nation that is also fueled on a white man’s privilege and power, but rather, it will be white men who become oppressed, no longer holding the power of the oppressor.
White men who live and breathe the support of this patriarchy, along with Trumpism, are terrifying because they close a window of opportunity for not just social change, but radical patriarchal change. For example, previous to Trump’s current presidency, he stated that he will protect women “whether they like it or not.” He also adds that he will, “protect them from migrants coming in,” assuming that migrants are separate from women. In this example, Trump not only dehumanizes migrants, but also dewomanizes them. It is also no surprise that migrant women so happen to essentially run and hold up the United States economy, which makes one question whether or not Trump’s statement was really out of concern for women’s safety, or if it was out of his personal fears of non-white, immigrant women, and the power they hold over our economy. Such behavior also decreases the opportunity for empowering immigrant women, and moving away from the patriarchy.
Within the US economy today, Black women earn 70% as much as white men (64 cents for every dollar a white man makes), and Hispanic women earn 65% as much. In comparison, white women earn 83% as much as a white man. In addition, Native American women have the highest poverty rate of 28.1%, followed by Black women at 25.7%, and Hispanic women at 24%. Also in comparison, a white woman’s poverty rate is at 11.7%, and a white man’s lands at about 7%.
The significance of comparing and contrasting income based on sex and race is to understand how Trump’s policies negatively impact non-white women, and how they only benefit specifically white men. Within the first week of Trump’s presidency, he initiated a ban on programs of diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI). In passing such bans, he would silence non-white women and push away the possibility for growth against racism and sexism in America. The ban would also diminish the jobs of non-white women by suggesting a workforce should include lower pay for them, and a hostile environment that leaves space for acts of discrimination and harassment. This may possibly lead to federal contractors denying opportunities to non-white women, regardless of how hard they have built their way up in the workforce.
Eliminating the DEI would also lead to a potentially less secure healthcare system. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that greater diversity among doctors improves health outcomes for people of color, women, those who are disabled, LGBTQ+, and other underrepresented groups because a “diverse workforce can lead to a potentially more inclusive and supportive workforce.”
Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, an outcome made by Trump’s handpicked supreme court, this inclusive and supportive workforce is exactly what non-white women need. More than 60% of those who seek abortions are people of color, and about half live below the federal poverty line. In addition, for Native American women, emergency contraception may be particularly difficult to access. This lack of access represents a serious concern for indigenous communities, especially given that Native American women experience higher levels of sexual assault than women of other races and ethnicities.
How are non-white women going to be denied the opportunity of abortion if they are not given the opportunity to practice safe sex, nor given the resources to prevent unwanted or unprepared pregnancies due to sexual assault? In addition, if many of these non-white women who are seeking an abortion are within or below the poverty line, how will they have enough money to even have an abortion at all, let alone good healthcare to maintain a safe abortion? In this instance, the outcome of Trump’s presidency is a constant state of denying non-white women from the workforce and their fundamental right to healthcare. Not a very “pro-life” stance, if you ask me.
The importance of recognizing what Trump’s presidency means for women is a broad aspect that does not go into enough depth on the even further discriminations that non-white women face. Though the blatant sexism during Trump’s presidency is present for women in general, it is non-white women who are currently facing the pain of significantly lower wages, racism and sexism (in comparison to just sexism), poor healthcare, and the illegal force of ICE.
Non-white women now live in a country that forces fear onto them in a way that they must carry an ID or passport at all times so they are not suspected as an “illegal immigrant” or “criminal.” It is, in particular, non-white women who also face birth-right citizenship issues. In addition, it is Native American women who face the pain of being told to “go back to where they came from” by Trump, when where they came from was stripped and stolen from them by white men.
In this list of impacts by Trump’s presidency on non-white women, notice how white men are not negatively impacted, but rather benefited. If federal contractors do deny opportunities to non-white women, it would open more opportunities for white men to grow their wealth and status in the workforce. If non-white women are not able to access abortions or good healthcare, death could occur during pregnancy or labor, or, perhaps, the woman would stay home and give up competition against a white man in the workforce. This is part of the appeal and promise of Trumpism for white men: they will grow of higher authority and power as a defense mechanism to their fear of the oppression they put onto others, and creating marginalized groups so they never have to become marginalized themselves.
It is also important to note that white women voted for Trump, as well. In considering what they gain from his presidency and the patriarchy, I could only think of one thing: masculine, protective energy and the utopian idea of security under Trump.
The patriarchy is so highly embedded into some minorities’ minds that they begin to believe they are “supposed” to be less than a white man. In response, the only thing they believe to be the true way of life and politics is what Trump is proposing; a government that instills traditional gender and racial ideologies. However, it is not utopian, secure, or protective, nor masculine. These ideologies silence minorities and create a terrifying reality in which no one becomes truly equal or recognized. No one is truly secure under the leadership of selfish, childish acts that only bring down others.
Since the end of Trump’s first presidency to now, he has said, “in America, we believe in the majesty of freedom and the dignity of the individual.” The Constitution of the United States does not say anything about women, let alone non-white women, but it also does not mention the word “freedom,” simply because it was a written system without it. My take is that an America run by Trump currently has no freedom until he uses his power to erase the patriarchy that has put minorities at harm, and recognizes non-white women as dignified individuals. In response to his poor use of power, we should not stop talking about the impacts of Trump’s presidency on non-white women because everyday we keep speaking out, the closer non-white women have the recognized constitutional and fundamental right to freedom.
Isa Abbott ‘28 is a Politics and Public Affairs major from Indianapolis.