Since its origin, the United States has been run by men. That is all the country has ever known. It has been the norm for generations and hasn’t changed since. According to some right-wing Americans, it won’t change in the future either. Only 5% of Republicans think it’s very important to have a female president. For years, the United States has courted the idea of a female president, but this far-fetched dream has yet to come true. 

Even though several notable figures in politics such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton have shown promise and gained popularity over the past decades, the country still hasn’t fulfilled its true potential for women in politics. There has not yet been a female president. The most promising hope of having one was shattered in 2016 when Clinton won the popular vote but lost the electoral college. This heartbreaking event illustrated that even with a majority of the country in favor of a female president, pre-established systems can completely discount the voice of the people. 

During his 2016 campaign, former President Donald Trump was incessantly sexist in his comments regarding Clinton. He said she played the “woman’s card” and doubted her strength as a candidate. These attacks were deemed by his advisers a strategy to undermine Clinton. On top of all of this, Trump has made numerous sexist comments about women throughout the course of his career and has been found liable for sexual abuse. Despite this, he got the opportunity to become commander-in-chief, backed by a large number of Americans, including women. His success in 2016 is highly attributed to white women, “whom he won by 53% overall” against Clinton. 

Eight years later, now a convicted felon, Trump is running for president against a woman again.   

The term “president” signifies the peak of power, responsibility and authority for a nation. Politically and historically, these qualities have only been attributed to men, and numerous generations in the United States, unfortunately, have a mindset in which it is unfathomable for a female to truly be fit for president. Many lost hope of this after 2016. However, with President Joe Biden stepping down as the Democratic candidate in July this year, the United States now has the opportunity for a female presidency. 

Current Vice President Kamala Harris is now in the running to become the United States’ first female president, and the country is finally warming up to it. Although her campaign began unexpectedly, she gathered support from her party, raising over $1 billion since becoming the Democratic nominee. 

She reemphasized to the general public and the Democratic party that she is qualified for a presidency through her speech at the Democratic National Convention. She shared moments of her childhood, education and adulthood that have shaped her into who she is now. The United States, for the first time, saw her as a serious candidate with the qualities of a successful president. 

She ended her speech with, “America, let us show each other and the world who we are and what we stand for: Freedom, opportunity, compassion, dignity, fairness and endless possibilities.” Here, she set the tone for her campaign — inspiring others to unite to progress as a nation. She further reinforced this tone during the presidential debate on pressing issues such as immigration, economy, abortion, the environment and foreign policy. Here, people were able to see her for her viable policies and rights, rather than simply being “the female candidate.” 

Throughout her campaign, she’s had to work twice as hard to prove herself as a female candidate, constantly being doubted and questioned by Trump online and during the debate. He attributed her political success to a romantic relationship with Willie Brown, former San Francisco mayor — a tired, frustrating argument often used by misogynists to minimize a woman’s actual ability. 

The United States has progressed significantly in gender equality. The #MeToo movement, reducing the gender pay gap and Harris as the first female vice president are only a few of the milestones for women the United States achieved over the past few decades. Although gender equality has not been completely achieved, it has visibly improved. The country is more progressive than it used to be. 

Harris has stood her ground as a woman in a male-dominated political environment. Despite the odds working against her, she has highlighted Trump’s sexist nature, making him look desperate and crude. She has subtly revealed that he uses sexism as a last resort, focusing on hate rather than his plans and policies to better the country. Trump has lost his credibility since the 2016 election, and the masses are now realizing that his values are unreasonably extremist, confusing and ambiguous , especially with the threat of Project 2025 if he is elected. 

At this point, the United States needs a capable, rational and experienced candidate for president. It needs a candidate who has worked their way up, has established a connection to American communities and has promising values for the future. 

For future generations in the United States, it is crucial for Harris to win the presidency this year. It is necessary for people to stop viewing her as a “female candidate” and instead see her as a president of the United States.  

Tanvi Saxena is a first-year journalism major. She can be reached at [email protected].