Julia Kane ‘27
Opinions Editor
When many little girls decide what they want to be when they grow up, a frequent dream is to be the President of the United States (at least it was for me). How amazing would it be to be such an influential figure, doing your best to serve the country and make a true difference in people’s lives and the world? Not only that, but simply the thought of being the first woman to serve as president, lighting the way for even more women in the future to hold high positions in state and federal government. With a heavy heart, I am beginning to doubt the potential for a female U.S. president, at least for the near future.
Across the globe, the U.S. is behind in terms of never having a woman leading the country, as nearly one-half of the world’s nations have had a female leader. The first country to have a female leader was Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon, with Sirimavo Bandaranaike as Prime Minister in 1960. These numbers have begun to rise with countries such as Peru, San Marino, and Switzerland having at least six women leaders. In Mexico, 2024 was a momentous year, with two female candidates competing for the presidency. Claudia Sheinbaum, former mayor of the capital, triumphed over Xochitl Galvez, becoming the first woman president of Mexico in the 200-year history of their republic. In terms of the U.S., however, Americans are doubtful if we can be progressive enough to elect a woman president. In a Pew Research Center Poll, only 1 in 4 Americans said it’s extremely or very likely that the U.S. will elect a woman president in their lifetime.
In this 2024 election cycle, it seemed probable that Vice President Harris had a strong chance of winning the presidency. Her last few rallies in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Houston were packed with loyal supporters and fervent energy. In her campaign, Harris carefully chose not to run on her gender as a defining component of her character, likely knowing it could harm her. Even just by running, Harris made history as the first Black woman and first South Asian person to be a presidential nominee. In addition, several politicians, some of whom are GOP members, also spoke out in favor of Harris and against Trump. Liz Cheney and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, were very vocal about their distaste for Trump and advocacy for Harris. On Sept. 6, (Dick) Cheney stated, “In our nation’s 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump.”
Here at Holy Cross, some Political Science students have been feeling strongly throughout the week while facing the U.S. presidential election results. Olivia Paulsen, class of 2027, stated, “Unless the U.S. has two female presidential candidates running against each other as Mexico did, I struggle to see how we will elect a woman president, given the outcome of the 2016 and 2024 elections.” In addition, another member of the sophomore class, Hannah Greenwood, said, “I think since it has been so long and we have not yet had a female president, there is so much pressure put on who the first will be. These unachievable standards caused both Harris and Clinton to fall short. ” I find myself agreeing, as I feel that this past election has been extremely telling of how the majority of the U.S. views women, especially in positions of power. Whether they recognize it or not, a lot of people still feel as though women are too emotional, unprepared, and unfit for the role. Even though many people say they would not be opposed to voting for a woman, but just believed Clinton and Harris were not the best choice, it raises the question: which woman will have all of the right qualifications for president? It is alarming that Americans would rather elect a man accused of sexual assault 26 times who makes countless misogynistic remarks and is against reproductive rights for women, than Vice President Harris. Although many believed that Harris was not prepared to be president, she served as Attorney General, Senator, and Vice President, as well as possessing many of the right qualities to be president.
As much as I hope for a woman to serve as the U.S. President in the near future, I believe the unconscious biases of Americans will hinder the chances. People must have unwavering faith that a female presidential candidate can serve at the same caliber as a male candidate, and we have not yet reached that level of trust. I don’t believe that it is a lost cause, and will hold out hope that someday, a brave woman will be able to fill the role of president and shatter the “highest, hardest glass ceiling”, as Hillary Clinton once said.
Featured image courtesy of Google Images
Copy Edited by Sophia Mariani ’26
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