​​Do Girls Hope for a Woman President?

By Rosa Morales-Simmons

BOSTON – Another woman candidate lost the presidential race to president-elect Donald Trump. Left female supporters fear the next four years, while teen girls from Boston wonder if a woman will ever become president in their lifetime.

When the presidential election results were finalized on Nov. 5, Vice President Kamala Harris’ lost with 226 electoral votes to Donald Trump’s 312 votes. Mass disappointment and fear of policy changes was cast over anti-Trump voters, especially the women who voted against the Republican. Yet, we may have not considered the views of girls who witnessed the election alongside their voting elders, and how they view their gender’s potential to be president after Harris’ loss.

When 14-year-old Sasha was asked what was the chances someone like her could become president one day, she responded, “very likely in the future,” while 16-year-old Shariyah viewed the current state of politics with less optimism: “ I say the chances are kind of low, considering how white supremacy is a thing right now.”

During Harris’ short race against Trump amid Biden’s step down from his reelection campaign, there were concerns from the left leaning public that Harris would trigger opposing forces that intersect misogyny and white supremacy.

13-year-old Aria also shared similar conflict to the previous question: “It will definitely be very new. But I don't know if I can see it happening – maybe in the future, but not currently.”

The Guardian reported that since 1870 in the United States, 31 women have been nominated to run for president by their respective parties, with some running multiple times. Women have campaigned for the presidency before the 19th Amendment established their citizen rights to vote. The history of non-elected candidates continues with a presidential win for a woman still uncertain for some. Women officeholders also experience challenges as they continue to be substantially fewer in proportion to men.

“People think women are less capable of doing things, and they’re more so jobs that men should take,” Aria added. 

Pew Research surveyed U.S. adults in 2023 with the majority that felt there wouldn’t be leadership differences in a woman president versus a male president. Yet, 54% agreed that “women having to do more to prove themselves than men” is a major obstacle for women seeking office.

“I don’t think that men or white people would be ready for that, because they have a stuck idea on how America should be,” said Shariyah.

White voters currently make up the majority of electoral votes in the United States, with about 8 out of 10 voters in support of Trump in the 2020 and 2024 presidential election, according to AP News. Harris’ gender and racial identity alienates her among government officials in general. CAWP reported that “Black women are less than 6% of officeholders in Congress, statewide elective executive offices, and state legislatures.”

“I don't want to say it's because she's black or it's because she's a woman, but people do tend to pick Democrats. I think I was really frustrated when she lost. I mean, I wanted her to be president, and I really didn't want [Trump] because people talked a lot about, oh, Trump is going to do this. Trump is going to do that. I feel like it kind of frightened me too.” Aria said.

Trump, and then Ohio Senator JD Vance who campaigned for the Oval Office, propagated fear of reversals of policies and further limitations that established abortion, migrant  and transgender rights. Trump’s controversial policies have provoked left leaning groups, officials and public to suspect a rampant spitefulness toward those that protest against him.

When asked, “what would a woman president say about the United States,” they responded: 

“It would be great, because we would be up to date with other countries.” - Sasha, 14.

“That we're not in a hierarchy, and that everyone's getting treated fairly with equality.“ - Shariyah, 16.

“We have some kind of equality and that we're able to allow women to take roles that they aren't usually allowed to have, or that aren't usually available to them, to give them better opportunities to be something greater than what they are or to succeed.” - Aria, 13.