We should have known. Despite the pre-election surveys putting Hillary Clinton ahead of Donald Trump, white Americans’ discrimination against women is still alive and well. What is ironic is that it was not just the white American males who rejected Clinton. Despite allegations of sexual assault and low regard for women by Trump, as exposed by 12 different women who came forward during his campaign, election results showed that 53 per cent of white female Americans chose Trump over Clinton. It was only the women of color who voted for Hillary Clinton overwhelmingly, with 94 per cent of black women and 68 per cent of Latino women backing her.
We should have seen that America is not ready for a woman president because the handwriting on the wall spoke unequivocally. An international treaty adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women or CEDAW, was ratified by no less than 189 states. Yet, the United States—although presenting itself as a world leader and a protector of human rights—did not ratify the treaty. Apart from the US, only Iran, Somalia, Palau, Sudan and Tonga did not ratify the international convention which focused on non-discrimination and sex stereotyping of women. The treaty also outlined women’s rights in the public and political sphere, among others, and required member state-parties to enshrine gender equality into their domestic legislation. While the United States professes its adherence to human rights and equality of human beings, in reality, its citizens still generally hold—consciously or subconsciously—that a woman’s place is only at home.
While the state of discrimination against women around the world is somehow improving with the number of women leaders doubling since 2005, still, women in power is hardly the norm (Wikipedia). In terms of wages, too, women are generally paid less for the same work performed by men. Sixty-three of 142 nations studied by the World Economic Forum have had a female head of government at some point in 50 years up to 2014. And yet, in nearly two thirds of those nations, a woman was in power for less than four of the 50 years up to 2014.
Countries like Switzerland which has had five female presidents and the Philippines which has had two are the exception rather than the rule. In the United States of America, women are less likely to work in politics. They make up a small number of the total elected officials, accounting for less than a quarter of congressional seats making up about 18 percent only of the seats. There are only 20 female senators out of the 100 total and only five female governors across all 50 states. In the US, when a woman runs for political office, she faces discriminatory questioning that detract from her political viewpoints. Very often, her mothering style, her role as a wife, and wardrobe become focal points by the media.
With a greater number of American women supporting now president-elect Trump, the theory that discrimination against women is something that many people have grown accustomed to has proven itself a reality. And this is what makes America’s situation extremely lamentable because, as one study said, accepting and forgiving discrimination—even in small amounts—will lead to continued discrimination throughout future generations. It is uncertain when America would ever be ready for a woman president.
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