The results of the 2024 general election have left us grappling with the status of women in the United States.
Weekend Reading on Women’s Representation is a compilation of stories about women’s representation in politics, on boards, in sports and entertainment, in judicial offices and in the private sector in the U.S. and around the world—with a little gardening and goodwill mixed in for refreshment!
This week’s Weekend Reading is dedicated to wellness, community building, and offering hope in these dark times.
RepresentWomen and the Eternal Goal of Women’s Equality: ‘Our Work Continues’
RepresentWomen was born out of the notion that women deserve a seat at the policy-making table at each level of government. Women’s unique lived experiences are an asset to crafting policies, driving progress, and, most importantly, building strong and empathetic communities designed to provide for all individuals. The results of the 2024 general election, for us and so many others, have left us grappling with the status of women in the United States.
Where do we go from here, where a majority of the United States voted overwhelmingly for a candidate who is a threat to the very fabric of democracy? How do we reconcile the reality that an overqualified candidate, a Black and South Asian woman with multiple degrees and experience in all three branches of government, is still considered unqualified to lead this country?
Right now, the nation stands at a crossroads where we must navigate between grief and genuine fear, as well as optimism and hope for a future. We must keep this defeat from discouraging future candidates from similar backgrounds or reinforcing the narrative that the electorate is not ready to embrace diversity at the highest levels of government.
To quote Vice President Kamala Harris when she addressed the nation on Wednesday afternoon:
On the campaign, I would often say when we fight, we win. But here’s the thing, here’s the thing: sometimes the fight takes a while. That doesn’t mean we won’t win. That doesn’t mean we won’t win. The important thing is don’t ever give up. Don’t ever give up. Don’t ever stop trying to make the world a better place. You have power. You have power. And don’t you ever listen when anyone tells you something is impossible because it has never been done before. You have the capacity to do extraordinary good in the world.
So many wins across the nation must be celebrated, even if the race at the top of the ticket was not what so many of us expected. Notably, Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester have won their respective Senate seats, marking the first time in history that two Black women will serve simultaneously.
Several women highlighted in our Unprecedented Momentum: Black Women Candidates Reshape Political Power in 2024 op-ed (also published at Ms.) also won their races!
Thirteen women will serve as governors, the first openly transgender person will represent Delaware in Congress, and North Dakota elected its first woman to serve in the House of Representatives.
The time for organizing, protesting, advocating for systems reform, and analyzing the election, as well as so many other avenues for policy debate, can and will come soon. Today and in the coming days, women must reevaluate their options for the future. Prioritizing care, rest, safety, health and community in whatever way you find it must come first.
Emotional Aftermath of Election Day: How to Take Care of Yourself
Americans are experiencing overwhelming emotions in the wake of the election. RepresentWomen hopes to amplify the importance of self-care during this very complicated time. Experts advise acknowledging these feelings and using healthy coping strategies, including setting boundaries, practicing grounding techniques, turning off notifications on social media and news sites, and practicing individual care in whatever makes you most comfortable. For those facing strained relationships over political differences, experts suggest approaching family discussions with empathy and setting clear boundaries.
Below are mental health resources for those experiencing a crisis:
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
- Call or text 988 for support during emotional distress or a suicidal crisis.
- Chat online with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine
- Provides mental health resources and support.
- Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.
- The Trevor Project
- LGBTQIA+ youth can access free, confidential crisis support.
- Call 1-866-488-7386, text ‘START’ to 678-678, or chat online with a counselor.
- Veteran’s Crisis Hotline
- Veterans can call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online for support.
- Substance Abuse Support
- Alcoholics Anonymous
- Narcotics Anonymous
- SAMHSA’s National Helpline for mental and substance use disorders: Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Read more about post-election self-care in Sara Moniuszko‘s CBS News article:
“Feelings of, ‘How did this happen?’ are likely widespread and would have been whichever way the vote had gone. For many, these strong emotions reflect the heightened stakes of what has been called one of the most important elections in U.S. history, as people contemplate what the results mean for their values, communities and hopes for the future,” Chaitali Sinha, psychologist and chief clinical research and development officer at mental health app Wysa, told CBS News…
Know you’re not alone: “It’s completely normal for people to feel a sense of loss or fear when election results don’t align with their hopes,” Sinha said, adding these emotions can “take a toll on mental health,” making coping strategies important.
Thank You, Election Workers
RepresentWomen’s communications manager Arianna Conte had the opportunity to serve as a poll worker in her home state of Rhode Island on Election Day! She and tens of thousands of individuals across the country put their faith in our systems of government to ensure our election’s administrative processes ran smoothly.
Monday, Nov. 4, was Election Hero Day, and we needed to thank the poll workers who came together to ensure individuals could cast their ballots safely and securely.
“Tuesday was my first time being a poll worker, but it certainly will not be the last! It was a long day, for sure, but it was an honor to serve my community and meet so many people excited to cast their ballots. My favorite parts of the day were, without a doubt, seeing the excitement from people able to cast their ballots for the first time and whole families coming in to vote together.”
It is crucial to acknowledge, though, the threats of violence that were made at polling places in Georgia, Arizona, and Wisconsin. These threats caused unnecessary confusion and fear for voters, poll workers, and election officials trying to safeguard the right to make your voice heard. RepresentWomen condemns political violence of any kind.
Additionally, the smooth election day Arianna experienced in Rhode Island is not a universal experience. Individuals nationwide have been experiencing difficulty receiving confirmation that their ballot was counted, especially for mail ballots. Resources to ensure your vote was counted include:
- Tracking your ballot
- Contacting your local secretary of state directly.
- Learning about what happens to your ballot after it is sent in.
Historic Win: Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester Are First Two Black Women to Serve in the Senate Together
Angela Alsobrooks and Lisa Blunt Rochester both won their respective races. This means that for the first time in history, two Black women will serve in the Senate simultaneously. This is significant progress since two years ago, there were no Black women in the Senate, and before that, only two Black women had ever served in the Senate.
Candice Norwood from The 19th (and cross-posted in Ms.) writes:
Lisa Blunt Rochester in Delaware and Angela Alsobrooks in Maryland will change the math. They are both projected to win their races on Tuesday — making history while bringing greater representation to Congress and maintaining the Democrats’ hold on the seats.
This is also the first time that two Black women will serve as senators together — and they will each take seats held by White male Democrats.
“We’re at a particular moment in American history where people, I think, are wanting a change,” said Sydney Carr-Glenn, an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at the College of the Holy Cross. “We have more minority voters relative to, let’s say, 20 years ago. And minority voters are often going to vote on descriptive and substantive representation. Oftentimes they’re going to vote with people who not only align with their interests, but also align with them identity-wise.”
Blunt Rochester and Alsobrooks were two of three Black women running as Democrats for open Senate seats. Valerie McCray ran for a seat in Indiana, but struggled to compete in the Republican stronghold.
Celebrating Progress in Down-Ballot Races
There has been some progress in this election cycle. Several candidates highlighted in our Unprecedented Momentum: Black Women Candidates Reshape Political Power in 2024 op-ed won their races. RepresentWomen wishes heartfelt congratulations to Rep. Nikema Williams, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Rep. Summer Lee, Rep. Lauren Underwood, Sen.-elect Lisa Blunt Rochester and Sen.-elect Angela Alsobrooks, Mayor-elect Aliya Gaskins and Georgia state Rep. Kim Jackson.
Read more about how these wins are historic in this op-ed written by research associate Marvelous Maeze’s op-ed:
The pivotal candidacies of the auspicious contenders running for office stand to increase their representation in US politics in a meaningful way. Black women understand what it means to overcome compound hardships. Thus, they are perfectly suited to address the complexities faced by their communities. Not only are they equipped to represent the most ignored segments of the populace, but they are perfectly suited to represent the needs of all citizens.
As candidates, they embody the promise of equity and a representative government. As Americans—particularly young people and people of color—become more disillusioned by our political processes, the intentional and strategic advancement of Black women candidates may infuse a much-needed dose of confidence in decency, democracy, and dignity in politics.
Building Community Across the Globe
Our team stood up for women’s representation all around the world this election!
In Barcelona, RepresentWomen’s partnerships director Katie Usalis attended the Democrats Abroad Election Night Bash, where dozens of Americans living in Barcelona gathered to connect and talk about U.S. politics. Several local reporters were there, and there was lots of talk about the need for a woman in the highest seat in our nation’s government.
Big Win for Ranked-Choice Voting in Washington, D.C.
While a number of democracy reform measures on the ballot in various states were not successful—read FairVote’s rundown of those results—a very bright spot was the big win for ranked-choice voting in Washington, D.C., thanks in large part to the leadership of Lisa Rice, Candice Nolde and the impressive team at Make All Votes Count DC.
The measure passed with 73 percent of the vote—”way above the already positive range where it was polling,” according to a social media post from the campaign, “and the reform measure earned more than two-thirds of the vote in each and every one of D.C.’s eight wards (with only one under 70 percent).”
Now that the voters have spoken, it will be up to all of us to make sure that the council and the mayor fund the implementation and educational work ahead.
‘Will a Woman Ever Be President?’
I will close this week with an excerpt from a piece from Katie Rogers from The New York Times who writes:
On the arduous climb toward the “highest, hardest glass ceiling,” female presidential candidates persisted and resisted. They promised they were unbought and unbossed. Most of all, they believed the nation was ready for them. And, one by one, they were proven wrong.
The United States has been led by men for all of its 248 years, and that will continue for at least four more. On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris became the latest woman to fail to break the gender barrier to the presidency, and the second to be defeated by Donald J. Trump.
Across the country, on text chains, during their commutes, in offices, with friends and family, women were processing the sting of another loss. Mothers consoled their daughters. Others tried to figure out how to explain what it meant, to their loved ones and to themselves, that Ms. Harris had been defeated by a man like Mr. Trump — who had bragged about stripping away the rights of women, about grabbing them by their genitals, and who had been held liable for sexual abuse….
The United States lags behind several other nations — Britain, Germany, Israel, India, Canada and, this year, Mexico — which have chosen women as leaders. Despite the long wait, America is far from alone. Men do still run the world, numerically. Only about a third of the countries in the United Nations have ever had a woman head of the government. Just 13 of the body’s 193 member countries are currently led by women, according to the Pew Research Center.
Eight years ago, Ms. Clinton, a former first lady, senator and secretary of state, won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College to Mr. Trump. In her concession speech, Ms. Clinton said she hoped that a woman would come along and shatter the glass ceiling “sooner than we might think right now.”
That wait continues.
And this time, the road ahead seems more uncertain.
I am feeling especially grateful this week for the community of organizations and advocates working to build women’s political power and a representative democracy—now is the time for us to be pragmatic, strategic, innovative, and collaborative to traverse the rocky path ahead.
Kamala Harris’ Candidacy: An International Perspective
RepresentWomen is committed to uplifting the diverse perspectives of all women.
Outreach manager Alissa Bombardier Shaw authored a compelling opinion piece sharing the perspective of the RepresentWomen staff as a feminist organization going into the 2024 election. International research manager Fatma Tawfik, Florence Malorbah Dorley and Ruhamah Ifere, all members of the Global Advocates for Parity Network, shared an international perspective on what the 2024 election meant for global gender parity outcomes.
