The other day we were discussing the US elections and its culmination in terms of the president-elect, Donald J. Trump when one of our colleagues suggested that the current time might be the most interesting point in history. His point was in accordance with the recently held “Brexit” in the United Kingdom (UK), Europe giving in to Islamophobia, which can exclusively be epitomized by an almost surrender by France to the rhetoric of the right wing party, National Front — championed by Marine Le Pen — and can generally be reflected from overall apathy on the part of Europe towards Immigrants onslaught in the backdrop of Syrian crisis and, last but not the least, the current US elections in its unfolding which, in its absurdity, supplemented the vicious cycle of lunatic fringe by giving the reins of the US fate in the hand of, none other than, “the-living-embodiment-of-lunacy”: Donald J. Trump.
The overall world, at present, is in its unfolding, hands down, really horrific but what stood out for us in this whole film of horror is especially in the US elections that we had been following very curiously was Hillary’s defeat and its impact on feminism. Let us develop a context for readers’ convenience. Hillary based a major chunk of her campaign on feminist ideals. She was perceived as a poster-child for feminism. Her election as president was being considered to surely move feminism to mainstream both theoretically and in its practical disposition, which would be nothing less than a major milestone achieved by feminists across the globe.
Nevertheless, Hillary’s feminist rhetoric hardly resonated with all women in the US as is reflective of post-election voters’ data. According to polls, Hillary bagged a major chunk of votes cast by the people of colour, but, among White women vote bank, she lost around 53 percent of the votes to her counterpart, Trump, in the face of his misogynistic views, abject racism and bigotry aimed at Muslims. This disillusionment on the part of White women toward Hillary is attributed to the fact that women thought her past did not comply with her present rhetoric for the future. They believed that she would promote the status quo. Her feminism, they thought, was reflective of elite feminism; so for them, in her rhetoric, there was nothing to buy in. Clinton’s past blinded them to Clinton’s pledges in the present.
Clinton’s past has cost her a lot. Clinton’s sole reliance on woman card has backfired as her brand of feminism was tagged “exclusive” by women at large. But the nagging question that haunts us and that has been of much concern for all those who believe in women empowerment is whether major chunk of White women’s vote for Trump in the face of his abject sexism will help bring feminism in the mainstream or will prove to be a point at which what feminism has so far achieved will recede.
Feminism, in its true sense, has always comprised a wide range of agitations in terms of social and political movements that intend to shape and achieve rights for women. First-wave feminism exclusively focused on women’s suffrage and other legal issues; the very right to vote that was exercised by all the women living in the United States of America was a fruit of the feminism of which the other products were being bashed throughout the presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump. These ridiculed rewards of feminism included almost all those gained by the efforts of second and third waves, namely reproductive rights, sexuality, domestic and gender violence, social class, transgender rights, sexual liberation, and glass ceiling. Fulfilment of all the vows made during a campaign is the usual expectation which is awaited by the voters and dreaded by those who did not vote in the respective candidate’s favour. What is still left to be seen is the degree up to which these policies are implemented and the level of attainment Trump’s voters receive by the end of his term.
Zeitgeist of the present age lies in accommodating diversity. Predisposition on the part of any actor, i.e. state, society or international organisation that shows indifference to accommodate diversity can hardly make a space for itself in the mainstream in this age of globalisation. This applies to theories in International Relations as well. Any theory not accommodating diversity can hardly make a space for itself in the mainstream. Feminism is already on the margins both in its theoretical discourse among major International Relations theories and in its breakthroughs in the form of strong feminine characters around the world because of the pervasive patriarchal values. For Feminism to thrive, it is necessary that it makes its discourse pluralistic so that its success does not come at the cost of someone’s marginalisation. Feminists should stand by those figures in politics who believe in pluralism. The fact that American women choice to stand by Trump for their grievances against Hillary in the face of his repulsion for pluralism is not a positive omen for feminism, and time will tell whether the decision on the part of the US White women was prudent. We are not suggesting that American women’s choice for not supporting Hillary was illogical, but their support for Trump is of concern to us in the light of its consequences for feminism.
However, the situation seems to be less deplorable when seen through the eyes of those who did not vote in the favour of Hillary Clinton. For them, feminism is about bringing women equal to men, not playing the woman card, a felony she is often accused of by her opponents. The intraparty conflict between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton in which she becomes the presidential candidate from the Democrats and then loses the election to a proclaimed misogynist is eyed by her adversaries as her using this card in her favour and then mourning the situation when it received backlash.
Whatever the case is, it is only time that will let us know whether the consequences the whole world will get to face will be harsh or balmy. Till the then, we can only anticipate.
Inamullah Marwat is an MPhil International Relations (IR) scholar at the department of Political Science in University of the Punjab, Lahore, and can be reached at [email protected]. Aminah Suhail Qureshi is a student of Biotechnology with an interest in current affairs, politics and journalism.