The moment the election results flashed across the screen, I was in disbelief. I had followed Kamala Harris’ campaign with hope and excitement, seeing her journey as a promise that someone like me — a young woman with Indian roots — could reach the highest levels of power. Kamala was a leader who understood the fight for gender and racial equality because she had lived it. Before Election Day, I had imagined a future where girls wouldn’t have to worry about their fundamental rights being threatened. But when Donald Trump was declared the winner, I felt a crushing sense of dread: not just from disappointment, but from fear of what would follow.
Unfortunately, it seems like those negative changes are already starting to happen. When Trump was elected in 2016, people responded by organizing the Women’s March and launching the #GrabYourWallet boycott. But this time, it feels different. Major US corporations are already aligning with Trump even before Inauguration Day. Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, recently announced it would stop using third-party fact-checkers — essentially backing up Trump’s claims of censorship while ignoring the growing problem of misinformation. And companies like Walmart, Ford, and McDonald’s are pulling the plug on their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, which feels like a major setback to the progress made in the past few decades toward building a more inclusive society.
As an officer of my school’s Feminist Club, one of my favorite activities is to organize and facilitate discussions on topics like gender equality and women’s rights. Since the election, our discussions have shifted — they aren’t just theoretical anymore. We talk about the real implications of attending college in red states that have abortion bans and the dangers of Project 2025, which calls for banning the abortion pill mifepristone, limiting contraception, and ending protections against workplace discrimination and harassment. We worry about our friends in the LGBTQ+ community; it’s already hard for them to simply exist in a world that doesn’t always accept them. We try to wrap our minds around what it means to have a president who’s not only made crude remarks about women but has actually been convicted of sexual assault. Attacks like “Your body, my choice” and “Get back to the kitchen” were surging on social media right after the election. We are terrified of what all of this will mean for basic concepts we’ve learned about in health class, like consent and bodily autonomy. How will these fundamental rights be enforced if our powerful leaders refuse to respect them?
While my male friends share these concerns, there’s often a different sense of urgency when it comes to gender-based issues. For many girls, it feels like our rights are being personally attacked in a visceral way. So many of us are feeling this fear for our futures — whether it’s about healthcare, education, abortion, or the environment. It’s hard not to feel like we’re stuck in a moment where progress is moving backward instead of forward.
But I know the world won’t change on its own; we have to make it happen. My friends and I are committed to raising our voices, whether it’s advocating for reproductive rights or helping ensure our communities stay safe. We’ll keep organizing donation drives, hosting discussions, and partnering with other groups to amplify our impact and build stronger communities. As Trump prepares to take office, we’re determined that our work won’t come to a halt. His presidency may threaten the progress we’ve made, but we know that change doesn’t only come from the top. Change happens because we — young people, activists, and those who care — keep pushing forward. We’re not helpless. Our work is only getting started.
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