The 2024 presidential election divided the United States, however, there were common concerns between parties. According to the Pew Research Center, registered voters valued the importance of health care (65%). During presidential campaigns, the running candidates traveled the country to address key issues with speeches and rallies to appeal to American voters. This past election presented a glimpse into what the United States could have been if Kamala Harris had been elected as the first woman to become president.
In grade school, we learn about the history of our country, the founding fathers and the past presidents. My younger self wondered why the United States, known as the land of the free and the door to opportunities, never had a woman as president. According to Britannica, in 2015, Hillary Clinton became the first woman nominated for president by a major political party and won by the national popular vote, being close to becoming the first woman president. Similar to recent events, the United States was not ready to be led by a woman. Both Harris and Clinton are examples of women breaking barriers.
When a woman is elected president, the moment will be historical but most importantly, women will feel seen. In healthcare, women have experienced adversity since 1977, when the Food and Drug Administration recommended women of childbearing be excluded from Phase I and II of a drug trial for thalidomide, which was a medication used as a sedative for morning sickness according to the NIH and ORWH. The medication was used throughout Europe and Canada, leading pregnant women to give birth to babies with birth defects. The drug was never approved in the United States and after the incident, the FDA became cautious about including women in studies. The lack of inclusion in clinical trials including women of color and women with disabilities is still relevant today.
It is crucial to have representation in the White House because if not, who will listen to women? Who will ensure that women are not overlooked? Who will advocate for women? According to WH.Gov, former First Lady Jill Biden and former President Joe Biden launched the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research to invest in and focus on improving women’s lives. For this reason, representation matters to ensure inclusion and close gaps in medical research, as well as sex and gender-informed medicine.
Harris’s “Fight for Reproductive Freedoms” tour conveyed hope to women in the country. With Roe v. Wade overturned, many women faced hardships. Her tour included a stop at a Minnesota Planned Parenthood facility, where she highlighted clinics shutting down and leaving women without access to essential care, according to CNN. Her message resonated with people wanting change and a leader willing to listen and understand the issue. Therefore, having leaders advocate for women’s health increases awareness and the significance of health and medical care.
The release of Barbie (2023) left me excited and optimistic about the future for women. The film presented a land run by different Barbies that can do anything, this includes a president Barbie, a physicist Barbie, a judge Barbie, a journalist Barbie, a doctor Barbie, a lawyer Barbie and other types of Barbies. It established the importance of empowerment and women in leadership, emphasizing that representation matters. When Harris announced her campaign I thought the U.S. would have a female president. In my view, I wanted to feel patriotism pumping in my veins and witness a historical moment made possible by all the women who came before us.
