Patriotism vs. Patriarchy: The Legacy of the 2024 Presidential Election
In his poem “Let America Be America Again”, acclaimed poet Langston Hughes wrote, “O, let America be America again, the land that never has been yet, and yet must be—the land where every man is free.” In the epilogue of yet another Presidential Election, the American people stand at the precipice on one of the most anticipated historical sagas in recent American history. From trust and transparency to truth and reconciliation, will faith in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness be retrieved? What will become of the new administration?
History has an interesting way of providing insight and perspective once removed from the present generation. Though it is too soon to call, much is to be said about what future historians and scholars will say or understand about this election and the administration to follow. Writer Alexandra Hutzler, in her 2024 article for ABC News, “The 2024 Presidential Election Will Be Historic No Matter Who Wins”, writes, “ ‘”You hear inevitably every four years that this is the most important election of one’s lifetime, but there is no question in my mind that this is the most important election of my lifetime’ … said ABC News presidential historian Mark Updegrove…’I’ve never in my life, again, seen such a marked difference in what the candidates stand for and the policy positions they have articulated,’.”
Much is to be seen as to what the remnants will be once the dust settles and the inauguration has happened and the administration is in full effect. But one thing that is for certain, the dichotomy of patriotism vs. patriarchy will be on full display. Writer Domenico Montanaro, in his 2024 article for NPR, “10 Key Demographic Groups That Could Decide The Presidential Election”, writes, “Women have made up a majority of the electorate in every presidential election in the last 40 years.” As with the 2016 election, the rights of women and the threat of misogyny continues to loom and millions of young women and girls will look at this as a chapter in the ongoing Feminist Movement, a movement that is no stranger to the impact of a vote.
How will this impact the social interactions between men and women? Will this change the dynamic across all things, from education to politics, healthcare, business, and popular culture? Will patriotism and patriarchy continue to be a thriving dichotomy? Moreover, the legacy of the 2024 election will demonstrate that there are those who have fought to protect this country for it to be enjoyed by all future citizens, regardless of background, and then there are those who have fought to protect this country for it to be enjoyed by those it was never meant for.
