The reality of being a young, brown, immigrant woman in America today is that you can hide behind the progressive bubble of your blue state friends and job, but you can never escape the harsh truth: a significant part of the country despises you simply for existing. Living in D.C. today feels like a slap in the face, a stark reminder that no matter how much you achieve, as a woman of color, you will never be afforded the same opportunities or platform as a white man. A rapist, convicted felon, white man in this case.
Waking up to the news that Donald Trump is set to become the 47th President of the United States brings a wave of devastation. It’s more than just a political change—it feels like a validation of misogyny, racism, and hostility toward immigrants. Issues like abortion rights, healthcare, and racial equality—each already so fraught—now feel frighteningly vulnerable. It’s as though every hard-won protection and dignity could be stripped away by an administration that thrives on divisiveness.
But perhaps the harshest blow is knowing that someone with a history of violent rhetoric, criminal accusations, and blatant misogyny can ascend to the highest office, untouched by scandals that would ruin most lives. What happens to the claim that allegations ruin men’s lives? In Trump’s case, they’ve crowned him. His election represents something deeper than any specific policy. It’s the symptom of a much wider fracture—a rooted fear and distrust, a visceral “othering” that runs through the American psyche.
This “othering,” as Edward Said explored, has a particular weight for those of us from post-colonial backgrounds. It isn’t just about being different; it’s about the quiet yet persistent feeling that, despite all you accomplish, some part of this country will always see you as a threat. And, no matter who takes office, that divide, that fear, only seems to grow deeper.
As a woman of color, an immigrant, and someone who works tirelessly to combat climate change, it often feels like an attack on all fronts. What’s particularly troubling is the growing reality in America where it seems to be every person for themselves. Immigrant communities, from Latinos to Indians, are increasingly siding with a conservative agenda, feeling the need to “punch down” in an attempt to secure their place in a system that has always been built on exclusion. The new American Dream, it seems, has shifted—”Be rich enough as an immigrant to become a Republican.”
What’s even more concerning is the rise of young and white non-college men, particularly those plagued by male loneliness, who are embracing dangerous, fascist ideologies. This hunger for power and identity rooted in nothing but a need for control is reminiscent of a global trend. From Europe to South Asia, we’re witnessing the rise of populist, right-wing leaders who are systematically dismantling democratic institutions and undermining women’s rights. At the heart of these movements is a common goal: to control bodies, restrict freedoms, and erase hard-won progress. Women’s rights are almost always the first casualties of this regressive, authoritarian shift, revealing a troubling path toward less equitable, less just societies.
I’ll be honest, I’m scared. I’m scared of what this administration will do, but more so, I’m terrified of what it will undo. From abortion rights to clean energy laws, America seems to be heading down a path of total destruction for human rights, driven by two men who are completely indifferent to the real-world consequences their actions will have on the very people these policies will harm.
Abortion rights is one of these issues. With the very conservative Supreme Court’s decision in 2022 to overturn the landmark case Roe v. Wade, that allows constitutional right to abortion, prohibiting states from banning the procedure before fetal viability (around 24 weeks) that protection was stripped away, leaving millions of women and individuals in a precarious position. This ruling not only dismantled a fundamental right but also exposed the deep political divide and the growing influence of conservative forces determined to limit reproductive freedoms.
Now, with Trump as president again, the stakes feel even higher. He’s likely to cement a conservative Supreme Court majority that could reshape reproductive rights for generations. Trump has voiced support for a federal abortion ban, possibly as early as 15 weeks, and could pressure Congress to pass such legislation. His administration may also restrict access to abortion pills, cut federal funding for abortion providers, and support more state-level bans. And this is bad for the world too. Ripple effect of this ban can be felt through “global gag rule,” barring U.S. aid to organizations that provide abortion services or information in other countries.
Having spent years working on women’s rights in South Asia, I’ve seen firsthand how authoritarian governments silence dissent, how deeply patriarchal systems reduce women to second-class citizens, and how resistance is often met with brutal force. The experience was exhausting but never surprising—after all, these were places where patriarchy ruled openly. Yet now, as I watch these same battles unfold in the U.S., I can’t help but feel an unsettling sense of déjà vu.
It’s as if there’s nowhere left for women to turn. From Italy to India, from South Asia to the United States, a rising tide of fascism, casteism, and divisive rule is taking root, eroding hard-won freedoms.
And as always, women are the ones paying the price—punished simply for existing, for demanding autonomy, for seeking equality. I’m left wondering, where does a woman go in this world when the walls are closing in on every side?