It’s stunning to look around this big world and see just how many independent countries have been led by elected women. India, Israel, Iceland, Japan, Finland, Mexico, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Thailand, England, North Macedonia, Latvia, New Zealand, Samoa, Barbados Republic of Congo, Namibia… the list goes on and on.
Over 81 countries in the past 100 years. Guess which voting democracy is missing from this list? Us. The U.S. Scan this growing list of countries that have been led by women and one thing that they all have in common is… nothing! From countries considered egalitarian and/or liberal-leaning to those possibly categorized as homogenous, patriarchal, or even mysognyistic in many ways, the voters in these countries have decided that yes, women are absolutely capable of running their countries. But not here.
Hilary Clinton was the first American woman elected as a major party candidate, and she won the popular vote (2016), but that’s another story/issue. While too young to actually serve (at age 33), Victoria Woodhull is considered to be the first official, female presidential candidate… in 1872. And please don’t talk about required qualifications of candidates as one can quickly point out clowns, cretins, criminals, and charlatans who’ve run this democracy over the past 245+ years. All men, all the time. Three million more people voted for Donald Trump in 2024 than did so in 2020. Over six million fewer people voted for Kamala Harris in 2024 than voted for Joe Biden in 2020. Millions opted not to vote. Let the “why?” debates continue by overzealous analysts and pundits who revel in post-mortem election dissection. Hindsight is 20/20.
Regardless of your personal sociological or political bent, one thing remains absolute. Women presidential aspirants are 0 for forever in the United States. It’s a bit perplexing based on so many major social, economic, and political changes and gains we’ve seen in America since 1920, when women first got the national right to vote.
Strong, smart, major party-supported women have been elected and/or selected to myriad prestigious leadership positions throughout the years in the U.S., but the U.S.A. CEO glass ceiling has thus far proven shatterproof to those who’ve pressed up against it.
Recent elections in Mexico and Japan saw first-time women winners. We’re in a non-election year- but looking over international results over the decades was an eye-opener. Someday, one day, a deserving distaff leader will break through here.
Think about it…