As a Gen Z Black woman, I often find myself at the intersection of history and the urgency of today’s political landscape. The recent uproar over President Obama’s remarks—that some men, perhaps due to their misogyny, may struggle to support a woman as accomplished as Vice President Kamala Harris—is both revealing and misplaced. Instead of focusing on the uncomfortable truth Obama highlighted, we must confront the far more dangerous threat facing women, particularly those in my generation: former President Donald Trump.
While critics waste time dissecting Obama’s supposed “condescension,” Trump is doubling down on the very rhetoric that defined his first term. Just this past week, he suggested using military force on Election Day to combat what he called “the enemy from within”—a thinly veiled reference to “radical left lunatics.” Such authoritarian rhetoric is not only dangerous; it threatens the very foundation of our democracy.
Trump’s comments reflect his escalating radicalism. His remarks in Detroit, where he implied the entire country would become “like Detroit” and “a mess” if Kamala Harris were elected, were a clear dog whistle laced with racial and sexist undertones. His speech in Aurora, Colorado, was no less divisive, as he again vilified migrants, dehumanizing entire communities while promising policies rooted in cruelty.
In August, Trump continued his pattern of spreading misinformation, this time about Minnesota. He misrepresented Governor Tim Walz’s record, distorting a policy ensuring menstrual products are available in school bathrooms and falsely framing it as radical. In truth, Walz signed this legislation to support students’ health and dignity—a necessity Gen Z women fully understand. Trump’s deliberate distortion of this policy reveals his disregard for measures that directly impact young women, manipulating facts for political gain at the expense of our well-being.
But here’s the thing—my generation, Gen Z, understands the stakes far better than we’re given credit for. We paid attention during Trump’s first term. We watched as three far-right Supreme Court justices were appointed, and we felt the immediate impact when Roe v. Wade was overturned. For us, this isn’t theoretical or abstract. It’s deeply personal.
Gen Z women are either entering or navigating our prime reproductive years, and the overturning of Roe has stripped many of us of rights our mothers once took for granted. We now live in a reality where our bodily autonomy is no longer protected, our futures shaped by a court heavily influenced by Trump’s appointments. Yet, instead of grappling with this painful truth, too many are distracted by manufactured outrage over Obama’s remarks.
Trump’s first-term policies, and his promises for a second, make it clear: he’s not indifferent to the advancement of women in leadership—he’s hostile to it. His calls for military intervention on Election Day, his racist and misogynistic attacks on Kamala Harris, and his promise to “handle” supposed enemies from within reveal a man determined to dismantle progress.
For Gen Z women, this is not a future we are willing to accept. We know all too well the consequences of disregarding misogyny and underestimating the existential threats to our democracy. The 2016 election and Trump’s presidency revealed these dangers. The overturning of Roe v. Wade made them real in our lives.
We cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of 2016. We cannot disregard the growing threats Trump represents. His presidency showed us who he is, and his recent speeches in Detroit and Aurora, along with his chilling call for military action on Election Day, prove he hasn’t changed.
For women of Gen Z, especially Black women, this fight is deeply personal. We are demanding better because the stakes for our future are too high to accept anything less. Electing President Harris would open a door long closed to us—one that shows young Black women they, too, can ascend to the highest levels of leadership. This moment is too important to let slip away.
To the men reading this, especially those with daughters and nieces—don’t you want us to reach our fullest potential? To see the young women in your lives thrive, break barriers, and achieve their wildest dreams? The future of our country depends on it. We cannot afford to look away or dismiss the threats posed by Trump’s extremism. Our history demands we confront these dangers, and together, we must ensure we do not let history repeat itself.
