It was a long week for us at The Female Gaze, along with the rest of the country, as we anxiously awaited the tallying of votes in the 2020 general election. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were projected to be the President and Vice President Elect on Saturday, November 7th. Although there will likely be new information and statistics released in the coming weeks about how everyone voted, the TFG team wanted to take a moment to reflect on the election and on the future of the United States under the Biden administration. 

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Tiffany: It feels like the first time in four years that I’ve been able to actually breathe. For several years, we have seen bigotry triumph time and time again. Yesterday was the sign that we all needed that more of us care about character and integrity than not. This was a hard-won battle and we should celebrate our work. However, I still worry that some people will see this “return to normalcy” as a sign that we can return to being apathetic about our public discourse. Honestly, I see this as the work truly beginning. I believe that Progressive policies are the way to do the most good for the most people so I want to continue working towards a more equal society by continuing the work we have been doing here at TFG for the last four years. 

Katie: I shed a lot of tears when the news networks announced the winner of the 2020 presidential election and I can honestly say that every time Vice President Elect Kamala Harris is mentioned, I start crying all over again. It’s a monumental time in our country that will hopefully put us on the right track towards progress and kindness, but there’s a lot of important things to learn from this election that I hope will help create better results for Democrats in future elections. We discovered that, Democratic candidates fighting in deep red states to retain their congressional seats do really well in midterm elections vs. presidential elections. We learned that when progressives and moderates come together to campaign in swing states, the party as a whole yields better results. And we learned that it takes a village of driven, smart, and diverse people to topple threats to our democracy. Biden was not my first pick for president, but he has given me hope for a better future and that’s something to celebrate. Yet, our work is not done. It’s time to follow through and win back the Senate. If possible, please volunteer to phone or text bank for the Georgia runoff races through votesaveamerica.com or write letters urging people to vote in Georgia through votefwd.org. If we win these two seats, we can make a real difference over the next 4 years. 

Kathryn: I am so relieved that we will have a new president come January. The last four years were filled with hatred, discrimination, and blatant lies imparted by the Trump administration, but at last, we will usher in new leadership and start to reverse the antagonistic rhetoric that has permeated this nation for too long. There is still a tremendous amount of work to be done to achieve equality and justice for all, specifically for those who have been denied their right to thrive in this country, but with Biden’s and Harris’ election, we come closer to that goal.

Catherine:  The last four years have felt like we have been living in a bizarre alternate reality a la Star Trek’s Mirror Universe, which is an exaggerated evil alternate reality.  I was so relieved when Biden and Harris were announced as President-elect and Vice President-elect.  I fervently hope that these past fours years are the dying breaths of white supremacism and patriarchy.  It has certainly shown a light on how truly deep-seated, intertwined, and numerous these problems are in our country.  It will take the country a very long time to heal from the damage that has been caused these past four years, but I am hopeful that with Biden and Harris at the helm we will be able to make strides towards mending the damage as we continue to fight for equality, justice, and truth.

We all agree that it has been a chaotic 4 years and that the work has just begun, but the future is bright.