UC Davis students and a professor share how the candidacy was made possible through the work and sacrifices of generations of women fighting for political equality and representation
By JALAN TEHRANIFAR — features@theaggie.org
The recent election marked a watershed moment in American history: A woman came close to being elected President of the United States. This feat, which has been most notably attempted by two female candidates to date since 2016, is huge — though it has proven difficult to break through the glass ceiling of a female presidency in the United States. Still, women’s rights, particularly in the political forum, have expanded dramatically spanning the last century.
This milestone was not simply the product of one candidate’s ambition or determination. It is the culmination of centuries of tireless work, courage and sacrifice by women who defied convention, broke barriers and fought for the right to be heard and seen.
Current Vice President Kamala Harris addressed this notion in 2020 in her speech at the Democratic National Convention when accepting her vice presidential candidacy.
“That I am here tonight is a testament to the dedication of generations before me,” Harris said. “Women and men who believed so fiercely in the promise of equality, liberty and justice for all. Without fanfare or recognition, they organized, testified, rallied, marched and fought — not just for their vote, but for a seat at the table. These women and the generations that followed worked to make democracy and opportunity real in the lives of all of us who followed.”
Her victory as the elected vice president marked a triumph of perseverance but also a recognition that her achievement was built upon the sacrifices and struggles of those who came before her. To understand the true depth of this moment, it is important to step back and reflect on the centuries of fight that made it possible.
As Dr. Lisa G. Materson, a UC Davis professor and historian of U.S. women’s and gender history, explained that the journey toward political equality for women has been anything but linear.
“In the history of women’s involvement in the struggle for voting rights and party politics, there have been many disappointments before and there have been many moments where people who supported a woman candidate or who were a candidate themselves or who were seeking voting rights, thought they were on the verge of victory, and then that didn’t come,” Materson said.
Materson continued by explaining barriers that have historically stood in the way of women seeking to become involved in political movements.
“If you look at 1920, there were still tons of women who, […] even if they were legally enfranchised or they had the legal right to vote, the constitutional right to vote, they weren’t able to cast a ballot because — for example, African Americans in the South — […] of the white disenfranchising measures or colonized women [who] couldn’t cast a ballot,” Materson said. “So, you know, you can look at these different moments historically as part of a longstanding trajectory of women’s political activism.”
Materson highlighted Charlotta Bass, who was the first African American woman to run for the vice presidency in 1952.
“She was involved in left politics for a combination of rights for individuals — people of color, laborers [and] women,” Materson said. “She ran a newspaper. It was one of the important historically Black newspapers in the United States. It was called The California Eagle.”
Materson emphasized how Bass leveraged her role as a journalist to spotlight stories often ignored by mainstream media — particularly those controlled by white-dominated newspapers — reporting on issues that otherwise would have been left out of the public conversation.
Shirley Chishom, one of the handful of women that Harris particularly named, was the first African American congresswoman and the first Black woman to run for president in 1972.
In the Empire Suffrage Syllabus, created by faculty and graduate students across the University of California including Professor Materson — Shirley Chishom was highlighted for opposing U.S. militarism and advocating for social programs that aimed to mitigate social inequalities.
Especially because of the recent election, the topic of women’s roles in politics has been widely discussed on college campuses. Hana Raie, a third-year political science major, shared her thoughts on the subject as a young female pursuing a degree in a political field.
“I didn’t think that in this day and age, the gender of a candidate would hold so much weight over an election,” Raie said. “As a student taking classes that revolve around politics and voting for the first time, I was very invested in following the events of this election season.”
Raie also shared some disheartening discourse she saw on social media throughout the election cycle.
“I saw a lot of discourse over social media regarding it, and there were many people posting and making comments about how they were only voting for Trump because he was a man — a lot of people were saying that a woman doesn’t ‘have what it takes’ to lead a country, and I wish I could say I was surprised to see this,” Raie said. “It’s one thing to vote against an individual because you don’t agree with their political views or policymaking, but it’s another thing to vote against them based on their sex.”
Raie’s reflection highlights the persistence of gender bias in politics, revealing how these biases are still deeply ingrained, even among younger generations.
Nava Regev, a fourth-year political science major, highlighted how the experiences of women are complex, and that there are many factors shaping the challenges they face and progress they make.
“Women continue to face systemic barriers in politics, but also in other aspects of life like work atmospheres and healthcare, and I think a lot of that can be attributed to the underrepresentation of women in leadership roles,” Regev said. “That being said, women’s roles in society are not the same across all women — [they vary] across different cultures, races and social classes too. Black women, Indigenous women [and] women of color […] they are not only fighting against gender-based discrimination but also racism and colonialism, which shapes the course of history and politics in its own ways as well.“
Regev plans to pursue a career in politics, hoping to continue this ongoing legacy of women making strides toward equality and equal representation.
“Aside from my political views, I think Kamala is a very impressive individual,” Regev said. “As someone with an Indian background on my mom’s side, it’s inspiring to see someone with a similar ethnic heritage accomplishing so much and fighting for women’s rights and being proud of her background and the work she’s done. This is why it’s important to have a diverse range of representation, especially in politics.”
Although Regev is proud of how far women have come, she recognizes that there is still much work to be done, stating, “We’re not done yet.”
“Although women’s role[s] in politics have come a long way since the Nineteenth Amendment was passed, I think there are still many milestones that have yet to be reached,” Regev said.
Written By: Jalan Tehranifar — features@theaggie.org
