Yaen A.
Around the 1950s, women were restricted by custom and law from occupying professions and even if they had a profession, they have faced significant discrimination within their professional field. Nevertheless, throughout American history women in America continued contributing to America as columnists, reporters, and sports analysts even before the 1950s. women in the US suffered in the middle of the twentieth century, for over fifteen years, experts have been telling women that their roles are to seek fulfillment as wives and mothers. They were taught that women are other than housewives like are unhappy. They were taught that truly feminine women do not want careers, higher education, political rights, and other opportunities that feminists fought for (Friedan, 1992: 13-16). Because of those influences, many women have given up on their dreams. After 1950s, women started really fighting for their rights to work and get recognition in America. In January 2021, Kamala Harris became the Vice President of the United States upon presidential inauguration as the first woman, Black American, and Asian American after taking the vice-presidential oath of the office. While an election is an important event for the American president and much of the public attention is generally paid to the new president, Harris will be under a special spotlight for making history in the White House.
Kamala Harris’s vice presidency made a historical achievement of the United States. The achievement of Kamala Harris is not only a personal achievement for her, but it is an achievement that of the generations of women – Black, Asian, White, Latina, and other women who throughout America’s history have paved the way for this historical moment. "Women who fought and sacrificed so much for equality and liberty and justice for all, including the Black women who are often, too often overlooked, but so often prove that they are the backbone of our democracy” (Ferenchik). While the president of the United States is the top position in America, the vice president also plays an important role in the federal government's executive branch as the President of the Senate. The Vice President is also known as being "a heartbeat away from the presidency," because the Vice President will automatically become The president in some extreme situations.
Kamala Harris is an inspiration to other women. In her vice president-elect speech, she said “While I may be the first woman in this office I won’t be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities” (Classicalycourt). During her career, she became the District attorney in California, the attorney general in California, and U.S. Senate. Kamala Harris made countless history throughout the carrier. Now, as she takes this important position to be the vice president of the United States, her legacy has created a new pathway for other women that doubted their dreams. Ms. Harris also helped others make history in December when she hired the first all-woman senior staff for the U.S. vice president’s office (Classicalycourt). Black women have continuously sat beneath the stage as audience. The barriers created for black women based on their gender and race create difficulty when they try to achieve things that are easy for other gender and race. From slavery to Jim Crow laws, women of color have faced countless challenges and obstacles. Even when women wer finally grated to vote, many women of color were not able to vote because of social suppression during 1920s. Today, many women who weren’t able to vote is part of this historical moment.
Like every historical event in America, Ms. Harris’s achievement also had many opposite voices, especially from identity police. Many people like Mark Pulliam trying to manipulate the truth and spread rumors about “she was dating at age 29, Willie Brown being 60 and married at the time and for the two years that they were in a relationship, he introduced her to the political circles that have led to her meteoric rise since then, appointed her to a couple of cushy administrative agencies, positions in California”(Creitz). But if we look at the evidence closely, The claim Harris had an affair with a married man is technically not true. Because “given Brown had been separated from his wife for more than a decade, the claim is misleading. Harris and Brown’s relationship was not secret and they made public appearances as a couple”( Reuters). Some identity police argue that Ms. Harris is not who she says she is; some other argues about her multiple identities and her birth as a natural-born citizen.
Kamala Harris’s vice presidency made a historical achievement of the United States. She is an inspiration to other women. For countless women and girls, Harris’s achievement of being the vice president of America represents hope, validation, and breaking of a barrier, a wall that has kept women of color from reaching the top of the American government position. She showed American girls that they have a chance to achieve things that most men have done. Her legacy has created a new pathway for the other women.
Work Cited:
Classicalycourt. “Kamala Harris Announces New Staff Picks, Marking First Time Women Will Hold Top 3 Spots in VP's Office.” CNBC, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2020, www.cnbc.com/2020/12/04/kamala-harris-appoints-all-women-to-top-3-spots-in-vp-office.html.
Creitz, Charles. “Mark Pulliam Says Harris Believes Her 'Hyper-Progressive Rhetoric,' Has Shown 'Contempt for Law Enforcement'.” Fox News, FOX News Network, 20 Oct. 2020, www.foxnews.com/politics/pulliam-kamala-harris-hyper-progressive-contempt-police.
“Fact Check: Kamala Harris and Willie Brown Had a Relationship over a Decade after He Separated from Wife.” Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 29 Jan. 2021, www.reuters.com/article/uk-factcheck-kamala-harris-willie-brown/fact-check-kamala-harrisandwillie-brownhad-a-relationshipover-adecadeafterhe-separated-from-wife-idUSKBN26Y2RQ.
Ferenchik, Mark. “Kamala Harris' Journey to Vice President-Elect Inspires Women, Girls in Central Ohio.” The Columbus Dispatch, The Columbus Dispatch, 9 Nov. 2020, www.dispatch.com/story/news/local/2020/11/08/kamala-harris-inspires-young-women-and-girls-vice-president-elect/6212900002/.
“Kamala Harris Addresses Nation in First Speech as Vice President-Elect.” CNBC, CNBC, 8 Nov. 2020, www.cnbc.com/video/2020/11/07/kamala-harris-addresses-nation-in-first-speech-as-vice-president-elect.html.