My mother’s hopeless voice welcomed my call as we tried to process the election results. I could hear my step-father cheer, “Yay!” in the background. Unfortunately, he is amongst one of the many Latinos who rooted for Trump’s presidency. Anger rose in my body as I heard this father figure praise a man who could care less for the woman he “loves” the most—my mom. This is the reality of many Latinos who struggle to understand why other Latinos would vote for Donald Trump.
54% of Hispanic men voted for Trump, 18% more than the 2020 election. These are the same men who came from women. As they selected a man who has made countless racist comments towards our own culture, they simultaneously turned their backs on the women who are the reason they are here to cast a vote. As an Afro-Latina, witnessing these results online and within my own family is profoundly disheartening and a great sign of disrespect.
In the Hispanic community, men are placed on a pedestal by the women in the household. These women cook, clean, raise their kids, work or stay home so they can have careers, and so much more. Women carry Latino men on their backs only for them to be paid by having the rights to their bodies in question. These are not only the bodies of their mothers or wives but their grandmothers, daughters, and granddaughters. The results of this election are a clear sign that the pedestal for Hispanic men has been too high for too long. Trump-supporting Hispanic men are basking in the results of this election in front of the women they were supposed to protect.
Some of those men celebrate alongside the 37% of Latinas who voted for Trump, that’s 7% more than in 2020. These are the same women who will more than likely not have the right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. This also speaks to a more significant issue—these women placing a man on a pedestal who doesn’t respect them.
Donald Trump has made explicit comments about women’s bodies and has even been charged with sexual assault, yet women are still choosing him. As Hispanic women, we have to stop supporting and making excuses for men who are not choosing us in our household or country. By doing so, we show our daughters that accepting disrespect is okay. We also show them that “No” doesn’t exist in politics.
Voting for Donald Trump is a violent act against many groups, but especially for women. Healing is how I and many others are getting through this time. I have found peace in allowing my tears to flow and ease in times I’ve released anger. Embracing the healing process is how we, as women, can move forward.
Take a walk, cry, scream, block, unfollow, end the friendships, and set the boundaries. This is your healing process; there is no right or wrong way to do it. Your emotions aren’t too much. They’re on time. And despite what is happening in our country, please remember this: You and your body still matter.
