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Anthony Valdez
Professor Olivas
English 201
November 10, 2016
The Tuesday Everyday Changed
The Womens Rights Movement marks July 13, 1848 as its beginning.
On that summer day in upstate New York, a young housewife and mother,
Elizabeth Cady Stanton, was invited to tea with four women friends. When
the course of their conversation turned to the situation of women, Stanton
poured out her discontent with the limitations placed on her own situation
under Americas new democracy. Hadnt the American Revolution had been
fought just 70 years earlier to win the Patriots freedom from tyranny? But
women had not gained freedom even though they had taken equally
tremendous risks through those dangerous years. Surely the new republic
would benefit from having its women play more active roles throughout
society. Stantons friends agreed with her, passionately. This was definitely
not the first small group of women to have such a conversation, but it was
the first to plan and carry out a specific, large-scale program.
The United States, one of the most ethnically diverse and multicultural
nations, has progressed tremendously in regards to equality among people in

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the United States. Equality has many aspects of it

between religion, race, age, culture, and much more. In this year, gender
equality is currently at stake of retracing its steps from the past. With the
election of Donald Trump, the U.S. now faces risk of recession in gender
equality, unless proper actions are took, in order to prevent the retrace of
steps from the past. In The Friday Everything Changed" by Anne Hart,
it symbolizes how gender equality can be reached. Alma Niles, like Hillary
Clinton, goes against the U.S. society gender roles, changing the equality
between men and women. "The western world is a very gendered world,
consisting of only two legal categories-men and women" (Zimmerman
1057). In American history, a better value has always been placed on men
over women. American tradition favors men in the sense that they have
more freedom, make more money, as well as have more rights. Throughout
history, womens rights movements have benefited the equality between
men and women in United States. Like in the story, women need to stand up
for themselves and prove they have equal value to the roles of men.
"The Friday Everything Changed," By Anne Hart is a great example of
women oppression. In the story, it is tradition that the boys go out to the
water well to fill the water bucket for the class. This was a boys only job and
had never been done by a girl before. One day, in class, Alma decides to
raise her hand and ask the question that would
change everything. "Why can't girls go for the water too?" Miss Ralston,
appalled does not know the answer, so she replies Ill tell you next Friday"

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(Hart 2) Of course this causes problems between the boys and girls of the
school. It was a boys goal to one day go for the water bucket, since
retrieving the bucket of water is labeled a male only task. The boys who
would retrieve the buckets would feel as if they have higher value over girls
since girls were not able to perform this job. In addition, they will feel
masculine for having contributing to the survival of the community. The
separations of these gender roles, especially at a young age, do not benefit
the bias views between men and women. In the end, it is decided that two
girls will go for the water bucket this week, rather than two boys as tradition.
This breaks the barrier of society's sexist image of boys only being able to
retrieve the water bucket, since it is labeled a masculine task. Also relating
to Clinton running in the presidential candidacy for 2017, Clinton strived to
change the way we view the societal gender roles of men and women.
Clinton, like Niles, decides to go against the norms of society with a
sense of wonder. A wonder of as to why does a job place favoritism towards
one sex gender rather than equally to both. Even though Clinton did not win
the presidency; her actions will not go unnoticed. Instead it will move
forward with the U.S. equality between genders. Clinton was supported by
many women across the country, because she not only was giving women
hope across the world, but she would also have changed the way we view
the presidency as a male only role. "Not only does the form and extent of
women's oppression vary from country to country, but it is also shaped by
relations of power based on race, class, ability, and sexual orientation"

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(Darity 624). The boys from The Friday Everything Changed represent the
alpha-male bias views of the ability to retrieve the water bucket, but in this
case it is with Clinton representing our country. Trump enforces the bias view
we have today, with the victory of Trump, inequality in the U.S. will
drastically change. This does not mean changes moving forward, but rather
on the contrary, changes that will setback the United States and its
progress.
With the rise of Trump, he echoes the three-decade pushback against
gains made by women. Trump embodies the backlash against feminism that
many of the U.S. recognized in the early 90's. During most, if not all, of
Trumps presidential debates he constantly is attacking the fact that Clinton is
a woman while he is a man; this alone qualifies him to be president over her.
In addition to inequality with gender, we also face setbacks with equality in
other aspects in the United States. Trump plans on returning the U.S. to its
original beginnings of the early America. With his campaign ad "Make
America Great Again" his views on the United States clearly signifies that we
need to retrace our steps of progress made, which is the backbone
of America today. His political views and actions will not only greatly affect
the women of the United States, but everyone who lives in America, as well
as our foreign relations. "Votes for Trump might not be deliberately made in
the name of a gender war, but that is exactly the battle that is being fought"
(Moore). This election brought out a gender war between citizens of America.
Instead of votes actually being derived from candidates stances on political

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issues, genders are being separated, in which mostly men support Trump
and women for Clinton. This in terms of "making America great again" will
only cause people of U.S. to divide among each other, which is not creating
greatness but segregation between Americans. On the opposing end, Trump
can also benefit the countries gender war that is currently being fought.
Trump heavily believes that the United States is broken and needs
fixing. He is the answer for our problems economically, culturally,
and politically. With Trump as our president the U.S. can now be at ease
knowing that we have the most qualified alpha-male leading our country. He
intends to better the country in means of our immigration laws, firearms law,
foreign policies, as well as women's rights to birth abortion. America has
always been a country open to change, with change comes progress, and
with the change of Trump, progress should correspond. "Now its time to get
to work to unite, to prosper, to become stronger. Together, I have no doubt
we have taken the first step to Make America Great Again!" (Trump). The
progress that Trump displays is in fact not progress at all. It is actually a
retrace in dilemmas that America has once faced before, but with time and
progression the U.S. overcame these social issues. For example, our laws
regarding immigration, Trump plans on building a wall on the southern border
of California and intends to make Mexico pay for it to be built. This does not
create a better America; rather it shows how America is symbolizing how
Americans are above other countries. If America actually had a chance to
stand alone as a country that placed itself above all other countries,

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races, religions, and as well male dominated, than the country would not
have had to make any adjustments to laws or rights pertaining to equality.
What makes America great is the opportunities it gives to citizens as well as
immigrants to live "The American Dream." With equality among everyone,
we all have the same equal opportunity to succeed in business, which is
what drives American economy. America has progressed a tremendous
amount throughout history with examples like industrial revolution, freedom
of slaves, women's rights movements, all have been a resolution to societal
issues of the past. If we face the backlash with Trump America will not be
great, instead we will lose what makes America, America.
In conclusion, it can be determined that women reject Trumps views
while men embrace them. Trump winning the election will setback all the
United States has fought to gain. At this moment, it still may not be a part of
your reality so it may have little significance in your life, but it will soon reach
your reality, affecting you and all your loved ones. Trump is the perfect
example of alpha-male. He believes he is above every American as well as
Americans are superior in the world. He constantly boasts about his wealth,
avoided paying taxes, as well as demeans women below himself and men. If
Trump is the voice for men across America, as well as America to other
nations, Trump should embody a personality that does not instigate disaster.
Not only is it women that do not agree with trump but people of other
cultures, religions, and ethnicities. Now it is time for America to unite, but not
with Trump, we need to prove that his actions will not only destroy

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everything America has become, but can stand grounds for the beginning of
war, a holocaust, or even nuclear destruction. It is not time to protest or rally
up in the streets, creating more social issue, rather we can find ways to
either convince Trump to change his views or veto him from office.If you
were someone who did not vote against Trump, or did not vote at all, now
you realize the effects of not letting your voice be heard, or doing your part
for your country. Is it already too late? Will Trump succeed in re-routing
America to become early American once more. If it was Clinton who had
won the election America would not be in this predicament, rather we
would have succeeded in progression, changing the way we view the roles of
men and women, forever.