Vi Khi Nao

Because it is profoundly wrong to deny reproductive rights to half the population

This November, I plan to vote for Kamala Harris because I believe the direction of US policies needs a significant shift. It often feels like every small leap forward is quickly followed by a huge step backward, especially when it comes to women’s rights. The overturning of Roe v. Wade left me devastated, not just for myself, but for women, nonbinary individuals, and all those who value corporeal autonomy. The heartbreak I felt extended to my sisters, my mother, and all the women in my life. It was a painful reminder that even rights that seem permanent and secure can be stripped away in an instant, much like how my mother’s sewing machines were confiscated by the communist regime from her business.

As a lesbian who doesn’t anticipate having children, I still find it profoundly wrong to deny reproductive rights to half the population. The patriarchal grip on women’s bodies has persisted for far too long, and I believe that a Kamala Harris presidency could be the turning point we need. Her leadership could challenge and potentially dismantle the entrenched, systematic misogyny that has shaped US policies for over two hundred years.

When the people of the United States elected Trump to office in 2016, I immediately felt the impact of his lack of leadership. Trump’s victory appeared to embolden men who were already weak and unkind, giving them accelerated permission to mistreat women with impunity. In fact, their chauvinism is often celebrated. The day after the election, strangers, mostly men, began to mistreat me. What followed was a flood of patriarchal terror that unfolded over the next seven years and continues even into Biden’s administration.

The United States has been governed by a male-centric, patriarchal perspective. It’s time for a variation. I want to see a future where, for the first time, our nation is led, safeguarded, and steered by a matriarch. I believe Kamala Harris has the vision, strength, positivity, and compassion to bring about this necessary transformation and amplify the voices of women and underrepresented groups that have been silenced for too long.

Vi Khi Nao is the author of many books and is known for her work spanning poetry, fiction, plays, film, and interdisciplinary collaborations.