Ivanka Trump is a wife, mother and successful businesswoman. She is someone that women all over the world can look to for inspiration and strength. However, a majority of feminists do not support the first daughter, and level harsh criticism at her. A quick google search of her name illustrates this.
The feminist movement claims to support women and their rights, but this seems not to be the case when a woman disagrees with their views. Ivanka Trump doesn’t fit the mold of a modern feminist— to most, her support for her father makes her an outlier. Ivanka Trump very well may be a feminist in some respects, but not in others, and so rather than supporting her success as a businesswoman, some feminists choose to treat her with the same disrespect they claim to fight against.
When a movement claims to stand for the rights of all women, they must acknowledge that not all women have the same values. The empowerment that the feminist movement preaches is exemplified in women like Ivanka Trump, but instead of respecting her hard work and her commitment to what she believes, she is “selling us traditional femininity and support of male power wrapped up in a feminist bow,” according to a New York Times article and is compared to a dog in a tweet from director Joss Whedon, on Jan. 24.
Feminists should find some comfort in the fact that Ivanka Trump will be an adviser to President Trump, albeit in an unofficial capacity. Her accomplishments show that she believes that women who work hard can achieve great things. Dedication and commitment can break the barriers of gender in the workplace, and I doubt that a strong woman like Ivanka Trump would ever settle for a paycheck that was less than one of her male counterparts.
Events like the Women’s Marches that took place all around the globe, make it clear that people are outraged at the policies of the president, but there is some hope. Ivanka Trump is a registered Democrat in the state of New York and could not vote for her father in the New York primaries. This goes to show that President Trump will not only be surrounded by the opinions of Republican lawmakers, but also a wide variety of people with different ideologies.
“My siblings and I volunteer our opinions, solicited or not,” Ivanka Trump said in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar in 2016. When she introduced her father at the Republican National Convention, Ivanka Trump talked about the unfair treatment that mothers in the workforce experience. She said that her father would fight to change antiquated labor laws, ensure equal pay for women and secure access to quality, affordable childcare.
“He will fight for equal pay for equal work, and I will fight for this too, right alongside of him,” Ivanka Trump said. Though she admitted she is more fortunate than most, Ivanka Trump understands what it takes to be a woman in the workforce. I believe that Ivanka Trump will do what she can to fight for the rights of women. She may not fit the modern definition of a feminist, but she has the respect of her father, and that may be able to move mountains.
If President Trump really intends to steamroll the rights of women, he will have to answer to his daughter, who, in her own words, does not hesitate to share her opinion. It is undeniable that Ivanka Trump has been silent on issues like abortion and reproductive rights, but even a small victory is still a victory — If Ivanka Trump can counsel her father toward legislation ensuring equal pay for women, paid maternity leave and accessible child care, we should all be cheering her on.
