For millions of American voters, possessing a penis was the determining qualification for president. It mattered more than economic policies, steady job growth and inflation rates lower than global standards. It mattered more than plans for economic stability, social justice, and climate action. It mattered more than the real detriment to women's health. And shockingly, it mattered more than common decency, as voters chose to believe absurd lies about Haitian immigrants eating cats and dogs over Harris’s demonstrated record of leadership and public service.

The Double Standard:
Trump’s incompetence, vulgarity, and criminal behavior were brushed aside by millions, but Harris faced an unrelenting barrage of scrutiny that had nothing to do with qualifications. She was labeled "unlikable," "too ambitious," and even "not Black enough," all of which reflected deep-seated discomfort with powerful women, especially women of color, occupying spaces reserved for white men.

The Comfort of Male Dominance:
For many Americans, the idea of a female president challenges their worldview. Harris’s presence at the top of the ticket was a direct challenge to the entrenched belief that leadership is a male domain. And while racism fuels Trump’s base, misogyny transcends racial lines, appealing to men and women alike who have internalized patriarchal norms.

Trump as an “Alpha Male”:
Trump’s exaggerated and performative machismo, taps into a cultural fetishization of male dominance. For his supporters, his brashness and unapologetic behavior were strengths, while Harris’s assertiveness was framed as arrogance or aggression. This double standard reveals how deeply the American psyche believes that masculinity is a natural trait of power.

America’s Backward Thinking
Trump’s resume is a rap sheet—fraud, corruption, inciting violence and yet, millions of Americans are convinced that he is the solution to the nation’s problems. Meanwhile, Harris’s decades of service and proven ability to tackle complex issues were dismissed, not for a lack of substance, but for her gender and race.

The irony is painful: a nation facing existential crises—climate change, economic inequality, and crumbling infrastructure—chooses a man whose only skill is self-promotion. For Americans, having a penis is the ultimate qualification, the trump card (pun intended) that outweighs competence, morality, and vision.

What This Says About America
America remains a country where gender equality is more myth than method. The refusal to elect a woman president does not reflect a lack of qualified candidates. It reflects a society still deeply afraid of seeing women, particularly women of color, wielding power.
Until America acknowledges how misogyny shapes its political decisions, we will remain trapped in cycles of self-destruction.

Perhaps after these next four years, America will recognize that the stakes are too high to continue allowing gender and race to outweigh competence and character in choosing our leaders.