With the U.S. presidential election approaching, The Handmaid’s Tale author Margaret Atwood took a stance by sharing a striking cartoon by Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Mike Luckovich.
In The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood envisioned a dystopian society called Gilead where women are stripped of their rights and forced into reproductive servitude. Her book was adapted into a successful TV show that created the definitive image of women forced to wear long red dresses and white headpieces as a sign of sexism. Unsurprisingly, the story has become a potent symbol of resistance against patriarchal control, with the handmaid’s costume frequently appearing at women’s rights protests.
But what does Atwood’s work have to do with current U.S. politics? The 2024 presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump represents a crucial moment for women’s rights in America. Harris has positioned herself as a champion of reproductive freedom, pledging to sign legislation that would restore nationwide abortion protections. She has been vocal about the real-world consequences of restricted abortion access, highlighting cases of women facing medical emergencies and being denied care. Meanwhile, Republicans keep pushing for legislation that dismisses women’s freedom, hence Luckovich’s cartoon.
Margaret Atwood wants women to vote against the society from The Handmaid’s Tale
Bridging the gap between fact and fiction, Luckovich’s cartoon depicts a line of women dressed in the handmaid’s costume, walking head-down into a voting booth. The women on the other side of the booth, however, have thrown their costumes away and walk fiercely, flaunting the freedom their one choice brought them. The message is simple. In addition to exercising their democratic right to vote, going to the booth and choosing the right candidate is also a powerful tool to fight for women’s rights in the U.S.
Even though it doesn’t mention any politician’s name, the cartoon and Atwood are clearly in favor of Kamala Harris. How could it be any different? Under Trump’s previous administration, significant changes to reproductive rights occurred, including the appointment of three Supreme Court justices who ultimately voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, a barbaric decision that restrained even more women’s power over their own bodies – the decision further restricted the right for a woman to get a safe abortion.
The symbolism of Luckovich’s cartoon becomes even more powerful when considering current statistics: 56% of Americans think women’s representation in politics is “very important,” and 77% believe women are just as qualified as men to hold the highest offices in government. Harris’s campaign has particularly resonated with voters concerned about reproductive rights, with 65% of her supporters citing women’s issues as very important in their voting decisions. Meanwhile, some of Trump’s most vocal (and annoying) supporters keep echoing sexist ideas of a woman’s worth.
The political divide extends beyond reproductive rights. While 94% of Harris supporters believe in gender equality, only 69% of Trump supporters share this view. This disparity underscores why Atwood’s shared image strikes such a powerful chord – it portrays women actively rejecting a potential future that echoes the fictional horrors of Gilead through their vote.