By Gabbie Burton

“Your body, my choice. Forever.”

“Women threatening sex strikes; like LMAO, as if you have a say.”

X posts that began to appear after the 2024 presidential election confirmed what I already knew to be true. For many women, the most threatening part of yet another Trump administration is not potential climate destruction, the possible rise of fascism or the loss of reproductive rights, although these are all extremely valid concerns. Rather, the largest fear looming for women in this country are the voices of the young men Donald Trump and his rhetoric have emboldened.

While large societal threats are coming, we don’t know or can’t always imagine how exactly they might manifest in their final stages. However, what any woman can imagine is the violence, disrespect, and hatred she has and will face at the hands of a man. This is the real fear. This is personal.

While violence against women is nothing new, politics is a part of life in nearly every way and does have an impact on this very issue. After the election, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue reported that there was a 4,600 percent increase in the phrase, “your body my choice,” on X in the days after the election. This is a clear indication of individuals feeling comfortable after Trump was elected to share their real feelings of hatred towards women. Let me remind you that if they say it on the internet to exist forever, they will say and do worse in their private lives.

The phrase, “your body, my choice” refers to the loss of abortion access in this country but in truth the phrase is so vague it would be naïve to underestimate the full weight of that statement and those who use it. The choice to do what, exactly, to my body? Because I don’t believe we are just talking about abortion access anymore.

I can anticipate how this all may seem a bit dramatic to some. You may think I’m reading in too deeply, or that my use of the word “hatred” is unwarranted. However, it is a deadly mistake to minimize the violent intentions of a hateful man, and I urge you to not make that mistake. These young men -- who are now emboldened under the next administration and the clear example of the lack of consequences they will face, will only continue the cycle of violence thus harming women and themselves.

I would encourage you all to read Men Who Hate Women by Laura Bates about online incel communities; in fact, feel free to borrow my annotated copy where I tabbed all the most stomach-turning examples of anti-woman sentiment being expressed. Bates shares my sentiment that while this may all appear a bit exaggerated to some, she asks, “What if it’s impossible to get to grips with the epidemic of violence facing women and girls when we’re not able to clearly name and examine the problem?”

I have just named the problem.

Gabbie Burton is a contributing writer with the Chester County Press.