Feminists Weigh Their Wins And Losses After Nearly Four Years Of Trump

Standing in front of the Supreme Court on the night of Sept. 20 was a striking moment for anyone who has paid attention to women in politics for the last four years.

That's not just because it was the night of a vigil for a feminist giant, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, but because it provided a somber bookend to the last four years of the American women's movement.

In January 2017, women flooded the streets around the court — and really, everywhere around the National Mall — toting snappy protest signs and wearing pussy hats, in what was likely the largest one-day protest in American history. Now, they chanted the mourner's Kaddish behind masks, amid a global pandemic.

Women who were part of the recent feminist resurgence have felt that shift from hopeful defiance to anxiety. After four years of protest against Trump, the stakes of the election for this movement are enormous. The next round of marches is set for Saturday, focused on protesting the filling of Ginsburg's seat, but many participants will also hope it's their last mass protest against Trump.

To watch feminism over the last four years has been to get a clear view into