by Alyssa Towns (Swantkoski)

The year before I ran for student body president, I led my high school classmates as their student body communications director. I was also an active participant in the National Honor Society and other extracurriculars, held a 3.9 GPA, and possessed strong leadership and communication skills. I fulfilled my role successfully, learning a lot about leading and guiding others along the way. Only one other candidate chose to run for office up against me—one of my dear friends at the time.

We worked closely in many of our classes over the years, and our competition was a friendly one. I knew we were both great leaders, and no matter how much I wanted to win, we both knew that our classmates would benefit from either outcome.

As part of my campaign, I shared my plans to carry on several well-loved initiatives alongside ideas for a better and brighter future for our school. When campaign week finally rolled around, my team plastered handmade posters with my name and slogan throughout the halls. My support system consisted of various teachers who shared my ideals, friends who wanted to help see me succeed, and acquaintances who wanted nothing more than a female student body president to take charge.

On election day, members of the student government gathered together to recount our previous presidential history, many of which, we realized, had been men. It was no secret that the position has been male-dominated. From time-to-time, female students held other office positions, but none as high as the presidential position.

When election day came to a close, I felt proud of myself, despite not knowing the results. I’d overcome imposter syndrome enough to put myself out there and stand up for my beliefs and wants. Perfectionistic tendencies faded because winning the election would come with many challenges, but I was more than willing to meet those challenges head-on, no matter how unprepared.

The proud feelings quickly dissipated when I lost the election.

My opponent was a worthy candidate, and it made sense to me that my peers had elected him based upon his qualifications. Over time, though, my classmates' whispers circulated the halls, and I learned that many of them had chosen my opponent because they didn’t believe a woman should be in charge. Even at a young age, in an election as seemingly small as a high school student body election, gender bias presented itself in a way that left its mark on me. 

The student body election was not a life-shattering moment in my life, but hearing the hallway whispers and experiencing gender bias firsthand did change my perception of my abilities in the years that followed. I spent some time post-election feeling disappointed in myself and like I wasn't good enough, and truly believed that I didn't deserve to win. I feared putting myself out there again, only to hear once more that women aren't deserving of certain positions, specific roles, or a seat at the table.

I chose not to run or apply for any other leadership roles for the rest of my high school career. In college, I carried the mentality that I wasn't good enough. I played small in clubs and extracurricular activities, despite wanting to do more. And every time I contemplated applying for a leadership role of any sort, the fear of not being good enough crept back in.

On Saturday, November 7, 2020, these feelings came up again—but this time, I finally released them.

Seeing Vice President-elect Kamala Harris become the first woman and woman of color to hold office changed the game for me, and the defeated sixteen-year-old in me finally felt good enough. For the first time on this scale, our nation witnessed a woman rightfully claim a seat at the table and shatter (part of) the glass ceiling barrier above her.

This historical moment, with political beliefs set aside, is one I'll never forget. Harris' words rang loud and clear during her victory speech. "While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last, because every little girl watching tonight sees that this is a country of possibilities."

And with this victory, my hope is that all young girls everywhere wholeheartedly believe in the possibilities before them. I want young girls to feel powerful and refuse to back down when standing up for their beliefs. As a society, we must vow to work harder to prevent gender bias at a young age.

Most importantly, young girls need to know that they deserve a seat at the table. They deserve to be student body president, regardless of their gender.

Alyssa spends her days working in the digital marketing industry and is passionate about sharing her personal experiences through writing growth, productivity, and wellness features. She spends her free time adventuring through Colorado and beyond with her high school sweetheart, reading self-help books, and practicing yoga in the comfort of her apartment, thanks to the Yoga with Adriene YouTube channel. Catch Alyssa's latest musings here.